After reading some posts here, I thought I would state what the experts, and that is not me, have to say. Never use anything other than sugar water in your feeder at a rate of 4 parts water to 1 part sugar. No food coloring or other ingredients should be added. The reason for the 4:1 mixture is that this ratio best matches the nectar concentration in nature. Do not boil the mixture, as this increases the sugar ratio. Never use a sugar substitute and never under any circumstance use honey, as it will cause a tongue fungus that is 100% deadly to a hummer. Higher concentrations than 4:1 can cause kidney damage to hummers. Hummers get their protien and minerals from eating insects. The reason you see hummers feeding at plants that you do not think produce nectar is they are eating insects. The reason some of you do not think you are harming the hummers by changing this formula is that for the most part, unless you have a breeding female or you have a territorial adult male or you live on the west coast, the hummers you see are only in your yard any where from 4 to 10 days. We know this from banding records. I'm sure I will not be able to convince you of this, but what I have stated here is the facts. I have been feeding hummers for over 20 yrs and I have had 7 different species caught and banded in my yard. I have found that color has little affect on hummers. They have a super computer for a brain. If they survive from one yr to the next they will return to your yard or one in your vacinty within the same 2 week period as last yr. The number one hummer plant in my yard, and I have about 50 different types of plants for the hummers, is Salvia Guaranticia. It is a deep blue, almost purple, perennial, that blooms from April till the temp drops to 27 degrees F. If you have any questions I will get you an answer if I do not know. One thing I know for sure, the more I learn, the more I know I do not know. In order to dissolve the sugar in the water, use hot tap water. Remember to clean your feeders on a regular basis. Happy humming to you all !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WHAT TO FEED HUMMERS
Thanks for the great info Hummer_Nut! Nice to see it spelled out so clearly. If you love them enough to want to attract them, thna love them enough not to harm them.
Thanks again!
hummer-nut
I'm glad you posted this important information. I have read that some people put vanilla in their nectar mix. I do boil my water in a tea kettle and then measure it after it has boiled. The reason I do this is because it will last longer in the fridge and I can make a bigger batch. Do you have any hummers yet?
Applause for this much needed info. I love my hummers and look forward to them each year. I am slowly adding the plants they love in order to keep them coming back. I " heard" my first hummer one week ago buzzing my feeder. No mistaking that sound, lol. Today, the first siting of a Ruby Throated ,but not at home - at the workplace feeding on Louisiana Yellow Iris. We did a major renovation last year in our rear yard when we added a pool and pulled most of our plantings out to re-landscape. What a difference it has made. Returning birds apparently do not like my immature landscape and are seeking greener pastures. I miss them, but hope to make an even better, and friendlier habitat. Our hummers had become very accustomed to our presence. I will never forget the day I arrived home from work, picked up the paper and retired to the rear porch to read. Not my usual routine as I usually scrub my face and change clothes. I had a close encounter with one bold fellow just inches from my face.....hovering above my lips still painted a bright red! Note...they are REALLY LOUD that close!
I had my 1st Ruby about 2 weeks ago. I have had several since then. One thing I forgot to mention, a hummer can spot the red base of a hummer feeder from a 1/4 mile away, so the more feeders you have out, the better your chance of getting more hummers. Good luck to you all and keep those feeders clean.
Thanks Hummer_nut - great information.
Larry, thanks for the info. I had forgotten you told me long ago that the hummers only stay in my yard for a short time. Here I have named the hummer I keep seeing and was convinced he came to eat when I went outside, to see me and eat at the same time!!!! Now I realize that the "one" I have been seeing is probably many more. Speaking of the blue salvia, do you think you could spare a lttle for my friend, Bonnie (AKA Honeybee) and give it to her at the fla. swap?
Roz, I will have her some.
Great information!
Right now, I couldn't count how many we have hummers here. There's all over around now. There's 4 feeders out there. Two in front and two in back. They are flying around as circle of the house.. lol.. I planted lots of red/pink flowers around. THey loves my wisteria and Impatients too. I need to buy some plants for hummers.
Thanks, Larry!
Great info Hummer_nut! I see we're digging in the same dirt. lol... My best hummer plants are Black and Blue Saliva followed by Pineapple sage and Lantana. The yard was buzzing from early spring til late fall.
I'm glad to hear that they like lantana, because I have plenty of that this year. I finally saw the hummer that I only heard last week. I automatically assumed it was a ruby throat, but this one looks different and I've never seen it in my garden before. This hummer appears to have a very dark head, a greenish body that is not as irridescent as a ruby throat and a white band around the neck. It was feeding on firecracker fern but did not visit the feeder directly above it. Anyone know what kind of hummer it was?
From your description it would be hard to identify accurately. If you are positive that it was not a ruby, it could be one of several species, but probably an Allens or a Rufous that winter over in the south and migrate back west in the spring.
Hummer_nut, I looked at some pictures and the bird I saw looks very much like a black-chinned hummingbird. It must be a female because it did not have the purple gorget. The entire head was very dark, I would say black.
I'm new to feeding hummingbirds, have had a feeder for a couple years and last year was the first time they came - WOW are they ever exciting!! I have the Walmart Special hummingbird mixture - are you saying I should dump it and just do sugar water? I'm cleaning the feeder now to fill it up!! Also, had a problem with wasps & ants getting in the feeder last year, a friend suggested oiling the base, so I did and it worked - but was that okay for the hummingbirds? (The biggest thrill of last summer was watching three of them fight - swooping and diving and making sure the others didn't get to the feeder!!)
It could have been a black-chinned hummingbird. If it was a female, it could be any of 4 or 5 species.
TamTam, there is nothing wrong with using the solution you bought except I personally do not like the coloring added and mixing my own is a lot cheaper for me as I go thru a gallon a day during Aug & Sept.
Wow, a gallon a day!!!!! Happy Hummers! I see what you mean about price... Thanks~
by you meaning 4 to 1 ratio, how much water to 2 tbsp sugar, would that be 6 tbsp water? that what you mean?
kathy_ann
4 x 2 is 8 Kathy :-) so 8 tbsp water to 2 tbsp sugar is a 4 to 1 ratio
oh dear, i knew that, he he, my stupidness is pouring out on me LOL
kathy
Not stupid dear....... :-)
Hummer Nut, glad you spelled out the feeding etc. info for hummers. I have been doing what you do for 25-30 years, except I do measure a cup of sugar in a 1 qt. jar then pour in 2 cups or so of boiling water stir until dissolved then fill with cold water and put in fridge. That is this time of year when most of them arrive and there are many, I have to keep two two qt. jsrs going. Donna
My feeders are up but no hummers yet.
Saw my first Hummer yesterday...zone 8 Alabama. There on the way! :-) Dixiechick
My hummers are currently hovering around the blue shrimp plant. I am uncertain if they like the plant or the bugs on it. There must be some bug they like out there because I find them (the hummers) sitting on the ground dining on something in the early am. I have never seen them sit on the ground out in the open like this before. It is good coffee drinking entertainment.
I have never seen hummers feeding on the ground. Their feet are not made for walking. I have seen them just sitting on the ground when they are threatened by other hummers.
They are obviously noshing on something that is on the ground. Maybe a favored source of protein is attracted to the manure I just worked into that area. I looks as if it is blackchins that are doing this. They sit at the concrete border and grab whatever it is they are after. It is very odd. I just spaded a new area. I will check to see if they sit there over the next few days.
I did not realize that you got blackchin hummers in San Diego, or not many. I think your most dominant hummer is Annas, which is bigger. Hummers very seldom, if ever, group together.
Are you positive that what you are seeing are hummers????
I could have my id wrong but it is definately a hummer. We have around 6 kinds that come through here. Well, the Anna's are always here. It is a small darker hummer with a stripe at its eyes. I will try to get a pic but the digital is not the best. Maybe I will try film and the bazooka lens. lol. They are probably on their way to Mexico. I get an assortment that just pass through. I tried to suggest to DD that she was seeing a moth but it was indeed a hummer. I seem to be the only one around my block that feeds them year round. We have a creek behind us with trees that they seem to hang out in. I have feeders in more than one spot and king Anna has only staked out 1 as HIS.
Come have coffee with me and the hummers. You would be very welcome.
This message was edited Apr 13, 2004 1:08 PM
The only time I was in San Diego was in 1966 while going thru basic training and then med school. I would love to visit some day. I know you get Allens, Rufous, Calliope, Blackchin, and maybe a couple others passing thru, plus the yr round Annas. Non of these match your description. I'm glad you enjoy watching them.
Larry
I guess I had best take the hummer book out with the coffee. Binoculars too. I will id this fellow yet. My Mother was a hummer nut too. I picked up the habit.
I wanted to ask you... I always ad a bit more sugar to my water for the over-wintering hummers. That is what they told me to do at the zoo but I know that the people in the aviaries are not always as knowledgable as they might be sometimes. I used to donate my many extra homegrown 100% organic silkworms to the birds at the SD Zoo when my kids were small and we raised them every spring. The jays loved them too.
Janice
Janice, there is no need to increase the ratio of sugar to water and no need to add any nutrients. It could even be detremental to the hummers. If you could get a picture that would be great. A good friend of mine started a nonprofit org to study hummers and other neotropical birds. Here is the link:
http://www.hummingbirdsplus.org/
Hope you find it enjoyable.
Larry
I bookmarked to look at in the morning. Thank you.
Larry, what is the ratio of feeders you should have per number of hummers? Btw, we saw our first one today. :o)
I'm not sure, but I know that by putting out more feeders will mean a lot more hummers. Example: 1 feeder = 2-3 hummers seen, 2 feeders = about 7-10 hummers, 3 feeders = 10-20 hummers, 5 or more = 20-50 hummers. Try to space them out so one dominant, greedy hummer can not guard them all. This time of the yr I only put a small amount of sugar water in the feeders and change every 4 or 5 days. You will see and increase in hummers after the 15th of June. That is when the 1st young, born this yr, leave their nest. You should see your most begining in August. The 2nd set of youmg are leaving their nest and their southward migration starts. Hope this helps.
After talking to some other people who hummer watch in this area, I think my little bug eater may have been a Costa's hummer or three. I have a smallish lavatera that is about covered in blue shrimp plant (blooming profusely) that they may have staked a claim to for a few days to fuel up. Never got a photo of him though. Keeping my eyes peeled for more.
To all hummer experts! Will I see hummers in Detroit Michigan? That would be nice.
If you put feeders out, you will see hummers.