Please use this thread to post your experiences with different types and brands of feeders. This information may be useful for others looking to buy a feeder. I'll post a link to this thread in the FAQ's.
1. What are your HB's favorite feeder?
2. What feeders to avoid,because they might harm a HB?
For my part, I like the saucer-type feeders:easy to clean,no bee problem,small ant moat built-in and HB's like them.
but from ltCollins' post,i wonder if this may cause potential problems.
It has never caused any hummies any problems that i know of..There is no visible yellow,so the bees do not particularly care for it..
i like it because it holds quite a bit of nectar; the color says:"here i am,come and get it!";it is easy enough to clean..just shake it up with vinegar inside..
so here it is:
here hummie..come and get it...soup's on !!!
alice
(Select Login sarahbn) Feathered Friends Moderator
Re: no name brand
October 1 2005, 11:09 PM
I prefer the saucer feeders and newer version best-1 and the natures best. Sarah
I have one Hummzinger and 5 Perky Pets but not the kind that Collins was using when she found her hummingbird dead this morning. I have had no problems with the Perky Pets except their being hard to clean. I might follow suit with others and next year and leave off the yellow flowers. With our heat and humidity the mold on them can get to be a pain.
I'm sorry if this is a little lengthy, but I feel very strongly about humans taking responsibilities for the little hummers. We want to make sure that if we are going to help them, then we must do it safely.
For those of you that are not familiar with Rockport, Texas, we are on the main migration route for hummers, especially the RT. And I know that some of you have attended our annual Hummer/Bird Celebration in September. Literally, thousands of hummers migrate through here each spring and fall, although we do have some that are year-round residents here. The birds are much more prevalent in the fall than in the spring. I have been told that one possible reason for the light sightings of hummers in the spring is because they are on their way to start the breeding process.
OK, for what it's worth, I have found over the past 17 years of feeding hummers that some feeders attract more birds than others. I have also found that some feeders should not be used because they can harm the hummers. And overall I prefer the glass feeders because they do not wear out as fast as the plastic ones. The plastic ones discolor and can even warp with too much heat (like we have here in south Texas). However, they work good for hanging in a place that cannot hold a lot of weight.
And, I have been given many different hummingbird feeders as gifts. Some of them are beautiful, i.e. rose-colored bottles with an etched hummingbird on it, a beautiful stained-glass feeder, pretty little glass globe feeders. Well, for me I have found that the hummers won't even look at them let alone drink from them. They seem to like the "less expensive" ones much better. And the saucer style does not seem to work very well for me. And the reason is probably because of our constant SE winds that generally blow in at 15 mph. It splashes the solution out easily.
Regarding cleaning the feeders, I use a 1:10 ratio of bleach to water and let them soak for at least 15 minutes or more. A baby bottle brush works well for getting into the bottles. After soaking and scrubbing them, I rinse thoroughly (some people use a vinegar water rinse), and then hang them to dry thoroughly. After that I just fill and hang them. It really doesn't take too much work to keep them clean.
So here is some information that you might want to check out.
MY FAVORITES:
#1) Perky-Pet Brand® 4 Fountain Hummingbird Feeder (203cp) either with or without the perch. It is easy to clean, and not only do the hummers have the advantage of more than one hummer being able to feed from the port, it also attracts butterflies and orioles.
#2) Glass Humming BirdFeeder Pinch-Waist either with or without the perch. It is easy to clean, but only one hummer can feed at a time on this feeder. Notice the flat yellow ports which I used to replace the cupped yellow flower ports which I make reference to below.
The following three are plastic feeders, but I still use them, and the hummers seem to like them.
#4) Perky-Pet Brand® 48 oz Hexagonal Hummingbird Feeder The hummers are feeding heavily on it, but it is so large that in normal conditions, i.e. less frenzy feeding, I would probably not use it because the solution would go bad before it was eaten.
#5) Perky-Pet Brand® Hummingbird Feeder 19 ounce Rose Petal Feeder. It says it is easy to clean, but I have not found that to be the case. It has four ports that have attached white designs around them. It appears to be very safe, but the hummers have not been crazy about it.
#2) Perky-Pet Exclusive Dew Drop Design, large 32-ounce capacity, number 273 This was actually the feeder that caused the hummer to die. It has the same cupped flowers as in #1.
Both #1 and #2 above can be modified by removing the cupped flowers and replacing them with the 202-F flowers (See following paragraphs for more information.)
#3) The old fashion Best One Models that is referred to by Sarah on October 1, 2005, 10:16 p.m. in post I'm so upset!
On Saturday, after finding the dead hummer, I went to Wal-Mart and checked out the feeders. The one that I am talking about is the Perky-Pet Exclusive Dew Drop Design, large 32-ounce capacity, number 273. The problem appears to be with those "pretty yellow flower ports" opposed to the actually style of the feeder container. I think that if you just pull the flowers out (that's what I did), that the feeder will probably be OK to use.
I bought some of the Perky-Pet Brand replacement flowers number 202-F (the flat yellow flowers), and pried the little slots open with a table knife and snapped them in. I have hung two of them back up, and I have seen no further problems. Like I said, I think the problem was with the "cupped flowers" opposed to the "flat flowers".
I bought two clear plastic Perky Pet feeders this spring and after the first cleaning they clouded up on me. I think is was probably because of your heat. Needless to say I tossed them I just did not like them. Not only were they cloudy but after washing them I could not get them to smell as clean as I wanted them to. Just kept the bottom because it fits on my glass Perky Pet feeders.
I don't know why but my Hummzinger has been a bust. I like the saucer design but until I see it being used will not invest in another one. I did move it to an area by itself so there would be no competion between feeders.
my favorite to clean and refill is the hummzinger mini. the RTs favorite here is #2 under ltcollins' favorites, the perky pet pinch waist 16 oz glass, #210. I hang 3 of the bottles in the most highly visible spots to attract birds to the yard, and scatter 6 of the hz around the yard to keep as many birds here as possible.
I don't use best one feeders. nature's best makes a good glass bottle of a similar design in 8 or 32 oz models.
haven't tried droll yankees. anyone?
let's keep each other posted about the dangerous ones, thanks.
After 45 or so years of feeding Hummingbirds, the many hundreds of them now force me to find a huge feeder: I simply cannot continue filling my large Perky Pet one (& several others) daily.
Is there any good, HUGE-capacity feeder available? I know that Perky Pet used to make an even bigger version of the large, cylindrical one I now use; unfortunately, I never bought one before they were discontinued.
We have had this discussion before. The larger size feeders are very hard to find. I found a 128 oz on ebay, but I know nothing about the feeder or the seller.
Where are you located that you have so many Hummingbirds? You must have alot of aquired info to offer us regarding your hummingbird experiences.
Vyanta--- Welcome! Yes we would all like to know where you are located that you have so many. Many of us would die to have your problem. It is why build our hummer gardens ,only for them.
Vyanta-- I am going to guess that you are on a migration route of the hummers and maybe not just rubythroat. In the past there was a thread on here about the 128oz feeders and Im sure someone will find the link to that one for you.
Glad this thread was brought forward! Vyanta! Through it, I'd found that the lantern-type I'd purchased was bad and tossed it. Since most of the discussion on feeders in FAQs was in '05 (and using search for "feeders" comes up with, oh, 2000 hits lol ) perhaps anyone who has found a new feeder type, or updated info or sources could add a line or two
According to a post I saw a month or so ago, it had the kind of "cupped flowers" that caught a hummers beak, apparently with fatal result . It was $2.99, so rather than risk it, I tossed it
I have not used any of the saucer or bowl type feeders prefer the cheaper route. I use two of the glass type and the hummers use all I put out, but I think they prefer the pp 209 glass , hard to really tell. These are all easy to clean for me as I use bottle brushes.
Except for the very occasional ruby-throated male, all the resident hummingbirds I see here are either black-chinned males, or females of either of those two species.
Because the sheer number of birds here dictates daily cleaning & refilling, I really do hope to find a decent, well-received & huge-capacity feeder soon. Now, the biggest I have is of the 48-oz. Perky Pet "Grand Master" type. --VYanta
I agree with Bobky... the saucers are the best for me.. It seems that no matter what feeders I've used, my babies have been able to figure them out. So, for me, I use these because I can toss them in the dishwasher, they have a life time guarantee and the hummers love them and use them regularly, right after they polish off the B&B's!
glo
Zone 7 Ft. Meade, MD for 5 months and counting! Almost USAF RET.
This spring I bought an 8 oz Audubon classic hummingbird feeder from a local garden center. It is a saucer type. It lacks a couple features the Hummzinger has, but it works well enough. There just aren't many hummers around here(east-central Iowa, suburban area). It's interesting that I've been perusing hummer forums since spring and I have never seen this feeder mentioned by anyone. When I bought it I figured it was probably a fairly common feeder. If anyone who gets a lot of hummers has any experience with audubon saucer feeders I'd love to hear about it.
This message has been edited by hawkeye_wx on Jul 18, 2009 1:06 AM This message has been edited by hawkeye_wx on Jul 18, 2009 12:33 AM
Dan, I did see that feeder advertised, but since it didn't have some of the features of the Hummzinger it was imitating, I wasn't tempted to try it. And I say this so much I feel like a broken record, but the Hummzinger feeders are BY FAR the best feeders on the market, in my opinion. They're bee-, wasp-, squirrel-, ant-, and spill-proof, the easiest feeder to clean and change by a long shot, dishwasher-safe at the end of the season, come with a lifetime warranty, and are made in the USA! It even has the nectar recipe imprinted on the bottom in case you forget. A winner in my book!
I will admit one issue with Hummzingers: the largest capacity they make is the Hummzinger Excel, which holds 16 oz. I know that's not nearly enough for some people in here; the hummers would clean it out in a few hours for them. I'm not blessed with that "problem," so the Minis at 8 oz. are all I need. I'll refute one other point: Hummzingers ARE economically priced if you consider you'll only be buying one for life...starting at $11.06, I consider it an investment.
My favorites are the saucer type feeders. The Hummzinger Little Fancy is probably my favorite, but I alternate that with the Droll Yankees Little Flier which is also great. I just this week replaced a Little Flier that I had been using for 15-20 years! The old style silver perch was finally coming off, and I thought I had definitely gotten plenty of mileage from it.
I also really like the test tube type feeders though I rarely see them mentioned. The one I have is made by Holland Hill. I bought mine locally, but you can buy them online. FatRuby is one place that sells them. I like them because they hold a small amount and extra test tubes can be filled and kept in the refrigerator. I have a little holder for them, also made by Holland Hill. They're very easy to clean, and the hummers found and used them immediately.
If you really want a "pretty" feeder, the ones made by Parasol are just beautiful. They're glass so will last forever. The flower tubes work well, and the hummers use them easily. WBU sells them as well as many on-line sources.
One final feeder I wanted to mention is Dr. JB's. These feeders are well made and simple to clean by hand or dishwasher. They're made in the USA and the owners are responsible and do not sell the red ready-made syrup, which is my objection to Perky Pet.
Any of these are economical when you realize how long they will last! With the assortment of feeders that I have all I need to do is move to California where the hummingbird population is larger!
Carol
Carol R
Tennessee
USDA Hardiness Zone 7
Heat Zone 7
I just had to post again as I need to reviel my disappointment in this feeder I have used one summer. The plastic parts on back kept breaking , but the hummers seemed to like so I kept super glueing the parts back on but it still didnt work right. Maybe some of you have used it and been ok with it , but I for one am highly against it.
I have used approximately a dozen different feeders over the last three year and wouldn't you know it, but mine and the bird's favorite is the least expensive of all. It's made by First Nature. I got it at Walmart for something like $5.
It's kind of a combo basin / bottle feeder. The plastic seems incredibly cheap and will probably not last long in direct sun, so I hung it under my front porch. The only reason I can think of as to why the birds seem to prefer this is because it has slotted feeder holes rather than round. I have heard that hummers sometimes injure themselves pulling out of round holes too fast.
I like it because it's much easier to clean that most of my others and it doesn't rock in the wind as bad as the basin feeder.
Steve several of us have the First Nature feeders and bought them just for the reason you mentioned....They are so easy to clean. I can't complain about the price either.
Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39
I own about a dozen feeders, but my hummers only like 2 out of all the ones I tried:
1. An 8 oz. Red Strawberry that screws into the green base with plastic flowers and perches. I think Perky Pet made it. They didn't have bee guards. I have never had a bee/wasp problem. I had 2 and used them for years, and eventually parts started breaking off, so they were junked.
2. HummZinger Mini 8oz. When I first hung them, the hummers could not figure out where to put their beaks. The raised flower design on the red plastic top is not distinguished, color wise. So I took a permanent marker and colored inside the lines and made the petals of the embossed flowers yellow, which in turn, highlighted the center of the flower. The hummers found the holes to the nectar. I've been using these feeders for many years now, and over the winter I read in one of my hummer books that hummingbirds are attracted to fluorscent red color, has something to do with what happens when the sun shines on fluorscent red being a near match to the spectrum of colors a hummer sees from red petalled flowers they visit for nectar. So of course I spent an afternoon running to office supply stores looking for red fluorscent pens, which I found, and proceeded to outline my yellow-colored petals with fluorscent red (even though they were already the red plastic color; maybe there wasn't any fluorscent red in HummZiinger's red?). I don't know if it helped, because the sun doesn't strike my feeders very much, but the important thing is I'll do whatever I have to to get the red beacon flashing "The Dining Room Is Now Open".
What my hummers didn't like, but i loved: pretty blown glass with the pretty red blown glass flower inserts, nestled in a cute black metal basket with hanger. I love colored blown glass, my hummers hate it. I bought 2; what a waste of money.
I will probably be getting a First Nature next year, too. Its color will probably fade even with limited sun exposure, like my current feeder, but it is only $4 at our Walmarts.
Susan, incuding your location info in the name box is stretching the left column. It works better if you just put "Susan" in the name box and move your zone and location info to your signature.
We hang ten to twelve of Perky Pets largest feeders depending on demand - refill them every three to four days. We long ago moved to the wide-mouth style for ease of filling and cleaning.
Dan,
I have three of the First Nature Feeders. I have had one since they first became available. There has been some slight fading after 4 or 5 years but not all that much. One hangs in mostly full sun
Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39
Looks like it to me. We have approx. 250 Annas that frequent the feeders year round. In spring there's an influx of Allens but they've all gone back home by now.
This is one of our Annas females showing off her pretty little self.
& a male
This message has been edited by DryCreekCabernet on Oct 30, 2009 11:43 AM
I noticed the last time I went to a local garden center for more nyjer seed they have begun selling the Perky-Pet four fountains feeder for about $12. How difficult are they to clean.
For what it's worth, I use several of the Four Fountains type feeders, and almost always have at least one up unless bees are a problem (see below). Aside from being popular with hummingbirds, they are one of the feeder designs that can accommodate other species, like kinglets, orioles, house finches, etc., and I like to encourage all of those birds to visit my yard.
Cleaning issues seem to revolve around two design issues. First is that the yellow bee guards and the red plastic fake "gloxinia" flowers quickly get moldy and dirty and the feeder looks even dirtier than it might otherwise be. However, the bee guards may be something of a hazard to hummingbirds (there are threads here discussing this) and so I don't use them. If bees are overwhelming the feeders, I take them down. I also don't use the fake flowers because they don't fool the birds and they're just one more part to have to clean.
Second, the bottle has a narrow opening and so doesn't lend itself to a typical bottle brush. Perky Pet makes a sponge "mop" on a wire handle that can fit into the bottle for cleaning, but I find that overkill. There are others on here who prefer not to do this, but I use a very mild bleach solution and simply soak the feeders clean (I do this with all my feeders); then I rinse them and let them air dry completely before putting them back outside. The base comes apart into two pieces and that allows you to check the insides thoroughly to ensure things are clean.
here hummie..come and get it...soup's on !!!
to the forum!!
I forgot to post the link!!
According to a post I saw a month or so ago, it had the kind of "cupped flowers" that caught a hummers beak, apparently with fatal result 
. It was $2.99, so rather than risk it, I tossed it 
![[linked image]](http://banners.wunderground.com/weathersticker/gizmotimetemp_both/language/www/US/NY/North_Tonawanda.gif)
![[linked image]](http://banners.wunderground.com/weathersticker/smalltemp/language/www/US/KY/Lexington.gif)
![[linked image]](http://www.network54.com/Realm/Bobky/flowerysmile.gif)
![[linked image]](http://banners.wunderground.com/weathersticker/miniStates/language/www/US/TN/Knoxville.gif)
![[linked image]](http://aycu36.webshots.com/image/41475/2001385902314582650_rs.jpg)
![[linked image]](http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/4735/dressedforsuccesscroppedg1.jpg)
![[linked image]](http://i29.tinypic.com/6yple9.jpg)
