Birders
Related: About this forumHummingbird feeder question
Hi All,
So, overnight, my hummingbird feeder was vandalized. Taken from where it was hanging & thrown. All but 1 of the little yellow plastic flowers that surround the feeding holes were stolen (or thrown somewhere).
Will they still eat? TYIA!
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)remaining part and refill with fresh sugar water and away you go. Get yourself the Polly Perk feeders on Amazon,they do the best job.
SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)Tyvm, Wellstone!
I didn't want to have to risk my life going out to store...
Do you have a rec for a reasonable seed feeder? I had a nice smallish cedar feeder that was thrown & broken a few days ago.
Ps - I hate living in a red hellhole. Clueless which redneck might have done this.
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)they remember every source of food they have ever visited. And if you have a Alpha Female or a Male visiting your feeder,they oft times will battle with other Hummers for the exclusive rights to that feeder.
We have two feeders going. Got a Alpha male protecting the one on the Patio,dude has been here almost a decade,and he controls that feeder. Only members of his Harem are allowed. Our Front Feeder,that is wide open to all comers. The Female that used to control that feeder flew into the front door glass and she did not survive. Since then,Community feeder.
Atticus
(15,124 posts)throated. Life expectancy is 3 to 5 years.
SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)I'm new to birdfeeding in this area & have 't learned to identify them yet.
Tyvm for sharing!
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)and the little bugger will mess with you if his feeder sugar water starts to sour . Or once the level is down near the bottom of the bottle. Only time we see Rubies is early spring or late September. We had one stay last Winter.
Our other Hummer's are Transient bright purple breasted ,can't remeber the name,Hummers that frequent the Joshua trees as well as the Desert Poppies. They tend to pop in and out with the high heat we are in now usually just about dark.
Right now,the Hummers are feeding during the Nighttime,we have landscape lighting that illuminates both feeders.
SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)There are some that have sort of a greenish sheen to their feathers. Lol
I have only 1 small window overlooking deck in back where feeders are. I could move them to front of house, but chose the back so as not to attract attention / vandalism. 😏
I will have to research when to pull feeders so as to not disrupt their migration patterns.
Ty!
SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)That they can recall each food source! 😳
I must have some alphas then. Lol
I was shocked to see them running each other off from the feeder. I think I need to get a bunch more feeders!
So do the alphas "guard" the feeder all day?
This is all new to me. Lol
Ty for sharing!
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)and the Alpha is setting on a flower stem about 10 feet from his feeder. every few minutes he will try and chase others away. Only he and his Harem seem to be allowed.
Some asked about species,we have Calliope,Anne's,Broad-tail,black chins,and several Lucifer's,which are truly stunning when the sun hits them. Again,most stay year around. They know where the feeders are as well as the water fountain which is a hoot to watch Hummers in splattering water.
SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)Possessive guy, hu?
Do you know how far from 1st feeder I should put others? Will same alpha try to control them all?
Ty again for sharing!
LakeArenal
(28,729 posts)Turned over a metal poll with buried concrete holder.
This is my fav. Sold on amazon. Search UFO shaped humming bird feeder. No yellow flowers at all. (Oops sent the wrong one)
SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)I usually put dog food out back for them & the sweet little possum.
Ty! I will look into the UFO feeder.
Wow! Did you see the bear tear it apart? 😳
LakeArenal
(28,729 posts)One feeder was on our deck! 😳😫
SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)No bears around here that I know of although it's rural, but not mountainous.
Thx for sharing!
LakeArenal
(28,729 posts)Then they land and you get a better look
SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)Does my heart good to see their busy little wings rest, even if for just a few seconds. Ty!
Rebl2
(13,311 posts)guess a raccoon did this. They have destroyed some of my bird feeders. When I had a hummingbird feeder hanging from my deck they would climb up and drink the sugary nectar. Have caught them doing so. Squirrels can be quite destructive too. So are deer. Had a hanging tray feeder and saw a buck get his antlers hung up in the plastic hanger. That kind of scared me because I sure didnt want to have the deer running around with it hanging from his antlers. So dont use those anymore. By the way I live in a suburb, but there are woods across the street and we get all kinds of wildlife-even those nasty rednecks. They are the worst 😖
So what type do you use then, if I may ask?
Rebl2
(13,311 posts)tube feeders for hummingbirds and they hang from a shepherds hook. Nobody seems to bother them. We use glass jar feeders for bird seed and also hang from a shepherds hook. The deer sometimes come up and manage to get seed from them by tipping the jar a bit, but at least, so far they havent destroyed them.
I will have to look into these!
redstateblues
(10,565 posts)So they go after one of my hummingbird stations. Sometimes I bring that one into the garage for the night as its easier than putting it all back together. The Hummingbirds have been coming around a lot. They are so magical!
SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)Great idea - if I remember to bring in. 😊 ty!
consider_this
(2,194 posts)you might get a kick out of this:
Nictuku
(3,571 posts)Unless the flowers kept the sugar water from flowing out. If you hang it in the same spot they are used to, there is one way to find out.
SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)I can only see it through one small window & can't stand there to watch if they are feeding. I look periodically, but haven't seen any yet.
Ty!
LakeArenal
(28,729 posts)It could take a day or so.
SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)They must be starving then because when I first hung it a few weeks ago they were on it within an hour or so.
The cedar seed feeder took a lot longer. About 3 days for birds to go near it initially.
Now that I've rehung it, they are all happily feeding! 😁
LakeArenal
(28,729 posts)Atticus
(15,124 posts)lose. The eight feeders we have up now have solid red bases with just little 3D "blooms" molded right into the base.
I doubt you'll lose any hummers.
SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)I worry about them, they are so beautiful and need to eat frequently.
Atticus
(15,124 posts)SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)😍👍
Response to Atticus (Reply #8)
Atticus This message was self-deleted by its author.
LakeArenal
(28,729 posts)Also Toucans and other really cosmic birds
SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)I didn't know there were so many varieties!
I've read that CR has more bird species than anywhere! 😍
Lucky you!!!
LakeArenal
(28,729 posts)Rarely are we disappointed.
PS. So VERY lucky. 🍀
SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)I'm so happy for you that you are fortunate enough to live somewhere so amazing! 😁👍