If you're not being dive-bombed by hummingbirds when you walk out your door, you might be missing quite a show!
Hummingbird young fledged weeks ago so the number of hummingbirds out there is greater than just a month ago. Migration has already begun, so all hummingbirds are bulking up for the long trip to their winter home in Mexico or central America. And in some areas where the summer has been unusually dry, nectar-bearing flowers are producing less natural nectar for the birds.
As a result, RIGHT NOW is the best time of year to enjoy hummingbirds at your feeders!
If your hummingbird feeders aren't busy, as they should be, or if you want to attract even more hummingbirds, here's some steps you can take to enjoy all the activity:
- Add more feeders. You can accomodate more birds by having more feeders in your yard. This is especially the case considering the hummingbirds' territorial nature.
- Refresh your nectar often. Hummingbirds choose feeders just like they do flowers and those feeders that provide the best source of quality nectar get the most visits. Make YOUR feeders the ones the hummingbirds choose by providing clear, fresh nectar in a 1-to-4 sugar to water ratio.
- Clean your feeders. Again, hummingbirds are looking for the best quality food sources. Slimy insides or mold around the ports make your feeders less attractive to the birds.
Don't delay - take these steps right now so you can enjoy the final weeks of hummingbird season!
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wassind, thank you!
Posted by: The Zen Birdfeeder | August 28, 2012 at 10:16 AM
Fabulous, what a blog it is! This webpage gives useful facts to us, keep it up.
Posted by: wassind hämorr | August 24, 2012 at 04:45 AM
Jason, still busy here!!
Posted by: The Zen Birdfeeder | August 23, 2012 at 04:43 PM
Whoops! Spoke too soon.
The handful of birds squabbling over the feeder are, indeed, absent, but a lone hummer started coming to the feeder last night. Still have one this afternoon.
Posted by: Jason Kessler | August 22, 2012 at 12:28 PM
Funny: the day you post this is the day my feeders, in SW CT, have gone silent, after many days of hummer tumult and micro-brawling.
Posted by: Jason Kessler | August 21, 2012 at 01:10 PM