We've got a feeder and they come like crazy to get some. We'd also like to get a couple of perches for them to sit on. We'd also like to get some nesting boxes for them to breed in (we think that it would be a very fun thing to watch)
What are the best kind of perches , boxes, and other things that atract Hummerbirds?
2007-02-13 08:15:46 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Birds
feeders and flowers are the best thing to attract them, and of course trees for perching. Hummingbirds are not cavity nesters so will not use a nesting box. They nest in trees and scrubs. They make very tiny nests that can be hard to spot.
2007-02-14 03:30:15 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The best thing that I know of to attract them is Bright colored flowers with a trumpet shaped flower. KEEP the feeder fresh and cleaned (don't allow mold in the feeder). I've had a nest over the side porch , but only once, they change 'houses' every year and I gather it's part of the ritual to make the nest(?). The ones I watched that summer had a twig with full leaves overhanging her next. I loved to watch her fly up at 40 mph and then hover nest to the next, make sure it was safe, but I never actually saw her land in it, almost like magic she was in there looking out. I always worry when summer starts to end the weather gets 'junky' because all the sudden they are gone, but they need to gain weight before migration so you'll notice the need for more rapid refills just before they go. I live in NY and last summer there were a lot fewer hummers, we guessed because of the Hurricane in the Gulf must have gotten more that usual, though I haven't heard of that effect form any experts. They rarely, but sometimes perched on a dysfunctional TV antenna, with small rods on it, and I have hung a wire coat hanger out with good cover and line sighted at the feed er, but never caught any perched there. I understand it takes about 15 mins. for them to wake up after sleeping before they can fly, I don't know if it's fact.
2007-02-13 08:49:01 · answer #2 · answered by Diana P 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hummingbirds love to perch. That won't use the nesting box, though.
The majority of their activity consists simply of sitting or perching. Hummingbirds spend an average of 10–15% of their time feeding and 75–80% sitting and digesting.
I like 'Pop's Hummingbird Swings'.
2013-11-07 12:54:30 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They like sitting in trees, the most natural perches in the world. If you don't see them sit you aren't looking close enough, because they do. Watch them long enough and you will learn to see them in the trees. Some feeders come with perches, just get those if you must. I'm not sure about boxes for nesting.
2007-02-13 13:00:45 · answer #4 · answered by lildi_32 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your bushes, trees and vines will be fine for them to perch on. They don't sit still for very long.
Hummingbirds build very tiny nests out of spiderwebs and grasses. They don't use nest boxes. You will be lucky to find a nest, just keep your eyes out!
My parents' neighbor had three nests in her mulberry tree. My parents had one on an outside decorative ceiling hook and one attached to the cable wire in the rafters. The nests fall apart when it rains though.
2007-02-13 08:53:47 · answer #5 · answered by Christie D 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hummingbirds rarely sit still, so it's doubtful anything would attract them besides a feeder. They just don't like to sit or nest near humans.
2007-02-13 08:18:23 · answer #6 · answered by Dreamer 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I live in the Western U.S., and my great-grandmother is obsessed with hummingbirds. We have quite a few around here, and she's always attracted them with bright red colors (make sure your garden has bright red and orange flowers planted). They also seem to be attracted to trumpet-like flowers and feeders (think trumpetvine).
To my knowledge, hummingbirds don't generally perch anywhere for too long.
Have fun!
2007-02-13 08:20:12 · answer #7 · answered by Dante 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Those dont work, In sundays paper i saw an ad for a house climbing vine that almost shoots out sugar that will attrack thousands of hummers.
www.gardenerschoice.com --code is HVAK-1912
look for name called: Hardy Hummingbird Vines
2007-02-13 08:25:18 · answer #8 · answered by ANDREW B 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
pink vegetation that are bell formed or trumpet formed. each and every summer hummingbirds fly into my open storage and attempt to get nectar from the plastic pink bell on the top of the emergency launch for the storage opener.
2016-12-04 03:31:02 · answer #9 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
when they do sit, bright colors,but if they have a lot of feeders they can go to and have some tasty nector they should stay aroud
2007-02-21 05:40:45 · answer #10 · answered by puppiilv 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋