I've got two bird feeders in my garden already, but I recently learned I need one more. Why? Well, there's a special one specifically designed to attract hummingbirds – and I'd love to have more of these adorable, vibrant birds coming to visit.
Not only are they lovely to look at, showing off their unique flying moves from hoovering in midair to flying backward, but they're also great pollinators, boosting your garden's ecosystem for the better.
But, while I've figured out the type of feeder I need, designed to hold liquid sugar water with flower shapes to suit their long beaks, I've also discovered that there's a sweet spot on where you should hang them – and fortunately, it's pretty simple.
So, if you're like me and are eager to attract hummingbirds to your outside space, here's everything you need to know about exactly where it should go for the best chance at attracting these feathered friends.
Where should I hang my feeder?
When hanging your hummingbird feeder, it turns out it's the height that's really important. For this, you want to aim for about 6 feet off the ground. This is a sweet spot for hummingbirds as it's high enough to stay away from predators (namely cats) so acts as a safe space for them to settle down and eat.
But, you want to make sure you're not placing it too high. This would put it away from natural food sources in your yard like flowers and shrubs, as well as opportunities for water.
They also won't be looking for a feeder up that high, especially if it's away from where they'd usually travel. As well as height though, there's a couple of other things to consider when hanging up your feeder.
Keeping it away from windows so they don't crash into the glass is also important, as well as putting it in a shaded area with a touch of sun so that the nectar stays fresh. If you leave it in direct sunlight, the nectar can spoil and make the hummingbirds sick.
Something even better you can do? The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recommends growing specific plants to attract hummingbirds to your yard: "Hummingbirds prefer to nest near a ready supply of nectar and other food like insects, so you can encourage them to live in or near your home or business by maintaining some shrubbery and deciduous trees in which they can seek protective cover."
"As seasons change, it can also help to leave any leaf litter on the ground as it becomes important habitat for many of the insects and spiders they also eat."
What to put in your hummingbird feeder
Yes, hummingbirds like to eat leaves, spiders and flowers, but that's not what you should be putting in your feeder.
If you're wondering what you to put in them instead to lure in these little birds, there's plenty of advice online, but TikTok helped me out once again with some top tips. Creator @hiddenacrehome has shared a simple recipe with almost 80 thousand views and counting that seems like an easy solution.
All you need is a 4:1 ratio mix of water and sugar. So, with 4 cups of water, add 1 cup of sugar. Give it a good shake and use it to refill your hummingbird feeder whenever needed.
A sweet treat paired with a sweet spot should hopefully attract more hummingbirds to your yard, but you'll still need to have a little patience and be sure to keep the noise levels down. They scare easily.
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