Spring is the time to prepare for the amazing hummingbird migration. Arrivals vary according to your area, so be ready to catch their attention. Hummingbirds begin feeding in APRIL and MAY in many areas in the U.S., so begin setting up HUMMINGBIRD FEEDERS a couple of weeks before then. Warmer states may see them in MARCH. Some lucky warm southern states sight them in February and through the winter. Check your local AUDUBON SOCIETY for accurate dates for your area. Make your own yard the neighborhood hummingbird hangout! Invite these tiny, darting, hovering, feathered friends to gather right within sight of your favorite lounge chair. Read these Tips for Attracting and Feeding Hummingbirds, get an effective HUMMINGBIRD FEEDER , and learn how to make them stick around for hours of fascinating entertainment.
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Hummingbirds need the energy they gain from flower and feeder nectar to power their search for protein and nutrients found in the insects and spiders they eat. All this maintains their astonishing metabolism. Hummingbirds spend 80% of their time perching and saving the high energy it takes to hover while they are feeding elsewhere. Provide a good perch for them to sit while they feast on your feeder. SEE OUR LINE OF QUALITY HUMMINGBIRD FEEDERS.
Early Invitation: Start early in the season to attract hummingbirds when they first come to town. Check your local Audubon Society for dates of earliest sightings of hummers for your area. We see them in our area in early May, so ours are cleaned, filled and up a few weeks before
that. Of course, you can lure them to your area any time during the season, if they are in the neighborhood. Just do some planning when you plant your yard and include several types of hummingbird friendly flowers to entice them.  They love tubular blooms and the color red. List of these flowers can be found at http://www.backyardbirdsandgardens.com
Well Set Table: Choose a recommended hummingbird feeder that is proven to work well in providing a good flow of nectar and is easy to clean. Keep your feeder clean and free of mold, bacteria and old nectar to provide safe and healthy refreshment. Make sure the feeder is easy to take apart and clean. Use a good brush to keep ports open and residue from forming inside the container. Rinse well weekly or more in hot weather. Do not use soap, as this tends to leave a residue that the hummingbirds will not like. Rinse with a small amount of bleach solution to kill any mold and flush out completely with hot water. Hang your feeder in a spot away from direct and constant sunlight during hot months to avoid faster spoiling of nectar, and evaporation. Never use red coloring, honey or brown sugar; these are dangerous for the little creatures. For a homemade hummingbird nectar recipe, simply mix four parts hot water to one part plain granulated cane sugar. Just remember: "fingers to thumb" where the thumb represents one part sugar, the four fingers stand for four parts water. Or purchase our Hummingbird Nectar Mix for fast refills. No need to boil the water, as the microorganisms that cause fermentation are not from the water, but from the hummingbirds themselves when they land and feed on the feeder.
Hummingbird feeders generally come in four different styles that range from simply functional to some very elaborate and decorative designs. The most common style uses an inverted bottle attached to a base that has one or more feeding ports. Another type of hummingbird feeder is the covered saucer design. Two other styles involve blown glass where the sugar/water nectar solution drains from a bottle through a rubber cork into a feeding tube, or the nectar is contained in a bottle that has two or more feeding ports and glass inserts. If you are looking for a practical hummingbird feeder that is easy to clean, consider the inverted-bottle or saucer designs. If you like more decoration, look to the blown glass. If bees and wasps are bothersome, consider a saucer.
   
Keep It Coming: Refill hummingbird feeders often to keep the hummers interested and avoid sending them to another party elsewhere. Don't let them lose interest. Homemade nectar keeps the cost down and is very easy to mix and store. Add additional feeders to avoid a rowdy, aggressive crowd.
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