How to attract hummingbirds to feeder

Laura
by Laura

I have a humming bird feeder in my yard but no hummingbirds. There are hummingbirds in the area (Fort Lauderdale) but I can't attract them to my feeder. Does anyone have advice on how to attract birds to a feeder?


  6 answers
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Oct 22, 2017

    hummingbirds are attracted to red,as well as plants as Lantana,Cuphea,Salvias,Butterfly weed,butterfly bushes,milkweed

  • 2dogal 2dogal on Oct 22, 2017

    They are attracted to the color red. Maybe you need a red feeder?

    Another issue is the type of hummingbirds. There is a brown one called a Rufus Hummingbird. They are very territorial and will dive bomb all other types of hummingbirds and scare them away from the feeders.

  • Sandra Allen Sandra Allen on Oct 22, 2017

    If you just have sugar water in your feeder, add some food coloring. You can also get feeder food at walmart. Fuchias are also attractants.

  • Leah Leah on Oct 22, 2017

    Is it red? Or have red liquid? How high do you have it? Do you have a cat that can reach it?

  • M. M.. M. M.. on Oct 22, 2017

    NEVER use red food coloring for hummers- it might be driving them away. Be sure you are cleaning the feeder (not in the dishwasher) very well and are using fresh syrup every other day to attract them. Once they've found your feeder, you can maybe go a bit longer on the cleaning and refilling. I found that boiling the sugar water and cooling it before putting it in the feeder kept it fresher, longer. Birds won't drink from a feeder that tastes moldy, or has algae. Feeders that get caught in the rain will also spoil very quickly. I make a big batch of syrup once a week and keep it in the fridge so I can refill easily , letting a cup of the syrup come to room temp before filling feeder. There's no need to fill a feeder to the top if you're refilling it often. We have 3 generations of hummers come to us and they return with their young ones and teach them how to sip - they're adorable!

  • Laura Laura on Oct 22, 2017

    i have a red feeder