Give Hummingbirds the BEST Nectar Sources

Hummingbirds aren't born knowing to seek out red flowers.  Each hummingbird must learn the association between each flower and quality food.

Hummingbirds also have excellent memories, remembering the location of those great nectar sources, and they'll return to those flowers throughout the entire day as the nectar replenishes.

I think we can learn something from this!

Hummingbirds learn by trial-and-error which flowers are the source of the best quality food.  They discover that plants like Bee Balm (Monarda), Coralbells (Heuchera hybrids), Scarlet Sage (Salvia coccinea) and Cardinal Flower (Lobeia carinalis) and other nectar-bearing plants are excellent sources of quality food.

Likewise, if hummingbirds find that your birdfeeders are a reliable source of high quality food, they will visit your feeders more often.  It's as easy as that!

By high quality food in your hummingbird feeders, I mean

- FRESH - the newer the nectar, the better.  Never cloudy, never containing mold.  Even in my northern clime, I've been trying to change my nectar every 2-3 days.
- CLEAR - with no artificial dyes.  Just a plain sugar and water mix that most closely mimics flower nectar.  Read 5 good reasons to NOT use red nectar.
- CLEAN FEEDERS - no mold inside or in the hard-to-reach ports.  If your hummingbird feeder is hard to clean, get one that is easier to clean and guess what?  You'll clean it more!  Good for the birds, and good for you when you get to see MORE birds!

Comments

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Shirley, no need to. The 4-to-1 water to sugar ratio is good at all times of year.

[Shirley Good]

do i put more sugar in when they are leaving?

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Greg, I LOVE to hear great anecdotal evidence just like this in support of clear nectar. I'm so glad you shared! Thanks for being an active supporter of NO RED NECTAR!

[Greg Peet - Portage MI]

We have used 4/1 water/sugar mixture for several years. Recently we bought a bottle of red mixture to use while our kitchen was being remodeled, when we couldn't get in to make our own mixture. Bird activity stopped. They wouldn't drink it. It sat untouched for several days until we again had access to our kitchen and could make our own 4/1 mixture again. Thankfully the hummers came back.