![]() A hummingbird that finds your feeders to be a clean, reliable source of nourishment will come back to it on the next trip north or south, just to see if the feeder is still there. That's why you may see hummingbirds come and check out a spot where you hung a feeder a year ago. We know that they do remember where they've found food resources on previous journeys. The demands of finding enough food during migration requires hummers to have good memeories. Imagine having to live off the land while making a long journey. They have to find that fuel along their travel route. How your feeder helps hummingbirds migrateĭuring migration, hummingbirds need extra nourishment to power their long flights. But your hummingbird feeder can be a big help! So the hummingbirds will go ahead and migrate, with or without feeders. They just know, the way some people wake up at the right time without an alarm clock, or the way others get hungry at lunchtime. However, the birds get the urge to migrate even if they're confined under artificial lights, where they can't see that the days are growing shorter. Shortening day length is one of the cues that help hummingbirds keep their internal clocks in time with the seasons. And your feeder sure is not going to stop them. They get restless, and pretty soon they just have to fly south. Instead, they rely on their internal yearly clocks, or circannual rhythms, to tell them when to go. Hummingbirds don't wait until the food disappears before they start heading south in fall. But sometimes conscientious hummingbird lovers worry about whether their feeders will keep the birds from their normal journey south. Hummingbirds love feeders because the birds get a huge reward of calories for a small expenditure of effort. At this season many hummingbird feeders are mobbed, as migrating hummers stop off for a good meal before continuing their journeys. All the young of the year are around, and migrants are hungry. ![]() When they're supposed to? - August H., Sandusky, OhioĪctually, late summer can be the best time of year to feed hummingbirds. Do not add food coloring to your homemade nectar.Is it OK to keep on feeding hummingbirds, now that summer is ending? Could my feeders keep them from migrating IMPORTANT: Do not use the ready to use red nectar sold in stores. Remove from heat and let it cool completely before adding to the feeder. Mix the 2 ingredients then heat it up to a rolling boil. NECTAR RECIPE: 1 part white granulated cane sugar dissolved in 4 parts of drinking water. Once your feeding bar is hung, add your HOMEMADE "nectar" through the filling hole. ![]() Use a bottle brush to clean the inside of the feeder. Warmer climates require more frequent cleaning). S hooks make it easier to hang and remove the feeder for cleaning (every 3 days or so around here. I used fishing line to dangle the bar to about 6.5 feet high. That helps to stabilize the back and forth movement of the bar in case of strong winds. I hung mine with screw eyes attached to the ceiling. Those marks will be where you hang your feeder from. Measure 1" from each end of the tube and mark that spot on the water line. Once both rows are dotted, roll the tube to align the top center X to the water line. Starting on the water line dots you just created, measure every 1.5 inches on each direction on both sides. ![]() Mark the mid point of the water line on both rows of flowers with dots. That spot will be where you fill the tube. Adjust the volume of water inside if needed.įind the top center of the tube (the equal distance between the ends of the tube and the rows of flowers) and mark an X with a Sharpie pen. The 2 flower rows should be about 1" apart (measured on top following the contour of the tube). Looking from the side, the water level should be 4/5 of the way up the tube. The water level will be used to determine where the flower holes will be drilled. Leave enough air inside for the buble to spread all the way across the tube. Cap it and lay it flat on a level surface. Fill the tube with water almost to the top. This is the most intricate part of the whole project. ![]()
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