Here you will learn when to put out your feeder, how to make your own nectar and even how to make your own feeders. And as a special bonus, at the end of the article is my instructional video that will teach you how to hand-feed hummingbirds.
I like to put out my hummingbird feed/hummingbird feeder, a few days before I expect to see any Hummingbirds so that I don’t miss any of those early hummingbird migration arrivals.
Month to start feeding hummingbirds, using hummingbird feed recipe
Here are some general guide lines on the hummingbird migration to answer the question of when should I start feeding hummingbirds and the month to start feeding hummingbirds,according to where you live.
If you live in the southern parts of the country mid march is a good time to start feeding hummingbirds if you want to attract some of the early migrating hummingbirds.
Along the Gulf coast a few hummingbirds start showing up in late February, but there are not many sightings until the first part of March, so March is when you should put out hummingbird feed.
About the first part of April the hummingbird migration starts to reach into Virginia, Kentucky and Missouri.
By the middle of April the hummingbird migration is into Ohio, Indiana and Illinois and by the end of April hummingbirds can be found as far north as the great lakes and in the New England states. Click the link Ohio Hummingbird pictures to see pictures of the hummingbirds that visit Ohio.
By the first part of May the hummingbird migration is into northern Michigan and Canada.
If you want to be ready for the hummingbirds when they reach your area, click this link homemade hummingbird food.
You will learn all about making nectar, when to change the nectar in your feeder, how to clean a feeder, how to get mold out of your feeder and how to sterilize it. Plus how to keep bees and ants away from your feeder and much more.
Homemade Hummingbird Food/Best Hummingbird Food
Here is a link to find out how to make hummingbird feed…..hummingbird feed recipe.
Here is a video that will teach you how to make hummingbird nectar. Homemade nectar, without the red dye, is cheap to make and not harmful to the hummingbirds. The nectar can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week, and used as needed. The hummingbird food that you make yourself is actually the best hummingbird food you can get.
Making Your Own Hummingbird Feeder
Here’s how to make a quick cheap feeder out of a red plastic cup.
Here’s another video about making your own hummingbird feeder
When to take down your Hummingbird feeder
When to stop feeding hummingbirds?
A good guideline of when to stop feeding hummingbirds is to leave your Hummingbird feeder up for about 2 weeks after your Hummingbirds have left for the season. This will provide hummingbird feed for any Humming birds that might have gotten a late start on the migration of hummingbirds, due to illness, injury or other reasons.
If you go 2 weeks without seeing a Hummingbird in September or October, when Humming bird migration occurs across most of the United States, this might be when to stop feeding hummingbirds and take down your hummingbird feed/hummingbird feeder until next year.
As the days get shorter, this decrease in the amount of daylight will trigger hormonal changes in the Hummingbird that will cause them to migrate southward. So leaving your feeder up longer at the end of the season will not cause them to hang around longer than they should, it won’t affect the hummingbird migration at all.
Now you should have a good idea of when to take down your hummingbird feed/hummingbird feeder and when to stop feeding hummingbirds.
Here is a link to find out how to make hummingbird feed…..hummingbird feed recipe. Homemade hummingbird nectar is the best hummingbird food.
If you want to buy the best feeder available, this is it, the HummZinger Ultra
Aspects 12oz Hummzinger Ultra With Nectar Guard
It’s inexpensive 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 for hummingbirds and is made of unbreakable polycarbonate. And one of the most important features, it is easy to take apart and easy to clean!
I hope you enjoyed this article on when to start feeding hummingbirds, making your own hummingbird feeder and how to make the best hummingbird food.
How to hand-feed hummingbirds instructional video
Here is another technique you can use to hand-feed hummingbirds through a window in your home.
If you would like to watch my other videos on hand-feeding different backyard birds and squirrels, click the link Hand-feeding backyard birds and squirrels
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Related article- Migration map
