Last summer my mom purchased a hummingbird feeder for me because I had found a hummingbird nest in my backyard tree that I was incessantly talking about. Due to a busy schedule and it being close to the end of the summer when I received this beautiful gift, I did not end up putting it up in my yard last summer.
Hummingbird nest on the tree in my backyard. The mother hummingbird is sitting on the nest.
However this summer, I really wanted to have a hummingbird nest in my backyard tree again, so not only did I put up the hummingbird feeder, I decided to create a little hummingbird oasis with a hummingbird feeder and swing (learn How to Create a Hummingbird Oasis). The hummingbirds absolutely love it! They come by regularly to eat the nectar I make for them. They eat, take a break on the swing and often eat again before flying off. It is so special to watch and I have found myself spending more time outside just so that I can enjoy them up close.
My first hummingbird oasis in my backyard. The hummingbird is relaxing on the Songbird Essentials Copper Hummingbird Swing.
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I found however, that there are multiple hummingbirds living nearby and they have started to become territorial over the feeder. The feeder I have right now only has one feeding station, so only one bird can eat from the feeder at a time. As I want to be sure the neighbor hummingbirds are well fed, I decided to set up a second hummingbird oasis and this time I purchased the More Birds Hummingbird Feeder.
A hummingbird flying as it eats from my hummingbird feeder.
I have only had this feeder up a few days, but already the hummingbirds love it! In fact, they were already eating from it the morning after I set it up. Learn below the 5 reasons I love this hummingbird feeder and why you will too.
A hummingbird enjoying some nectar from my More Birds Hummingbird Feeder
1. The Glass Feeder And Flower Feeding Stations Are Red
This feeder is covered in red! With the glass container and the flower feeding stations all being red, hummingbirds are sure to find this feeder quickly. My other feeder is clear with a red tip on the end. While this is enough red to attract hummingbirds, I noticed it took them a few days to find that feeder when I first put it up. Whereas I put the More Birds Hummingbird Feeder up in the evening and saw hummingbirds eating the fresh nectar from it early the next morning.
The other reason that I love that this feeder is mostly red, is that people who have this feeder will not feel the need to dye their nectar red. Currently there is some debate whether red dye in a feeder is ok or potentially harmful to the hummingbirds. Since there is a chance the dyes could be harmful, it is better that they not be present in the hummingbird’s nectar.
2. There Are 5 Feeding Stations
As I mentioned earlier in this post, my first feeder only had one feeding station, so I was finding that the hummingbirds were becoming territorial over the nectar. Since there are multiple hummingbirds living nearby, I decided I needed another feeder and I thought I would purchase one with more feeding stations so that in theory more hummingbirds could eat from the feeder at the same time. So far, I have only ever seen one hummingbird at a time eating nectar, but I am hoping that will eventually change. At the very least now there are two feeders in the yard so hopefully this will lead to less aggression from the hummingbirds.
The hummingbirds are not the only ones who enjoy the nectar from the feeder. The bees and wasps in my backyard also love the nectar and I often see them feeding from the feeder as well. I have seen hummingbirds come to eat from the feeder only to find a bee there. Sometimes the birds fly away and other times they sit on the swing near the feeder waiting for the bee to finish eating. I do not want the hummingbirds to be fighting with the bees for food, but I also do not want to deprive the bees of food either. According to BBC’s article “What Would Happen if Bees Went Extinct”, bees “pollinate 70 of around 100 crops species, that feed 90% of the world.” So, if bees went extinct, “we may lose all the plants that bees pollinate, all the animals that eat those plants and so on up the food chain. Which means a world without bees could struggle to sustain the global human population of 7 billion.” Since I keep reading the population of bees are decreasing significantly, I want to be sure they are well fed too.
3. 5 Perches On The Feeder
Hummingbirds often fly while they are eating nectar from both feeders and flowers, however flapping their wings at a rate of around 70 times per second requires a lot of energy. According to Science Daily’s article “Hummingbird Metabolism Unique In Burning Glucose, Fructose Equally”, “if a hummingbird were the size of a human, it would consume energy at a rate more than 10 times that of an Olympic marathon runner. They are able to accomplish this by burning only the most recently ingested sugar in their muscles while avoiding the energetic tax of first converting sugar into fat.”
Hummingbird perched while eating nectar from my More Birds Hummingbird Feeder
Because flying takes up so much of their energy, the perches are great because they allow for the hummingbird to sit while eating the nectar. This is also the reason I added the Song Essentials Copper Hummingbird Swing next to the feeders. This swing has a red glass bead that helps attract the hummingbird to relax on the swing.
4. The Container That Holds The Nectar Is Made Of Glass
Both hummingbird feeders I own are made mostly of glass. I think the glass feeders are a more elegant addition to my landscape than their plastic counterparts. Plastic is also more likely to warp, fade and crack overtime which also means they are more prone to leaking. I think glass is also easier to clean than plastic and stays looking beautiful longer.
Additionally, Chicago summers can get into the high 90’s and sometimes even the low 100’s. There are always warnings for humans that we should not drink water from plastic bottles that have been left in the heat for a long time because chemicals such as BPA and Sb can leach into the liquid. These chemicals are thought to potentially be hazardous for humans, so I am assuming they are also not wonderful for hummingbirds. I want to make sure the nectar I am providing them is as free from chemicals as possible.
5. The Feeder Has A Wide Opening
My original feeder has a narrower opening. After my nectar cools I tend to pour it into the feeder directly from the saucepan I made it in and some of the nectar spills out. The More Birds Hummingbird Feeder has a much wider opening so it is easy to pour in the freshly made nectar.
The feeder has a 13 ounce capacity so it can hold a lot of nectar. In addition, it is designed to evenly distribute nectar to each feeding port so there is plenty of nectar for everyone.
Create Your Own Hummingbird Oasis
More Birds Hummingbird Feeder, Glass Hummingbird Feeders, Red, 5 Feeding Stations, 13-Ounce Nectar Capacity, Elixir Bottle
Songbird Essentials SEHHHUMS Copper Hummingbird Swing (Set of 1)
Great post! I wish I had the backyard to invest in one. lol.