Hummingbird feeders

[linda]

I’m wondering if anyone has any tips on keeping hummingbird feeders going in this weather. I have two outside and an extra inside so I can rotate them out if they start to freeze during the day. Can I bring them in at night and put them out in the morning? If I do that, does anyone have an idea how early the feeders should be back out so they are there for the birds?

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[B-squared]

i bring mine in at dark and put them back up in the AM. The sooner, the better. since i am up at 5am that’s when the feeders go back up. they actually sell hummingbird feeder warmers but i haven’t tried them. search the forum for this topic as it has been talked about on here before.

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[Sue]

This is an old thread, and the photo not available anymore, but perhaps this will be helpful: https://westseattleblog.com/forum/topic/remedy-for-frozen-hummingbird-feeder

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[herongrrrl]

During Snowpocalypse I noticed that the sugar solution I use in the feeder didn’t freeze until the temps got to be about 27 or so. (Our feeder is also against a window and gets some radiant heat from the house, which keeps it thawed longer.)

I am usually up pretty early, and have noticed that the hummers start visiting as early as 1/2 hour before sunrise.

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[linda]

Thanks everyone! I had vaguely remembered an old discussion about hummingbird feeders from two years ago, I just didn’t think to search.

By the time I was able to get home from work, my feeders had an inch of snow blocking the hummers access to the nectar. I had two little guys buzzing me while I cleared the feeders. I left the feeders out longer than I should have tonight to make sure they both ate before dark. I only just pulled them in, they are almost frozen through. Even though tomorrow is a vacation day, I’ll be up so I can get those feeders out 1/2 hour before sunrise. Tomorrow’s project is to work on finding a way to keep at least one of te feeders warm during the day.

I couldn’t believe my bird seed feeder and one of the two suet feeders were empty when I got home, yet another task for tomorrow!

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[B-squared]

It’s 7am and the hummingbirds are up and at ’em. Get those feeders back up to avoid the wrath of the hungry hummer!

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[linda]

Had them out at about 6:45 a.m. and just spotted one of the two hummers camping out by its feeder. I was glad to see him, it was certainly a bad night and I was worried they hadn’t made it through.

The juncos and chickadees were already up when I put out the hummingbird feeder, letting me know I hadn’t put out bird seed for them yet. Unfortunately, the piggy starlings are now out hogging the feeder. On the upside, they scatter lots of seed on the ground from the hanging feeder, helping the ground feeders like the juncos and towhees.

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[linda]

Had them out at about 6:45 a.m. and just spotted one of the two hummers camping out by its feeder. I was glad to see him, it was certainly a bad night and I was worried they hadn’t made it through.

The juncos and chickadees were already up when I put out the hummingbird feeder, letting me know I hadn’t put out bird seed for them yet. Unfortunately, the piggy starlings are now out hogging the feeder. On the upside, they scatter lots of seed on the ground from the hanging feeder, helping the ground feeders like the juncos and towhees.

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[JoB]

we were lucky.

ours didn’t freeze.

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[redblack]

ours froze with about 1.5 inches of sugar water in it, so it was ready for cleaning anyway. i’m keeping it in until the temps rise again on thursday.

i’m sure the birds have suffered worse indignities.

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[waterworld]

During the cold weather two winters ago, I wrapped one of our feeders in tiny outdoor holiday lights. That kept the hummingbird fuel nice and toasty, but it took a few days for the hummers to figure it out. This year, we are bringing the feeders in for the night once they are frozen. Today he hummers were hanging out and eating until the juice was too frozen to extract through the little tubes. We can’t get the feeders out quick enough for them in the morning — the beggars are ready and waiting when my husband steps out to hang the feeders. These cold nights must be awful for them!

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[redblack]

well, waterworld, they are cold-blooded and related – distantly – to reptiles. i think they’ll be okay, and i don’t think they understand the concept of “awful.” :)

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[B-squared]

redblack-

there isn’t much else for them to eat in this weather so you might consider thawing it out and cleaning, rehanging, and bringing in at night. they may not be able to wait until thursday – they have very fast metabolism.

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[Lisa]

It’s great to see so many neighbors are looking after the hummers! I love the christmas light idea! This is the second year I’ve been using one of those utility lights that have the metal cage around it and hook on the top (like you’d use working under the hood of a car). We have it hanging on the side of the feeder so it’s dual purpose. Keeps the nectar thawed (mostly!) and the hummers get to have a little ‘sun bath’ too :)

Too bad they’re so territorial! They waste so much energy fighting over who gets the food… and there’s lots to share! For those of you who think you find (or have found) a hummer ‘half dead’ do some reading on ‘Torpor’. They’re such fascinating little creatures!

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[Lisa]

I echo B-squared’s advice! Hummers have to eat at least their body weight every day to stay alive. From the reading I’ve done, in weather like this, they will die if they go 24hrs without food.

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[JoB]

thanks for the reminder to bring our feeders in and clear the spout even if the feeder isn’t frozen.

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[linda]

First: sorry for the double post yesterday, I didn’t realize I had clicked Send Post twice.

A third echo of B-squared’s post–there isn’t much out there for them to eat, a known food source means they don’t have to expend energy looking for food. When I got home from work on Monday, I immediately went out to clear the snow off the feeders. Both hummingbirds were within six inches of my face, eager for me to clear the feeder off. The “owner” didn’t even spend a lot of time chasing off the other hummer, he made a cursory pass then went straight for the cleaned off feeder. They are hungry in this weather. I just wish the original hummer hadn’t decided both feeders in the yard are his, I set out the second feeder in hopes the other hummer could claim it as his own. No such luck.

It’s definitely a little warmer out there today: By this time yesterday, I had already traded out the frozen feeders twice, they were only lasting about an hour and a half. The feeders have now been out since 7 a.m. and are only now showing signs of being slushy.

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[B-squared]

i have taken to putting the feeders out of sight line of each other which can be tricky as they seem to find places to sit where they can watch both. now i have one on a window (suction cup model) in back yard and one on a shepherds pole in the front. much harder to watch both now.

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[AlkiMac]

Yes, our feeder is humming these days! I’m moving my feeder in at night and back out at dawn. I’ve been buzzed several times as a warning to “Get a move on, Mister!”

Here’s a male Anna’s Hummingbird in our yard: windchill about 4 degrees F.

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[christopherboffoli]

Could you guys please remind me what the water to sugar ratio is? I haven’t had my feeder active for a while and I need to get it back out there. Is it 3 to 1?

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[Vanessa]

Just remember the 4 seasons….4 to 1. Make sure you bring your water to a boil while stirring the sugar so it gets purified. And no coloring of course……Yeah ! Hummers !!

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[Vanessa]

AlkiMac, did you JUST photograph that hummer? What an incredible site!!

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[elikapeka]

I had a feeder up last summer which the hummers never seemed to find – I’ve put it out again but they still don’t seem to have found it. I’ve seen hummingbirds nearby – saw one buzzing what’s left of our hydrangea right before the snow, but I never see any activity at the feeder, and the nectar level never seems to go down. It was on the north end of the house, sort of under a cedar, so I moved it closer to the middle of the house. Now it’s closer to the door, so it’s more visible, plus it will get sun there and hopefully not freeze up as quickly. But now I’m not sure if the activity of people coming and going will deter them, plus now it’s closer to my other seed feeders. Any other ideas to attract the little guys/gals?

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[Vanessa]

Dear Elikapeka, is the food/sugar water still fresh..? If it’s old, it’s full of mold and slime..

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[AlkiMac]

Vanessa,

I took the photo yesterday, Nov. 23, 2010.

CB, I use a 3:1 mixture during cold snaps; it lowers the freezing point a bit. Plus the hummers don’t need to feed quite as often.

Another image from yesterday:

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