Tuesday 26 April 2011

How To Fill Your Windowsill With Hummingbirds - Window Hummingbird Feeders


One of the great pleasures of Nature that can be enjoyed for free, or very nearly so is bird watching
Hummingbirds offer one of the greatest bird watching experiences - they come in an enormous range of glorious colours. They have the amazing ability to hover in mid-air as they feed from the nectar of flowers or Hummingbird feeders placed in your garden. Even if you don't have a garden, you can be feed hummingbirds by with Window Hummingbird Feeders that have been designed especially for that purpose.

Window Hummingbird Feeders are available in a multitude of styles. Most of them have some red colouration in them because the birds are (supposedly) attracted to this colour. However, more importantly choose a Window Hummingbird Feeder you can live with. Even if your chosen feeder doesn't have any red in it, you'll still attract the birds.

Apart from red, the most important thing to help to attract Hummingbirds is the nectar from specific flowers. Positioning your feeder near your window box or suitable hanging vine, will also help to get their interest even when flowers are not fully in bloom.

A few examples of Hummingbird's favourites plants to include near your window Hummingbird feeders include flowering plants such as Columbine, Begonias and Holly Hocks, Fuchsias, Lantana and Coral Bells. Petunias, Impatiens, and Penstemon are other also worthy of inclusion.

A strange feature of Hummingbirds is that the tend to be territorial, so on occasion you may find the birds will often fight - sometimes to the death - to protect the food source in your Window Hummingbird Feeders.

The best time of year to put out your feeder is 5 to 10 days before the start of hummingbird season. This lets any passing migratory hummingbirds see the feeder and they will quite likely stop in your garden. The Hummingbird season usually begins as the weather begins to turn and warm up a little.

You can buy proprietary brands of Hummingbird food, as an interesting (and lower cost) alternative you can make your own. A suitable mixture that has been found to work well can be made as follows:

1/4 part sugar
3/4 parts water

Mix and simmer them together for just a minute or two to kill bacteria and help the mixture keep longer. Cool the mixture down and store it in the fridge until you need it for use.

So even without a suitable garden space with the sensible use of Window Hummingbird Feeders, you'll be surprised at how many Hummingbirds will arrive at your windowsill.

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