Feeding Hummingbirds

I keep two Hummingbird feeders on the front porch along with hanging plants that my husband takes care of. From early morning until the sun is going down there is sure to be a Hummingbird somewhere on the porch. They will feed on the flowers in the back of the house but among all the flowers they can be hard to spot unless they want to be seen. On occasion one will hover by the window letting us know that the feeders need attention. I have come to love these little creatures very much and feeding them daily gives me a another reason to get up each morning. Every day I interact with these beautiful little birds. They have become accustomed to my voice and are quick to meet me when I go out to the feeders. Along with my two cats, Happy and Shasta, I consider these my pets.

When I am hanging a feeder just re-filled I make a noise like a motor. It is similar to the sound you will hear made by their wings when they fly past. It seems to be the perfect way to let them know that the chow is ready. In less than a second one buzzes past after they hear my motor.

If you would like to experience this blessing of mother natures everyday just follow the few steps provided after the video.
I took this during feeding time by the hummingbird feeds on my front porch. This is a favorite pass time of mine and it is almost time to put the feeders out for this year. I usually sit by the feeder with my laptop while these cute little guys fly crazily around for dinner. This is a long video and it is very relaxing. It is amazing how such tiny creatures interact during a feeding frenzy and the sounds they make are priceless. -

This is best with the sound up high. You can then enjoy the video nearly as much as being there.

If you are just starting out you will only need one. It does not have to be expensive and you can even put one together on your own. A single small feeder will do until you get the hummingbirds attention and they start visiting your feeder regularly. Don't get discouraged because it might take awhile. I live in the country and it wasn't an over night thing even here.

You don't need anything fancy or big when just starting out

The only ingredient other than water you will need is sugar.

Stick with regular sugar because brown and raw sugars contain iron and can prove deadly to hummingbirds over time.

Hummingbirds are attracted to bright colors and red is the color one relates to the hummingbird. Color really does not matter especially after you have at least one hummingbird coming to feed because that hummingbird will be the attractor. You can safely use red food coloring if you want to. Today's red dye is totally fine. I found that it is not needed and is one less thing I need to get and mess with when preparing the feed.

Feed Recipie Ratio

Easy to remember 4 to 1

Four (4) parts water
One (2) part sugar

At first I bought the hummingbird feed already mixed but it was too expensive for the amount of feed I needed. It was okay at first and it even had the red color to it. The feeders are usually empty when I get coffee in the morning so I fill one feeder. I mix two cups of sugar water to fill one feeder. I use about 1/4 of a cup of hot water from the tap, to help dissolve the sugar, and add a cup of sugar to the water and mix. The remaining water is then added and mixed. I let it stand while I go out and get the feeder. By the time I rinse and clean the feeder the sugar mixture is totally dissolved. The ratio for the hummingbird food is four parts water to one part sugar. Toward the end of the season I add about a tablespoon more sugar to give the hummingbirds a little bit more energy for the long migration. It is best to use boiled water especially if the feed does not get used up in a day. Boiling the water will help prevent mold from forming inside your feeders. When I make hummingbird food using boiled water I make a big batch and keep it in the refrigerator.