The 4 Best Places You Should Hang Your Hummingbird Feeder

Hummingbird feeders can be an essential food source for your local hummingbirds. Plus, few things are better than watching hummingbirds darting to and fro in your backyard. However, if you want these hummingbirds to visit your feeder, you must hang the feeder in the right place.

It may seem like you can hang a feeder anywhere, but this isn’t true. Hummingbirds are a bit picky when it comes to where their feeder is. Hummingbirds are particular about their feeding spots, and finding the perfect location can significantly enhance your chances of witnessing their frequent visits.

In this article, we’ll explore some of the best places to hang a hummingbird feeder.

1. Near a Garden or Flower Bed

The primary source of food for hummingbirds is nectar from flowers. Therefore, hanging a feeder near a garden or flower bed is important, where hummingbirds would expect to find food anyway. Vibrant colors and sweet scents of blooming flowers will be a beacon for the feeder.

Hummingbirds are attracted to bright, colorful blooms anyway. Consider planting various flowers such as salvia, bee balm, trumpet vine, and fuchsia to create an irresistible display. Hummingbirds will visit the blooms and then also visit your feeder, especially once the blooms run dry.

We recommend selecting a range of different flowers to ensure that something is blooming at different times of the year. This provides a continuous supply of nectar, keeping your hummingbirds well-fed throughout the seasons. Planting hummingbird-friendly plants also helps other pollinators.

2. In a Shady Spot

Hummingbirds tend to live in warmer climates, and they even travel between different areas to stay where it is warm. However, they are small and can be prone to extreme heat. Therefore, placing your feeder in a shady spot can be crucial.

However, you don’t want to place your feeder only in the shade. It works best if you place it somewhere that gets morning sun and afternoon shade when it is the hottest. Plus, this also helps the nectar remain fresh.

Shading your hummingbird feeder can be achieved through both natural and artificial means. Natural shade can be provided by positioning the feeder beneath trees or larger plants. However, ensure that the tree’s branches are not too close to the feeder, as this might provide perches for potential predators.

You can use artificial shade, such as patio umbrellas or awnings, to create a comfortable feeding area.

3. High Up

Never place hummingbird feeders too low to the ground, as this can make them vulnerable to predators. While they are very agile, their small size makes them vulnerable. Small mammals like squirrels and chipmunks can prey on hummingbirds, as well as crows and jays. To protect these delicate birds, it’s important that you hang these feeders out of reach.

Consider hanging it from a hook or a specialized hanger that is at least five to six feet above the ground. This elevation provides hummingbirds with a safer feeding environment while making it difficult for ground-based predators to reach the feeder.

You may also want to consider hanging other predator deterrents. For instance, a cone-shaped guard below the feeder can prevent squirrels from accessing it.

Ensure that the hanging location doesn’t provide easy perching points for larger birds, and consider installing squirrel-proof feeders or specialized hummingbird feeders with built-in ant moats to deter ants and other insects.

4. Quiet and Peaceful Area

Hummingbirds won’t eat if they think that someone is nearby. Therefore, it’s essential that you hang it somewhere you won’t disturb all that often. They prefer a calm environment without much movement. If you hang the feeder by the door, you may scare the hummingbirds off.

Often, the birds will come back. However, if you scare them too much, they may decide that the feeder isn’t worth it. We highly recommend that you place it somewhere you don’t travel very much.

Noise can also scare hummingbirds. You shouldn’t place the feeder near your air conditioner, for instance. They’re very delicate to sound, and they won’t regularly get used to this sound.

Summary of 4 Best Places You Should Hang Your Hummingbird Feeder