The color red is notorious for attracting hummingbirds and a glass hummingbird feeder will be no exception. It delivers a whimsical artsy charm to your garden, two or more of these hummingbird feeders will lend credence to the saying “more is better.” I wrote about ways to attract hummers to your glass hummingbird feeders, so I think it is only right to warn you about at least one of the hummingbirds that you might attract in your area.
That would be the Ruby-throated hummingbirds. If you have lured the Ruby-throated to your garden and glass hummingbird feeders you will soon find out that this little hummer is very territorial. They will defend the flowers and hummingbird feeders within their favorite roost spot very vigorously. If you wish to attract more than one hummer you may want to try putting up 2 or 3 more glass hummingbird feeders out of sight from each other. I suppose “out of sight out of mind” would work here. If the Ruby-throated hummingbird can’t see your other glass hummingbird feeders then they won’t be trying to bully the other hummers off.
Now a little about your hummingbird feeders needs. You will need to change the hummingbird nectar and clean your glass hummingbird feeder every 3 to 4 days and more often in hotter weather. If you see black spots inside your feeder it is mold, a good bottle brush or some sand in warm water will get rid of it. You should never use a harsh detergent to clean your glass hummingbird feeders. A good rinsing with hot water every time you change the nectar, if done on a regular basis, will eliminate any problems with mold. You may want to try only filling your hummingbird feeders half way so you don’t have as much waste. The little hummers can only drink so much hummingbird nectar in 3 or 4 days.
Here are a few pointers about the other half of the Bed & Breakfast for the birds in your garden. A wood birdhouse will marry well with your collection of garden decor birdhouses. Painted bird houses come in all shapes and styles. The size and shape of your wood birdhouses should be determined by the type of species you wish to attract.
Whatever type of wood birdhouse you wish to buy, here are a few general guidelines that will help keep your birds safe and your unique birdhouses in good shape. With few exceptions, bird houses should be made from wood. With wood birdhouses placement is much easier, a metal house must be hung in a shady area where it won’t absorb the heat from the sun. If your decorative birdhouses don’t have any holes drilled into the bottoms of them, drill some, this will keep rainwater from collecting inside. You should clean your wood birdhouses once a year to remove old nest materials making them ready for next year’s guests.
These simple guidelines will help you find the perfect decorative birdhouses for you and your garden’s visitors. Remember the birds’ comfort and safety should be number one and letting it show in your garden decor birdhouses lets everyone know it is number one to you.
Hi, I am Hank Turney and I have been catering to migrating and indigenous birds in my garden for more than 20 years. You can also visit my blog at http://hummingbirdfeedersuniquebirdhouses.blogspot.com
Hummingbirds are fun, entertaining, full of energy and it’s easy to attract hummingbirds.
