There are a lot of
different styles of Hummingbird feeders to choose from and each year more
and more different styles appear on the market. The fact is, that
Hummingbirds can be attracted to any style of hummingbird feeder as long as
the feeder contains fresh nectar.
So, the best feeder to use will be the feeder that
is the easiest for you to use. A feeder that is easy to take apart and easy to
clean, would be my first choice. An easy to use feeder, will be a feeder that is
more likely to have the nectar changed on a regular basis and more likely to be
cleaned when necessary. Changing the nectar regularly, especially during periods
of hot weather, and proper cleanliness of the feeder, is an important factor in
attracting and maintaining the health of the Hummingbirds that visit your
feeder.
(for more information on when to change nectar and how
to clean your feeder, visit the
maintaining your feeder
page).
You will find basin-type feeders to be a lot easier
to clean than the inverted-bottle style feeders. The bottle style feeders will
have a bottle-like container that will screw into the base of the feeder. These
bases will usually be made of one piece and will have areas on the inside that
aren't visible from the outside. You will need some small brushes to thoroughly
clean them.
On the other hand, basin-style feeders that
resemble a saucer-like container with a lid, will come apart in the middle
giving you full access to the inside and no hidden surfaces that will be hard to
clean.
My favorite basin-type feeder is the
HummZinger Ultra
Aspects 12oz Hummzinger Ultra With Nectar Guard
It's only $19.99 and has several features that makes it well worth the price.
The
HummZinger has patented Nectar guard tips which are flexible membranes attached
to the feed ports that prohibit entry from flying insects, but allow
Hummingbirds to feed as usual. The HummZinger also has a built in ant moat that
will stop crawling insects from getting to the nectar. It also has raised flower
ports that divert rain.
This mid-size nectar feeder has a 12 oz. capacity and
can be hung or post mounted with hardware provided. It has four feeding ports
and is made of unbreakable polycarbonate. Easy to clean.
This would be
my first choice in feeders. For ease of cleaning and protection from bees, wasps
and ants, this feeder can't be beat. But as I said before, any
Hummingbird feeder that is kept clean and contains fresh nectar, will attract
Hummingbirds.
So use whatever feeder you can get , but just be
sure to keep it clean. If the nectar is changed regularly, cleaning won't
be that much of a problem anyway.
(for more information on when to change nectar and how
to clean your feeder, visit the
maintaining your feeder
page)
