Did you know that hummingbirds will shun food that has spoiled? If you want hummingbirds to visit your feeder as often as possible, now is a good time to give it a good cleaning and some fresh food.
Take the feeder down and disassemble it. Let is soak in a warm water that has had 1/4 cup of vinegar added. After soaking, scrub parts with a stiff nylon brush to remove any dirt or mildew. Rinse the feeder well and drain. (It isn't necessary to let feeder completely dry before refilling). If you find that your feeder is exceptionally dirty, you may want to try using the BBs cleaning method as explained over at Bird Watchers Digest.
When you make a batch of food, keep any excess in the refrigerator to keep it fresher (up to two weeks). Keep in mind that feeders hung in sunny locations may need to have the food replaced more often because it spoils faster. Also, never use honey because this spoils quickly when mixed with water and can be toxic to hummingbirds.
Follow these simple steps to keep your hummingbird feeders clean and filled and you will have a constant stream of these lively birds beating a path to your feeder.
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