Hummingbird Feeding Frenzy

[CEPage1Ca]

This is the story of our Hummingbird feeding frenzy. We first started out with a single 4 port feeder and it was commandeered by a single Hummingbird so we put up 2 of them. This resulted in a few coming on a regular basis so we decided to put up a third and this is when it started to become a feeding frenzy. We would have 10 to 20 Hummingbirds buzzing about and the feeders would have to be changed 3 to 5 times a day so we decided to get bigger feeders so that we did not have to change them so often so the new feeders hold 4 cups of nectar and have 10 feeding ports each. These are working out great but now we have a hoard of different types of Hummingbirds coming and they are draining these feeders 3 times a day but they provide so much entertainment that we are committing ourselves to keeping these going. This means making a stock pot of nectar a day and going through 75 to 80 pounds of sugar a month. I think after you watch the videos you will feel the same way about them as we do. They are a great source of entertainment for a reasonable price. The feeders are made by First Nature from Amazon.com and can be found by pushing the link. They do not have the yellow flowers on them as they attract bees. If you decide to start feeding Hummingbirds please do not feed them the red nectar. Instead make your own. The recipe is simple it is 1 cup of white sugar mixed with 4 cups of water. Do not add red food coloring as it harms the birds and is not needed. Bring to a boil and then allow to cool. Store in your refrigerator and be sure to change the nectar every 3 or 4 days if it lasts that long and be sure to give the feeders a good wash and rinse before refilling. To clean the feeding ports the easiest thing to use is a pipe cleaner. In case you are wondering we are located in Palmira Bajo.  I have 2 videos and here are the links. Feeding Frenzy 1, Feeding Frenzy 2

Clyde and Gregg

[Uncle Doug]

That's a lot of birds!!  I've put up two of them, one of which attracts primarily roufus-tailed hummingbirds, and the other primarily the violet sabrewing (assuming I'm IDing them correctly.  However, one of them started attracting small bees about a week ago.  And, yes, the feeders have a yellow center on the red flowers....

[CEPage1Ca]

We still get a few bees but much less than when the feeders had the yellow flowers and there is no need for the yellow part.

[Gordon Bakke]

Very nice post. For those interested in plants favored by hummingbirds, I suggest Porterweed as perhaps the best plant for attracting them. Stachytarpheta species.

[Uncle Doug]

44 minutes ago, CEPage1Ca said:

We still get a few bees but much less than when the feeders had the yellow flowers and there is no need for the yellow part.

I thought the yellow part was an insect screen, but these little bees occasionally get behind them anyway. I'm going to either pop them out or color over the yellow somehow.  Fortunately it doesn't appear that my bees have stingers, but I still don't want to be feeding them.

[CEPage1Ca]

The only problem we have is that if there are flowers around that the Hummingbirds like they have to be up high as we have 2 cats that like to visit.

[JudyS]

I'm surprised the birds get along so well and tolerate each other at the feeders.  When I had two feeders, one bird would hog it and chase everybody away from both feeders.  Violet saberwings tried to feed, and it chased those away too.  I got tired of the violence, so I took them down.  Now I just watch them on the flowers.