Feeder Maintenance Helps Keep Hummers Healthy

By Jim Low, Missouri Dept. of Conservation

First posted on 07-17-2008

JEFFERSON CITY--Ruby-throated hummingbirds are Missouri’s smallest migratory visitors. They come to feed on our nectar-rich gardens and sugar-water feeders. However, neglecting artificial feeders can cause hummingbirds to fly elsewhere, or worse.

Installing outdoor feeders filled with sugar water is a great way to bring the tiny, fascinating birds close enough for easy viewing.Hot weather promotes the growth of harmful bacteria. A solution made with one part sugar to four parts water is all that is needed. Food coloring is not necessary, since nectar feeders always include a bit of red or yellow to catch hummers’ sharp eyes.

While attracting hummingbirds is simple, keeping them coming back takes a little work. Summer heat turns sugar water sour after a few days. Warm weather also promotes bacterial and fungal growth that can harm hummingbirds. Another common problem is ants or other insects crawling inside feeders and drowning. This quickly makes nectar unpalatable to hummers.

Weekly cleaning prevents these problems. Boiling water is best for cleaning glass containers. Plastic feeders, which may be damaged by heat, can be sterilized with a dilute solution of chlorine bleach. A small bottle brush helps remove mildew and other built-up residue.

Ruby-throated hummingbirds fly to Missouri in April from winter homes as far away as South America. They come north to nest and stay until autumn. The ruby-throated hummingbird is the only hummer that visits Missouri regularly. Males have iridescent red throats and are easy to distinguish from females and young birds, which have white throats.

Hummingbirds weigh only a tenth of an ounce but will defend their territory fearlessly. They are attracted to red and prefer tube-shaped flowers. Planting flowers such as salvia, petunias and snapdragons or trumpet creeper is a natural way to attract hummers.\

Hummingbirds sometimes take several days to discover a new feeder. They are always scouting for food, however, and will find your offering within a few weeks.

-Jim Low-

For more information about hummingbirds, write to MDC, Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102 or e-mail . You also can find information at http://www.missouriconservation.org/8177.