What direction should a humming bird birdhouse face?

The ideal direction for a hummingbird birdhouse to face is southeast. Facing the entrance southeast allows morning sun to warm the birdhouse, which is important for baby hummingbirds. Southeast exposure also protects the birdhouse from hot afternoon sun and rain showers that often come from the southwest.

Why Face Southeast?

Hummingbirds thrive in warmer temperatures. Facing southeast allows gentle morning sun to warm the interior of the birdhouse, creating an ideal climate for baby hummingbirds. As cold-blooded creatures, hummingbird chicks rely on external sources of heat to maintain their body temperature. Morning sun helps keep chicks warm and healthy.

In most parts of North America, the weather patterns move from southwest to northeast. Afternoon storms and rain often blow in from the southwest. A southeasterly facing entrance provides protection from these weather elements. It also prevents overheating of the birdhouse on hot summer afternoons when the sun is blazing from the west.

Southeastern exposure takes advantage of the natural arc of the sun’s path without exposing the birdhouse to extremes. The warmingeffects of the sun’s rays are utilized in the morning, while harsh midday heat is avoided.

Consider Your Climate and Region

While southeast is the recommended direction in most of the United States and Canada, adjustments may be needed based on your specific location. Those living in the Southernmost states may want to aim slightly more east to prevent overheating. If afternoon storms come from a different direction in your region, situate the opening accordingly.

If you live in a hot climate, consider placing the birdhouse in partial shade to help moderate temperatures. In coastal areas, position the opening away from prevailing winds to provide protection.

Observe the path of the sun and weather patterns in your neighborhood. This will help you determine the optimal direction for your hummingbird nesting box.

Other Birdhouse Placement Tips

In addition to facing southeast, here are some other recommendations for placing hummingbird houses:

• Situate the birdhouse 5-10 feet off the ground. This helps deter predators.
• Make sure the birdhouse is securely attached to a post, tree limb, or hook.
• Place nesting boxes well before breeding season so hummers become familiar with them
• Avoid areas with high winds that could blow a tiny hummer house down
• Put birdhouses near flowering plants or feeders that attract hummingbirds.

With a southeastern exposure and proper placement, your hummingbird house will provide a safe, comfortable nursery for raising chicks.

Monitoring the Birdhouse

Once your hummingbird nesting box is up, check on it regularly to see if a female hummingbird takes up residence. Don’t open the box or disturb nests once eggs are laid. Keep observation to a minimum during nesting so the parents will not feel threatened.

Know when to expect the babies – the incubation period for hummingbirds is typically 14-19 days. Young fledge in 18-22 days. Be prepared to clean out the nest after fledglings have left the nest.

Take notes on dates eggs are laid, hatch times, and fledge times. This will help you gain useful data to refer to next year. Careful monitoring also allows you to identify any issues and intervene if baby hummingbirds are in distress.

Helping Hummers Thrive

Providing an appropriately positioned hummingbird house is one way you can contribute to hummingbird conservation. While diminutive in size, hummingbirds play an essential role in pollination and maintaining balance in natural ecosystems.

Beyond offering nesting sites, you can support hummingbirds by:

• Landscaping with native plants that provide nectar
• Supplying clean hummingbird feeders with fresh nectar
• Avoiding pesticides which reduce insect food sources
• Installing water features for drinking and bathing
• Reporting hummingbird sightings to help researchers

With a little help from caring humans, these aerial gems can continue gracing our landscapes with their beauty and ecological contributions.

Typical Timeline of Hummingbird Nesting

Understanding the nesting timeline will help you know what to expect once hummingbirds occupy your birdhouse. Here are the general stages:

1. Nest building – The female will gather soft plant fibers, spider silk, lichen, and feathers to build a tiny cup-shaped nest. This takes 5-10 days.
2. Egg laying – The female lays 1-3 tiny white eggs, only about the size of a pea. She will lay 1 egg every other day.
3. Incubation – The female sits on the eggs to keep them warm until they hatch, which takes 14-19 days.
4. Hatching – The chicks will start to pip out of their eggs, a process that takes 12-20 hours from initial pipping to fully leaving the egg.
5. Care of hatchlings – Both parents feed the chicks regurgitated nectar and insects. Babies grow quickly.
6. Fledging – After 18-22 days, the juvenile hummingbirds will leave the nest. They can fly but will continue to be fed by the mother.

The entire nesting period, from construction to fledging, spans about 6-8 weeks. Half of that time the eggs and chicks will be in the nest relying on the parents for incubation, feeding and protection.

Tips for Attracting Nesting Hummingbirds

It’s important to set up hummingbird houses early in the year before breeding season starts. Here are some top tips to entice hummers to take up residence:

• Hang houses by early spring before migration and nesting begins
• Clean out old nests and sanitize houses to prevent mites and diseases
• Line bottom of house with soft natural materials – help get her started!
• Face opening to the southeast to catch morning sun
• Hang houses close to favored feeding areas and flowers
• Use a style and size preferred by hummingbirds in your region
• Be patient, it may take time for hummingbirds to discover and accept a house

With the right location and preparation, your hummingbird abode could be occupied as early as the first spring after hanging it up.

Hummingbird House and Feeder Placement

Placing hummingbird houses and feeders correctly helps create an attractive habitat for hummingbirds during nesting and migration. Here are tips on proper placement:

• Hang houses 10+ feet high on trees facing southeast
• Set up feeders 3-5 feet off the ground near cover
• Don’t place feeders right next to houses which may draw predators
• Separate houses and feeders by at least 10-15 feet
• Avoid areas of disturbance like pathways and work areas
• Place feeders and houses within view of windows for observation

Start by identifying areas frequented by hummingbirds in your yard. Then strategically situate houses and feeders to provide food, shelter and safety.

Hummingbird Nest Materials

Female hummingbirds are meticulous nest builders using a variety of natural materials. The outside of the nest may include:

• Soft plant fibers – milkweed, thistle, cattails
• Downy seeds – cottonwood, cattail, bulrush
• Fern fibers, dandelion stems and other plant hairs
• Fine twigs
• Pieces of bark and lichen gathered from trees
• Spider silk woven throughout to bind materials

The interior cup lining may include:

• The fluffy seeds of cottonwood, cattails, thistles or other plants
• Soft feathers collected from the ground
• Sometime bud scales torn from emerging leaves
• Fine shredded bark fibers and other soft substances

Hummingbird nest architecture is a true feat of engineering with the tiny elastic cups closely woven to allow stretching over growing chicks.

Types of Hummingbird Feeders

Selecting the right hummingbird feeder style can help attract more hummers to your yard. Here are some common types:

• Saucer or disk feeders – Open design allows easy access.
• Bottle or jug feeders – Nectar stored in covered reservoirs.
• Tube feeders – Long tubes dispense through multiple ports.
• Basin feeders – Nectar held in open bowl or basin base.
• Funnel feeders – Inverted tubes with small funnel reservoirs.
• Hexagonal feeders – Honeycomb shape with multiple feeding ports.

Consider capacity, ease of cleaning, and number of feeding ports. Also choose durable, shatter-proof plastic models. Place different styles to see which hummingbirds prefer.

Where to Place Hummingbird Feeders

Proper feeder placement is key to attracting hummingbirds. Here are tips:

• Hang near shelter – trees, shrubs, patio covers
• Place 3-10 feet above ground near blossoms
• Avoid areas with high winds
• Stage multiple feeders in different locations
• Separate from hummingbird houses around 15 feet
• Situate feeders so you can easily observe activity

Move feeders periodically to offer variety. Clustering two or three together can create a feeding hot spot hummingbirds will flock to all season.

Dealing with Ants and Bees on Hummingbird Feeders

Keep ants, bees and other insects away from your feeders with these tips:

• Use feeders with built-in ant moats or add water moats
• Coat feeder wire hanger with petroleum jelly or hot sauce
• Try feeders with flip-up ant guards over ports
• Set feeder pole legs in bowl of water to block ants
• Clean feeders more frequently – at least every 3-5 days
• Use bee guards to prevent stinging insects

Keeping nectar fresh and feeders clean is the best overall strategy. Quickly replace any feeders invaded by ants or bees.

How Often to Clean Hummingbird Feeders

To keep hummingbirds healthy, it’s important to properly clean feeders on a regular schedule. Follow these guidelines:

• Clean thoroughly with soap and water every week
• Do a quick scrub with a bottle brush every 2-3 days
• Disinfect monthly with a 10% non-chlorine bleach solution
• Replace nectar 3-5 days in warm weather; 5-7 days in cooler temps
• Rinse thoroughly to eliminate soap or bleach residue
• Allow to fully dry before refilling to prevent mold

Take feeders apart completely to access all interior surfaces for cleaning. Keeping feeders clean ensures fresh nectar for hummingbirds.

Choosing a Hummingbird House

Key factors to consider when selecting a hummingbird nesting box include:

• Proper dimensions – 2-3.5 inches deep, 2-3 inch diameter opening
• Durable, weatherproof construction
• Sufficient ventilation
• Way to open for monitoring and cleaning
• Preferred colors – neutral or camouflage
• Non-toxic, sturdy hanger
• Entrance perches or rough surface for grip
• Protection from rain, sun and predators

Also look for a design made specifically for hummingbirds versus other birds. Placing a house out early allows hummingbirds to discover and get accustomed to it.

Spring Hummingbird Migration

The spring migration is an exciting time as hummingbirds return from their tropical wintering grounds. Here’s what to expect:

• Males arrive first in late winter to claim nesting spots
• Females follow in early spring once flowers bloom
• West coast hummers arrive in February/March
• East coast hummers return in April/May
• Food from feeders helps fuel migration and egg production
• Nests are built in early spring once mates reunite

Have feeders cleaned, filled and ready to greet returning hummers. Watch for mating displays as males perform aerial figure eights and dives to impress females.

Using Nectar Plants to Attract Hummingbirds

Adding nectar-producing plants to your landscape is a natural way to provide food for hummingbirds. Good choices include:

• Native wildflowers – bee balm, columbine, trumpet vine
• Ornamental flowers – petunias, fuchsias, lantana
• Trees and shrubs – mimosa, weigela, tulip trees
• Vines – trumpet vine, coral honeysuckle
• Desert plants – aloe, agave, ocotillo

Select a variety of tubular blossoms in different colors. Place them near feeders and houses to help attract and sustain hummingbirds.

Hummingbird Nest Materials to Avoid

When building hummingbird nests, most materials are gathered naturally by the female. But to be safe, avoid using:

• Yarn, thread, string – can tangle around birds
• Dryer lint – lacks insulation
• Fabric scraps, cotton balls – retain moisture
• Feathers from nonnative birds – illegal
• Synthetics like polyester fiberfill
• Pet hair which may carry parasites

Also refrain from adding nest materials for hummers. Let them build their tiny architectural gems from nature as designed.

Help Orphaned Hummingbirds

If you find an orphaned fledgling hummingbird, here’s how to help:

1. If uninjured, leave in nearby bush – parents still care for them
2. Keep cats, dogs away until parent returns or for 36+ hours
3. Contact a wildlife rehabilitator if parents do not resume care
4. Use sugar-water in an eyedropper if weak or injured
5. Keep in a ventilated box indoors until help is found
6. Avoid direct handling and keep in quiet, dark area

Fledglings left alone near where they originated have the best chance for parent birds to continue rearing them. Seek expert advice before intervening.

How to Make Homemade Nectar for Hummingbirds

It’s easy to make your own hummingbird nectar at home with just water and table sugar:

1. Use a ratio of 1 part sugar to 4 parts water.
2. Boil the water first, then stir in sugar until fully dissolved