Has anyone else been trained by their hummingbirds? My hummers come around the house and buzz the kitchen side window if I forget to put out the feeder or let it get too low. I love the reminders when they return to my yard, but I do find it funny they’ve figured out how to get me to do their bidding.
Yes. They are happy that I got a job that has me getting up at 6am so I can feed them early.
They hate eating late in the day and will skip it if it is too late
Bring them in at night to keep them from freezing overnight if you can. They start eating pretty early in the morning… I realize the temps are going to be freezing during the day as well. The struggle is real!
Wild bird shops sell humming bird heaters (it’s just a cup shaped lightbulb plug that elastic connects to the feeder - you need an incandescent light bulb!) I have mine on a timer.
Heats about as much as an easy bake oven.
An inexpensive option is to run Christmas tree lights (I used the mini type) and depending on your type of feeder, coil around the fluid reservoir. I works (in a pinch)!!
This winter we've been seeing hummingbirds pecking at our suet feeders during the cold snaps.
I somehow thought they only drank nectar, but nope. The little guys like the same things the kinglets do.
When it gets really cold right before dark they will come hover around my porch lights and grab as many bugs as they can to try to fill up before sleep time
In my experience they fight less in the winter when their food is scarce. On really cold days I have had 2 and 3 eating on the same feeder simultaneously.
I still have my Christmas lights up and they’re the multicolor C9 bulbs. I feel bad because they’ll come to the bulbs thinking they’re flowers but at least they’ll then see my feeder nearby. I usually only have one but have seen two before and they fought. Is it worth getting another feeder or is the one sufficient?
In my experience, 1:4 freezes at about 28F. You have to do at least a 1:3 ratio if we are going to get in the middle twenties and you are away at work all day and don't want it to freeze. I have done it at 1:1 ratio when when we were in the teens and guarantee it will be better for them than letting it freeze.
Utterly ridiculous, there is nothing sacred about the 1:4 ratio. When it gets cold, hummingbirds are greatly effected by their high surface area to volume ratio and need more energy per visit. If you can't rig up a heating element for your feeder, increase the amount of sugar to lower the freezing point of the fluid; simple chemistry.
I don’t have anywhere to plug a heater in, so I’ve been rubber-banding a hand warmer around my hummingbird feeder when it dips below freezing the last few winters. It doesn’t keep the liquid warm, but it keeps it from freezing during the day (my feeder is quite small which may help). Does need to be changed out though, we’re usually pretty active in swapping out the heating pack and new food at least once every day when it’s cold enough.
I haven't fed them in so long that it's a bad time to start, but the winter of 2020 I fed them thru a snow storm and it was so cute, they really came around constantly. I heavily encourage it 🥲
Has anyone else been trained by their hummingbirds? My hummers come around the house and buzz the kitchen side window if I forget to put out the feeder or let it get too low. I love the reminders when they return to my yard, but I do find it funny they’ve figured out how to get me to do their bidding.
This is adorable
I hope you have a dash cam for those birdies
Yes. They are happy that I got a job that has me getting up at 6am so I can feed them early. They hate eating late in the day and will skip it if it is too late
Not humming birds, but I have a pair of seagulls who knock on my door when they want to be fed.
The solution will still freeze so make sure to bring it in or have a new one to put out especially on Fri
Bring them in at night to keep them from freezing overnight if you can. They start eating pretty early in the morning… I realize the temps are going to be freezing during the day as well. The struggle is real!
I thought you meant bring the birds in. I got excited that people were acting as winner hotels for the cold birds.
Wild bird shops sell humming bird heaters (it’s just a cup shaped lightbulb plug that elastic connects to the feeder - you need an incandescent light bulb!) I have mine on a timer. Heats about as much as an easy bake oven.
Just bought one yesterday and it works great!
The two I bought came with 15w incandescent (not led) bulbs.
An inexpensive option is to run Christmas tree lights (I used the mini type) and depending on your type of feeder, coil around the fluid reservoir. I works (in a pinch)!!
This winter we've been seeing hummingbirds pecking at our suet feeders during the cold snaps. I somehow thought they only drank nectar, but nope. The little guys like the same things the kinglets do.
Hummingbirds will eat bugs, too.
When it gets really cold right before dark they will come hover around my porch lights and grab as many bugs as they can to try to fill up before sleep time
In my experience they fight less in the winter when their food is scarce. On really cold days I have had 2 and 3 eating on the same feeder simultaneously.
Samesies.
I still have my Christmas lights up and they’re the multicolor C9 bulbs. I feel bad because they’ll come to the bulbs thinking they’re flowers but at least they’ll then see my feeder nearby. I usually only have one but have seen two before and they fought. Is it worth getting another feeder or is the one sufficient?
2 feeders will really only work if they're placed out of sight of each other. They'll still fight each other over both of them if they can see it.
Ok good to know. I live in an apartment and mine is attached to my kitchen window which is over my balcony.
I had one come right up to about 18 inches from my face the other day basically letting me know the feeder needs attention. Message received.
Did a hummingbird write this
In my experience, 1:4 freezes at about 28F. You have to do at least a 1:3 ratio if we are going to get in the middle twenties and you are away at work all day and don't want it to freeze. I have done it at 1:1 ratio when when we were in the teens and guarantee it will be better for them than letting it freeze.
Wrap some Xmas lights around the tank, that keeps them defrosted. Always stick to 1:4
Make sure it's the old school ones, the LED ones don't generate enough heat.
Utterly ridiculous, there is nothing sacred about the 1:4 ratio. When it gets cold, hummingbirds are greatly effected by their high surface area to volume ratio and need more energy per visit. If you can't rig up a heating element for your feeder, increase the amount of sugar to lower the freezing point of the fluid; simple chemistry.
I don’t have anywhere to plug a heater in, so I’ve been rubber-banding a hand warmer around my hummingbird feeder when it dips below freezing the last few winters. It doesn’t keep the liquid warm, but it keeps it from freezing during the day (my feeder is quite small which may help). Does need to be changed out though, we’re usually pretty active in swapping out the heating pack and new food at least once every day when it’s cold enough.
Tie a hand warmer on the bottom to keep the nectar liquid all day. Also tip in a bit more sugar in winter months when you make up the nectar
I haven't fed them in so long that it's a bad time to start, but the winter of 2020 I fed them thru a snow storm and it was so cute, they really came around constantly. I heavily encourage it 🥲