How to Attract Scores of Hummingbirds to Your Yard

How to Attract Scores of Hummingbirds to Your Yard

A viral video making the rounds on social media shows how anyone can attract dozens of hummingbirds to their backyard, porch or patio this summer, and enjoy endless hours of entertainment.

The video, shot in Northern California, uses an ingenious horizontal hummingbird feeder, the Hummerbar®, to overcome one of the biggest impediments to attracting these tiny, miraculous creatures to your backyard.

You see, hummingbirds are very territorial. Dominant birds often chase away more timid ones from their chosen food source. This video shows how the Hummerbar® is designed to overcome this natural instinct, attracting an endless number of hummingbirds at once.

Traditional, vertical feeders have only four openings that allow just a few hummingbirds to feed at a time, making it easy for a dominant hummingbird to chase away others. The Hummerbar® was invented to allow for ideal spacing between feeder-port openings, which are presented at an angle that is ideal for in-flight nectar access and for many hummingbirds to gather at once.

 

The video has absolutely mesmerized the half a million people who have already viewed it, and has been shared more than quarter of a million times. Hummingbirds are attracted to the feeder’s bright color and simple floral design, and the transparent tube allows them to see while feeding, easing potential concern of predators and offering excellent viewing angles for birdwatchers.

“I invented the Hummerbar® after watching hummingbirds in my own backyard and realizing I had to hang multiple of feeders because only one hummingbird could feed at each feeder,” says Greg H., the inventor of the Hummerbar®. “Hanging and filling all those feeders simply became too much work. There had to be a better way. So I tinkered until I stumbled upon an entirely new feeder, one that hangs horizontally and can feed many hummingbirds at once. It’s amazing, really, and has given my backyard new life and excitement that we will enjoy all summer long.”

What tips and tricks can you use to make sure you are attract hummingbirds by the dozens to your backyard?

TIP 1: Let ‘Em Know You’re Open for Business

Hang your feeder where hummingbirds can easily see it, out of direct sunlight to decrease nectar spoilage, but still obvious as they pass by. Set it near sheltering plants or trumpeting flowers, like perennials and shrubs, but make sure they can see your horizontal feeder as they whisk their way through your neighborhood in search of a good meal.

TIP 2: Give Them Shelter from the Storm, and Predators Too

Hummingbirds are skittish. They dart, dive, and move quickly. Hummingbirds don’t like to stay out in the open when feeding. Hang your feeder no more than 10 to 15 feet from the nearest tree or shrub to offer hiding places. Their dynamism (hummingbirds flap wings at up to 80 times per second) uses lots of energy, so they need to conserve energy by resting in cover. They are also extremely suspicious, up and leaving at the slightest sign of danger. So place your feeder in the open, but close to protective vegetation.

TIP 3: For Your Viewing Pleasure

What good is attracting scores of hummingbirds, if you can’t see them! The magic of the Hummerbar® is that it’s transparent, viewable from any angle. Place your Hummerbar® near garden benches, decks, porches, and patios in clear sight of where you spend most of your outdoor time. Take care not to hang it too close to windows — they could fly into them or get spooked by indoor activity. Then sit back and enjoy the air show!

Tip 4: Irresistible Nectar

Most don’t know that nectar can go bad in the hot, summer sun. Hummingbirds are picky eaters. They want fresh, flavorful nectar, so tease their taste buds with new, clean, nectar in order to win their favor. Make sure to replace your hummingbird food often, even when it’s not low.

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