Here’s a really nice video of hummingbirds sipping nectar from hummingbird feeders in a Houston, Texas, USA backyard.

September 2007 Hummingbirds Houston TX

Thanks to guns4toys for posting this video on YouTube.

This is how guns4toys described it: Watch the Ruby-throated hummingbirds at my backyard hummingbird feeders.

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Here’s a quick video of lots of very hungry hummers. They’re so focused on eating that they completely ignored the author’s hands holding the feeder. Don’t you know they went through a lot of sugar for all that hummingbird nectar!

I spotted at least three different hummingbird species… ruby-throated, rufous, and caliope. Name That Hummingbird will help you spot them.

Hummingbirds 2007 Unbelievable

Thanks to kansasa1 for posting this to YouTube.

kansasa1’s description: They land on your fingers, they eat up sugar morning and night, and they even invade my house!

This video was recorded all in one day.

They swarmed the hummingbird feeders all day long!

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A well-designed hummingbird feeder

This is a really informative article about how and what to feed hummingbirds.  Allan’s even included his hummingbird nectar recipe.

And… I’m sure we all agree that our little feather fluffs are, indeed, beautiful!

The Beautiful Hummingbirds

By: Allan

The hummingbird’s diet requires nectar as a source of energy, and for their protein source small insects. Hummingbirds love artificial nectar from man-made humming bird feeders. Such feeders provide the hummingbirds with a good supply of nectar, and at the same time allow people to observe and enjoy hummingbirds up-close. Homemade nectar can be made from 1 part white, granulated table sugar to 4 parts water – boiled to make it easier to dissolve the sugar and to purify the solution so that it will stay fresh longer. The cooled nectar is then carefully placed into the hummingbird feeder. You should avoid using diet sweeteners because, though the hummingbirds will drink it, they will not get the calories they need to sustain their metabolism.

While it is true that bright colors attract hummingbirds, it is better to use a feeder that has some red on it, rather than coloring the water. It is possible that red dye is harmful to hummingbirds. Some commercial humming bird nectars contain a red dye that’s not needed. Hummingbirds get all the nutrients they need from the insects they eat, not from nectar, so adding nutrients to the nectar is not necessary. Just plain sugar and water is all that is needed. http://www.a1birdfeeders.com/Humming-Bird-Feeders.htm

Prepared nectar can be placed into a refrigerator for 1 to 2 weeks before being used, but once placed outdoors it will only remain fresh for 2-4 days in hot weather before becoming cloudy or developing mold. Rinse the feeder thorouhly with warm water when changing the nectar to remove any contamination or build-up of sugar. If dish soap is used, it needs extra rinsing so that no residue is left behind.

Other animals are also attracted to humming bird feeders. It is best to get a feeder that has very narrow ports, or ports with a mesh, to prevent wasps and bees from getting inside where they get trapped. Woodpeckers, banaquits, and other animals are known to drink from hummingbird feeders, sometimes tipping them and draining the liquid. If this becomes a problem, it is possible to buy feeders which are designed to support their extra weight and which hummingbirds will also be able to use too. If ants find your hummingbird feeder, one solution is to install an “ant moat”, which is available at specialty garden stores and online.

The Ant Moat is a small plastic cup that fits between the hummingbird feeder and your hanger. By filling it with water or petroleum jelly, ants can’t get to the feeder! 

About the Author

More information on humming bird feeders can be found at our website by clicking here

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/

Hummingbird Feeder

This is an interesting article for DIY gardeners on how to make homemade hummingbird feeders. There are two points, however, that I disagree with:

1. Unless you can sterilize the old prescription vials, use something else… buy a few test tubes (like the ones used for fancy spices), a handful of corks, and some red tape. Drill a hole, large enough for a hummingbird’s bill, all the way through the cork from top to bottom. Make sure there aren’t any cork “crumbs” in the hole… just blow through it. Apply the red tape to the outside edge of the tube opening. The object is to draw hummingbirds to the business end of the tube. Since most test tubes are flared at the top, wrap the wire just under the flare and hang it right side up. If you ARE able to sterilize old prescription vials, then follow the author’s instructions.
2. Never use honey when making hummingbird nectar water. It’s not a case of honey is more natural than sugar… it’s a case of hummingbird bodies cannot process honey, and prolonged use will kill them.

Other than these two points, I thoroughly enjoyed Kathryn’s article… as I’m sure you will.

Building Your Own Humming Bird Feeder

By: Kathryn Whittaker

We all know that taking a beautiful photo of humming birds is hard to obtain, even when they are inside cages. The only thing that you could do is buy a hummingbird feeder to bring these birds into photographic distance. But these ready-made hummingbird feeders are somewhat expensive. Worry no more, because you can make your very own hummingbird feeder for free. All you need to do is recycle used or old prescription vials for making nectar dispensers. Hummingbirds are known to feed on nectars.

The materials needed to make your own hummingbird feeder are clear prescription vials with a fitted cap, a few feet of thin wire or heavy thread and transparent tape or scotch tape. You may also need a sharp pointed metal object like an ice pick.

To start with this project, heat up the ice pick or whatever sharp pointed metal you are using and make a pair of holes on each side of the prescription vial, near the open end where the cap is placed. You have to make sure that they are close but not too close that the holes are covered with the bottom of the cap when it is placed on. The size of the holes should be small enough to keep the liquid inside the container.

Next, round up the thin wire or thread. Secure it by wrapping with the scotch tape or transparent tape on each end of the thread or thin wire to the prescription vial. If you want extra holding capacity, wrap a second piece of transparent tape around the prescription vial.

Basically, that’s all you have to do in making hummingbird feeders. It depends on you how many hummingbird feeders you want to make, but if you want to enjoy watching more than just one hummingbird, you can make a number of these feeders and tie them into a mobile and place them in your backyard.

To fill up your hummingbird feeder, remove the cap holding the prescription vial on and fill it up with nectar and replace the cap. Closed tightly, turn the prescription vial upside down as quickly as you can. The feeder’s hole should be at the bottom, a small amount of nectar will leak out the feeder’s holes, but as soon as the vacuum inside the prescription vial is created, the leakage will stop.

Now we come to making the nectar for the hummingbirds. Basically there are two choices of nectar. First is the nectar mix that is commercially available in a granulated form. Or second, you can make your own nectar from a sugar solution. For the purpose of information, honey is not recommended. Research proves that too much honey is harmful to hummingbirds, since it weakens them and may cause death to these birds.

Just where to hang the feeders? In general, it is good to hang these feeders in any part of the garden where there is no direct exposure to sunlight and where the wind will not be able to shake the feeder. Direct sunlight speeds up fermentation of the nectar inside the feeder. It is recommended to hang the hummingbird feeders near the flowers in the garden to further attract these birds. Now, you can enjoy watching hummingbirds hovering and perching on your own feeder. 

About the Author

Jo Williams has an interest in Pet related products. To access more articles on bird feeder’s or for additional information and resources visit this bird feeders related website.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/

Hummingbird feeder with hungry hummer

Here’s a great hummingbird nectar recipe that I figured you’d like to have…

HUMMINGBIRD NECTAR RECIPE

We love hummingbirds and love to watch them throughout the day, especially after a long day, relaxing in our backyard nature retreat.

We have 4 feeders that are strategically located throughout our gardens. The red, hummingbird nectar feeders ( red attracts hummingbirds) are placed in areas that are naturally defined “territories” ( as you know, hummingbirds are very territorial) which helps cut down on the fighting.

Our recipe is derived from the old standard recipe, but please be aware that a lot of research has gone into making sure that we are providing the most beneficial source of hummingbird food replacement.

Our recipe starts with cane sugar. As you know, there are two sources of sugar: cane sugar and beet sugar, of which 70% of the world’s supply comes from cane sugar. Both are chemically “sucrose” and fall into the carbohydrate family. Carbohydrates are easily digested and provide the immediate “energy boost” that hummingbirds need to sustain their incredibly high metabolism. (Comment: I guess if we humans had that kind of metabolism we wouldn’t be facing our obesity crisis! Wow…what a concept …more exercise …increased metabolic rate …burn more calories …less fat).

Sorry! Back to the topic…the second constituent our hummingbird food recipe is water. Ever thought about the type of water you use for your hummingbird food? We have. The hummingbird’s source water comes from the naturally occurring water sources available: dew, rain water and deposits of rain water, people provided (bird baths), and finally that provided in the hummingbird’s diet.

We use our tap water which is supplied from our well. The water’s chemical composition is generally hard ( contains calcium and magnesium) but has a TDS ( Total Dissolved Solids) of 275 ppm with no measurable concentrations of lead or arsenic. Its safe for us to drink, and the hummers get the benefits of some added minerals. We feel its better than using distilled or purified water in our hummingbird recipe.

Now, if you’re a city dweller, you may have chlorine or flouride added to your water. I’d recommend boiling that water to flash off the chlorine or flouride, 5 minutes of boiling should be sufficient.

Next ingredient ….RED COLORING….No way!

Lets look at it from a hummingbird’s perspective. They like red and are attracted to the color due to genetics and environmental stimuli … flowers. If your hummingbird feeder is red… why do you need more?

Naturally occurring nectar is clear and odorless ( Hummingbirds are not attracted by scent). So why buy these colored or scented mixes?

The red coloring (Red #40) has been banned in countries due to its mutagenic properties ( can cause cancer). Why would you want to introduce chemicals into the hummingbird’s diet that are foreign to their digestive system?

Several experienced, licensed wildlife rehabilitators have reported seeing disturbing damage in hummers that were known to use dyed syrup, including tumors of the bill and liver.

Here is our researched hummingbird food recipe:

1 part cane sugar/ 4 parts water ( no chlorine or fluoride)
Measure and add sugar, at the rate of 1/4 cup of sugar to 1 cup of water. Let cool and store excess in refrigerator until
ready to use.

Fill one-third of the container and be sure to change the mixture twice a week. You will need to clean your feeder every few days, with hot water and a mild (10%) bleach solution to inhibit bacteria/mold. Rinse thoroughly before refilling with water syrup.

Hope you enjoyed the article!

George Steiner

www.hum-ming-bird.com

George and wife Judy are empty nesters (ah ha no wonder the affinity for birds!)who enjoy the outdoors, stained glass and eagerly awaiting for the truckloads of laundry that their two college daughters bring home. Of recent, the internet has played an integral part in George’s lengthening “To Do” list and Judy’s search for a internet rehabilitation center.

Article Source:  http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=George_Steiner