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One of most beautiful sights each spring and summer is the gentle buzz of hummingbirds. Full of color and wonder, it’s always a joy to spot them visiting your garden. If you don’t have a hummingbird feeder, you can build your own. Here’s the simple how-to steps:
Materials Needed
- Craft knife
- Shallow plastic container with lid
- Soda bottle with cap
- Twine
Instructions
- Cut a hole in the lid of the plastic container to fit around the mouth of the bottle
- Poke several small holes around the larger hole, and one in the removed soda bottle cap
- Turn bottle right side up and plastic container lid upside down and push mouth of bottle through container lid hole
- Fill bottle with feeder solution
- Put bottle cap back on, and attach base of plastic container to the lid
- Flip feeder over so the solution fills the container
- Tie twine to bottle and hang outside
Tip: Prevent any leaks by plugging gaps with dabs of hot glue. And be sure to clean the feeder at least twice a week to prevent bacteria or mold growth
Tips For Attracting More Birds
1. Decorate Your Feeder
Glue on bright red faux flowers, or paint your own to add pops of color to entice more hummingbirds.
Make your own nectar by boiling 1 part sugar with 4 parts water. Stir continuously until sugar dissolves, and let it cool before pouring into feeder.
2. Display It At The Correct Time
Put out your feeder in early spring — a few days before the weather breaks for good is best.
3. Surround Feeders With Plants
Plant salvia, honeysuckle, bee balm, columbine and hosta to attract hummingbirds to the garden and provide a source of nourishment.
Don’t Like To DIY? Here’s How To Choose The Right Store-Bought Feeder
If space doesn’t allow for a garden or plants, choosing the right hummingbird feeder will help attract them.
- Purchase a red version — it attracts better than any other color.
- Choose a feeder that’s easy to take apart for cleaning and refilling.
- Basin-style feeders are easiest for hummingbirds to familiarize themselves with.
- Consider purchasing a feeder with built-in perches to give the hummingbirds a break from flying. It usually means they’ll stay longer.
Do you have any tips for attracting hummingbirds? Share them with our community on our Facebook page.
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Photo by wcstaney 