A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 New to hummingbirds

I just hung my first two feeders, and any advice you all could give on what to expect would be greatly appreciated. My daughter just can't wait to see them!

I've never had them before, until I really started gardening last fall and this spring/summer. I saw my first one a few weeks ago on my gladiolas...so quick bought a feeder, and now every day we have at least 6 at a time flying around the garden! They let us get up right next to the feeder and watch them about 2 feet away!

Laurie, if you feed them they will come! I've had them all summer and they are such a joy to watch! I couldn't pass it up a deal like that and would have brought more but that's all they had.

Hello Laurie,


I just hung up feeders last year...I only had one visit the first YEAR! Then, this year, I believe the same hummingbird came back!!!
HOLLYHOCKGIRL

Here is an article about hummers in ohio ohio hummers
You have mostly ruby throated hummingbirds but may see an occasional rufous. The rule of thumb is put out your feeders by mothers day in the spring and leave them up until at least columbus day in october. Since you are in the north a nectar feeder would freeze solid in the winter.
Any flowers you have nearby will help attract them in. Be sure to hang it within 10 feet or so of some sort of cover, ie bush or tree, so they have a safe place in case a predator shows up.
It is very important to keep your feeder clean. Change the nectar every 3 days in hot weather. In cooler weather every 5 days is ok. ONLY use 1 part white sugar to 4 parts water to make your nectar, or a commercially made mix. Never use artificial sweeteners or honey. That will kill them. There is no need for red dye in the food.

Hollyhock girl
Hummers will come back to the same yard as the year before. A few years ago I was outside and a hummer buzzed to the 3 spots I had hung the feeders the year before and looked for them. Then he came and hovered near me and peeped. So I ran in and prepared his feeders and hung them

Hello Wrennie and All!!!

I am so glad to hear that the same hummingbirds will visit again and again!!! That is sooo cool!!!
HOLLYHOCKGIRL

I have a flowerbed full of them right now, they've been there all morning/afternoon today - it's a rainy day, so we are watching them from the house. I have never had them before this year and I love them! There's at least 6 out there at a time - they fight a lot to get a spot on the feeder, I'm going to have to buy a few more!

It is always best to leave your feeders out all year. A FEW individual birds do not migrate; something like two or three BIRDS per eastern state per Winter stay behind. The cold does NOT bother them but lack of nectar will kill them in a day or two. In 18 years of birding I have seen ONE Hummingbird in Winter. It was a male Rufous Hummingbird. Rufous and Annas Hummingbirds are the two Western Species that are MOST likely to winter over in the Eastern States. The only Hummer that occurs in the Eastern U.S. is the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, and they have NOT been known to Winter over. So if you're interested, leave at least one hummer feeder out all winter. The chances are you will NOT get ANY hummers, BUT YOU COULD!

Thorny, I live in Illinois, zone 6A, and we get freezing temperatures, so I don't think I could leave any of my feeders out all winter!

Patty I'm in zone 5 and cant leave a hummer feeder out in winter. It doesnt take very long for nectar to freeze when its 5 below out.
I leave mine out till the beginning of November.
When I wrote that rule of thumb up there (mothers day to columbus day) that applies to the northeast. Like thorn said if youre where its warmer in winter a straggler could come through.