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In case you have never experienced the pleasure of viewing a fluttering hummingbird sipping nectar from a bloom or feeder on a warm, sunny afternoon you are definitely missing one of nature's most awe inspiring pleasures. And basic, plastic hummingbird feeders are the perfect way to attract these tiny but fascinating birds to your front or backyard all springtime and summertime long.

Hummingbirds in reality have a long, forked tongue that's used to lick nectar as many as thirteen times every second either from a flower or a feeder and acts as a trough pulling the nectar in. While hummingbirds do eat some insects and pollen, sugary nectar consists of ninety percent of their overall diet.

Basic sugar water using four parts hot water and one part regular white sugar boiled for approximately two minutes are all that's required to attract groups of hummingbirds to your feeders.

Once the neighborhood hummingbirds know where your feeders are situated they're going to return time and time again. The birds can soon become dependent upon the nectar you will have been providing, especially as the chillier, autumn months approach when they must double their size to prepare for the long trip south for the winter.

Be sure you keep your hummingbird feeders full and cleaned on a weekly schedule, or even more often if you notice a dark mold begin to grow. The mold which forms in feeders with nectar is harmful to the birds and must be eliminated immediately.

Use some vinegar and hot water (one part white vinegar, four parts water) along with a bottle brush to get into the crevices. Wash and rinse the feeders thoroughly a number of times to completely clear away all of the vinegar. In case you don't have a bottle brush on hand, use some dry rice or a handful of clean pebbles and shake the feeders vigorously to mix the solution.

Never use honey or any type of artificial sweeteners in your hummingbird feeders as this encourages the growth of potentially harmful microorganisms. Reddish food coloring, which has long been used in feeders to attract hummingbirds and other birds, is likewise not advised. Rather, select a red feeder or suspend a red ribbon or a number of beads close by to attract these miniature avian wonders.