Hummingbird feeders provide a great way to attract these tiny, energetic birds into your yard. However, you may notice that the nectar seems to disappear from the feeder much faster than the hummingbirds can drink it. This likely means that another animal is also accessing the feeder and draining the nectar. There are a few likely culprits that may be the culprit behind a quickly emptying hummingbird feeder.
What are some animals that might empty my hummingbird feeder?
Here are some of the most common animals that might be draining your hummingbird feeder:
– Squirrels – Squirrels love sweet nectar and can easily access feeders. They are extremely agile and persistent, making it hard to deter them.
– Bees – Bees are strongly attracted to the sugar in nectar. They can swarm a hummingbird feeder and drain it quickly.
– Ants – Some ants are attracted to the sweet nectar and once they find a feeder, they will recruit many of their colony members to drink from it.
– Raccoons – Raccoons have dexterous paws that can open feeder ports and lick up the nectar inside. They tend to feed at night.
– Orioles – Orioles enjoy drinking nectar from hummingbird feeders. These brightly colored birds can occasionally out-compete hummingbirds.
– Bats – Bats such as the pallid bat sometimes stick their muzzles into hummingbird feeders to lap up the sweet nectar, especially on hot summer nights.
How can I figure out what animal is draining my hummingbird feeder?
Here are some tips for determining what unwanted critter is accessing your hummingbird feeder:
– Observe the feeder – Watch the feeder for periods of time to try to directly observe the animal draining it. Standing far away or watching from indoors can allow you to spot the culprit without scaring it away.
– Look for tracks or droppings – Examine the area around the feeder for any animal tracks, scat, or other signs that may reveal the identity of the nectar bandit.
– Consider access points – Think about how an animal might be able to access the feeder. For example, a squirrel is likely climbing down a tree, while an oriole could perch on the feeder’s ports. Ant trails might lead up the feeder’s hanging pole.
– Note timing – When does the feeder seem to be drained? Bees are daytime feeders, while bats only come out at night. Squirrels are active during the daytime.
– Set up a camera – Positioning a wildlife camera, night vision camera, or even your phone can help capture images of the animals visiting your feeder. Review the footage to see the perpetrator in action.
– Try familiar deterrents – Does shooing away squirrels or applying vaseline to hanging poles stop the overnight drainage? This could confirm or rule out prime suspects.
How to keep squirrels from draining my hummingbird feeder
Squirrels are clever, acrobatic, and persistent, making them one of the hardest animals to thwart at hummingbird feeders. Here are some tactics to try:
– Use a squirrel-proof feeder designed with weight-sensitive perches or enclosed nectar chambers. Squirrels are too heavy to access the nectar.
– Coat hanging poles with vegetable oil or petroleum jelly. The slick surface prevents climbing.
– Hang feeders well away from trees, fences, or anything squirrels can jump from. A distance of 10 feet or more is best.
– Put feeders on a suspended cable and use a spring or bungee to allow motion. Squirrels have difficulty accessing moving feeders.
– Surround the feeder with a mesh cage or baffle that blocks squirrels but allows hummingbirds to access the ports.
– Scare squirrels away with sounds (e.g. bells, clappers, ultrasonic devices) or by spraying water. However, squirrels tend to become used to deterrents over time.
– Use feeders with electronic “shock” strips on perches. A harmless zap teaches squirrels to avoid the feeder.
– Apply slippery lubricants like cooking spray or aloe gel to poles and feeder hanger hooks. Reapply frequently.
– Keep feeders well-maintained. Squirrels can exploit any small gaps or footholds.
How to deter bees from my hummingbird feeder
Bees are extremely efficient at locating sugary hummingbird nectar and can quickly drain feeders once they find them. Here are some methods to prevent bees from dominating your feeders:
– Use a feeder with bee guards that limit access to the nectar ports so only hummingbird beaks can reach the nectar. Slits or interior mesh thwart bees.
– Reduce bee attractants nearby. Avoid flowering plants, open compost piles, or other bee temptations around the feeder area.
– Provide an alternate bee feeding source away from feeders. For example, create a dish of water mixed with sugar, molasses, or syrup.
– Use a nectar recipe with less sugar, such as 1 part sugar to 5 parts water. This is less enticing to bees. Gradually reduce sugar over time.
– Move feeders to new spots periodically so bees cannot establish a route. However, make changes gradual so hummingbirds can follow.
– Clean feeders thoroughly every few days to prevent residue buildup that attracts bees. Rinse with a bleach solution.
– Take down feeders for a period of time (5-7 days) to disrupt bee feeding patterns.
– Try feeders designed with moats or troughs that isolate nectar and make it harder for bees to access.
– As a last resort, use a pet-safe insect repellent around the feeder. Take care not to spray the feeder itself.
How to stop ants from draining my hummingbird feeder
Tiny ants can swarm hummingbird feeders in no time once they discover the rich nectar inside. Follow these tips to keep ants away:
– Suspend feeders on a long pole or wire so ants cannot reach it from the ground or a tree limb. Use a mesh cage if needed.
– Coat the hanging wire, poles, and hooks with sticky substances like petroleum jelly or Tanglefoot Pest Barrier that ants cannot cross.
– Draw a circle of chalk, talcum powder, or ground cinnamon around pole bases. These powders disrupt ant scent trails.
– Set feeder poles in containers of water which form a moat ants cannot cross.
– Wipe down feeders daily with a solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. This eliminates ant pheromone trails.
– Take down feeders at night when ants are most active. Store feeders upside down and dry.
– Sprinkle ground coffee grounds, chili powder, or other repellents around the feeder pole bases and any ant trails. Reapply after rain.
– Use feeders with a double-tube or moat design where ants have trouble reaching the nectar.
– Apply sticky adhesives like Tanglefoot or Stickem Tree Pest Barrier directly on poles and hanging wires. Avoid getting it on the feeder itself.
– Maintain a meticulously clean feeding area. Eliminate spills and drips that attract ants.
How to keep raccoons from hummingbird feeders
Sneaky raccoons have very dexterous paws that can pry open ports and latches. Stop them with these tactics:
– Use feeders with screw-on lids or tightly sealed nectar chambers that cannot be pried open. Metal construction is more tamper-proof.
– Hang feeders from very long, thin poles or wires that cannot support a raccoon’s weight if they try to reach the feeder.
– Suspend feeders well away from trees, fences, poles and other structures. At least 10 feet of clearance is best, if possible.
– Coat hanging poles and wires with vegetable oil or petroleum jelly. Raccoons will have difficulty climbing a slippery surface.
– Install a cage or baffle around the feeder to block access, while still allowing hummingbirds to reach the nectar ports.
– Bring feeders in overnight when raccoons do most of their foraging. Store indoors or hang upside down outside.
– Scare raccoons away with sounds, lights or water spray deterrents. Vary tactics so raccoons don’t get used to them.
– Try a motion-activated sprinkler near the feeder. The sudden spray when raccoons approach teaches them not to come near.
– Apply repellents with strong tastes or smells around the feeder area. Options include ammonia, vinegar, chili oil, menthol rubs. Reapply frequently.
– Clean up any food spills, fallen fruit or garbage that could attract raccoons to the area. Tidy gardens discourage them.
Tips for preventing orioles from taking over hummingbird feeders
Beautiful orioles can occasionally bully hummingbirds away from feeders. To make sure both species can share:
– Use jelly feeders designed specifically for orioles. Provide oranges, grape jelly, or sugar water to meet their food preferences.
– Ensure you have multiple feeders for both species distributed widely around your yard.
– Hang an oriole feeder at least 15-20 feet away from hummingbird feeders so the areas remain distinct.
– Choose saucer-type oriole feeders that accommodate their feeding method rather than tube/port feeders.
– Monitor feeders and break up aggressive birds. Discourage orioles from camping out at one feeder.
– Allow orioles to feed early morning and evening, then take down their feeder to give hummingbirds daytime access.
– Clean all feeders every few days to prevent residue that attracts orioles. Use a dilute bleach solution.
– Use feeders with perches too small for orioles. They can cling to eat but won’t perch.
– Place hummingbird feeders in shady spots; orioles prefer to feed in the open.
– If needed, suspend hummingbird feeders on a pulley system. Lift them out of oriole reach during peak bullying times.
– Consider using feeders with yellow bee guards. Some birds instinctively avoid bee-mimicking colors.
How to prevent bats from accessing my hummingbird feeder
Though bats do provide helpful pest control, you likely don’t want them lingering at your hummingbird feeders at night. Here are some deterrents:
– Bring feeders inside before dusk so no nectar is available overnight when bats are feeding.
– Use feeders designed so nectar is deep within the ports where bat tongues cannot easily reach.
– Hang feeders from narrow cables or poles that do not provide an adequate landing spot for bats to cling to.
– Position feeders at least 10 feet away from any trees, walls, fences, etc. that provide roosting spots for bats.
– Install a smooth cone baffle or other obstruction above the feeder to block bats from being able to physically access the ports.
– Illuminate feeders at night with bright spotlights. Bats avoid well-lit areas when possible.
– Try ultrasonic deterrents designed to drive bats away with high-frequency sounds they find irritating. Manage frequency to prevent impact to hummingbirds.
– Use a water spray deterrent to startle bats when motion sensors detect them approaching. Avoid spraying the feeder itself.
– Apply smelly repellents like cloves, garlic, or menthol around feeders. The strong scent is offensive to bats. Reapply frequently.
– Coat poles and wires with slippery lubricants like Tanglefoot or aloe gel that make it hard for bats to land and hang.
– Consider taking down feeders entirely for winter if you notice bats draining them at night during colder months when hummingbirds migrate away.
Conclusion
A quick-emptying hummingbird feeder is almost always the work of another wily animal that has outsmarted your feeder design. The most common culprits are squirrels, bees, ants, raccoons, orioles and bats. Observe patterns to identify the perpetrator, then implement targeted deterrents designed for that specific nuisance animal. With some clever adaptations, you can outsmart the nectar bandit and keep your feeder accessible for tiny hummingbirds to enjoy. Let the battle of wits begin!
Animal | Identification Clues | Deterrent Strategies |
---|---|---|
Squirrels | – Chewed/damaged feeders
– Nectar lapped up – Seen climbing on feeders – Disturbed debris on ground |
– Slippery poles
– Mesh cages or baffles – Squirrel-proof feeder designs – Scare tactics – Well-placed feeders |
Bees | – Lots of bees buzzing around
– Bees inside ports/tubes – No damage to feeder |
– Use bee guards
– Move feeder location – Reduce nearby flowers – Alter nectar recipe – Moat/trough feeders |
Ants | – Ant trails on pole
– Ants crawling on feeder – No damage to feeder |
– Coat poles with barriers
– Suspend over ant trails – Use moat/island feeders – Apply repellents – Keep area clean |
Raccoons | – Damaged ports, lids, seals
– Feeder contents emptied – May hear noises at night |
– Durable sealed feeders
– Suspend well away from access points – Slippery poles – Cages/baffles to block reach – Scare tactics – Remove food attractants |
Orioles | – Orange birds present
– Bullying/aggression seen – Larger damaged ports |
– Offer separate oriole feeder
– Widely separate feeders – Preferred oriole feeder designs – Discourage feeder dominance – Manage access times – Small perches |
Bats | – Feeder emptied at night
– May see bats flying around – No damage to feeder |
– Remove feeders at night
– Deep nectar ports – No landing spots nearby – Baffles/obstructions – Lights, sounds, smells – Slippery poles |