We’re passionate about birds and nature. That’s why we opened a Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop in our community.
20381 Mack Avenue
Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236
Phone: (313) 881-1410
Fax: (313) 881-2008
Email: Send Message
Store Hours:
Mon - Fri: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Thurs: 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
Sat: 9:30 am - 5:00 pm
Sun: 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Comments:
Free parking available at rear of store.
In the last few weeks, reports have been trickling in about the arrival of Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, a type of woodpecker. True to their name, these birds will drill concentric, evenly-spaced holes on trees in order to get them to weep sap. This is the first food available for hummingbirds when they arrive. Ruby-throated hummingbirds will also eat the flying insects that are attracted to the sap wells, darting about and snatching them with their tongue in mid-air.
When do I put my hummingbird feeder out?
There is a hummingbird map that shows the most recent reports of hummingbirds sighted as they move up from the south. Check out www.hummingbirds.net. As of February 13th, hummingbirds were seen as close as southern Ohio.
When will the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds arrive this year?
Mid-April is the time I suggest for placing feeders out in order to get the early arriving birds. The earliest reports for hummingbirds was on March 17th 2012, on April 1st 2010 and on April 2nd 2009. Although rare, you may help out a migrant by being ready.
Find a quiet place in the yard to hang the feeder, away from your other feeding stations. Make sure that the hummingbirds will be easy to see from your windows. Window mounted hummingbird feeders can be delightful.
If available, place the feeder near flowers and plants that attract hummingbirds. Using a small pole that allows the feeder to hang at the flower level is optimal.
Place the feeder near protective cover where hummingbirds can seek shelter in bushes or trees. Hummingbirds also need a small snag, a branch cleared of leaves, to sit and digest their nectar. They will also use a snag to watch for flying insects, which they will catch on the wing, consuming them for needed protein. You can make a snag by removing leaves from a branch purposefully or you can purchase a commercial resting spot such as a Hummingbird Swing.
Think of nectar as sweet tea. If the weather is cooler, 60 degrees, then leaving the nectar for two or three days is acceptable. However, if you left a glass of sweet tea out on a day of 90 degree weather, possible spoilage would suggest that you change the nectar after one day. Rinse your feeder out with hot water and clean the feeding ports with a brush to make sure that you prevent a build-up of mold.
How do I make nectar?
Commercial nectar that you purchase should be free of red dye. The sugar used in boxed nectar is superfine and can easily be made with boiled water, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. For a home-made version, the ratio is four parts water to one part sugar (ex: one cup of water to ¼ cup sugar). Boil the water to rid it of chlorination and allow the sugar to dissolve easily. Pour it over the sugar and stir until dissolved. Once cooled off, fill your feeder and keep the rest in a nectar bottle in the refrigerator. Do not use dyes, brown sugar or honey.
Are there times of the year when I should make the nectar stronger?
The nectar that flowers produce is the same strength of sweetness throughout the year. Since what we put in our feeders mimics nature, keeping our nectar recipe the same is recommended.
A hummingbird builds its’ nest with thistle or dandelion down held together with strands of spider silk and sometimes pine resin. The female stamps on the base of the nest to stiffen it, but the walls remain pliable. She shapes the rim of the nest by pressing and smoothing it between her neck and chest. The exterior of the nest is decorated (probably camouflaged) with bits of lichen and moss, held on with spider webs. The nest takes 6-10 days to finish and measures about 2 inches across and 1 inch deep. You can offer what a hummingbird needs by leaving spiders in your yard, not using pesticides that would eliminate them, and by offering soft, downy material if you do not have it naturally. Commercial nesting material is available and can be extremely enjoyable for purposes of watching – see this great video of hummingbirds using Hummingbird Helper.
What if hummingbirds are not coming to the feeder?
