Where To Hang Hummingbird Feeder Sun Or Shade: Complete Guide

You may have already purchased one or more than one hummingbird feeder but are looking for the best placement of your feeders. If you hang them in the right place, you can enjoy watching plenty of thirsty flying jewels from your home.

So, where to hang hummingbird feeder sun or shade? Hummingbird feeders, in general, should be hanged in the shade because nectar in the feeders can get spoiled more quickly in the hot sun all day. If you place your hummingbird feeder in the shade of trees, walls, or eaves, the feeder will be safe from wind and storms.

However, the sun is not only the reason for placing your hummingbird feeder in the shade. In this article, we’re going to talk about many other aspects of why you should prefer shade to place your feeder.

We’ll also show you some useful tips to help you put your feeder in the right position.

• Why Does the Placement of Hummingbird Feeder Matter?
• Why Should Hummingbird Feeders Be Hanged in Shade?
• Is it Ok to Put Hummingbird Feeders in the Sun?
• Does a Shady Location Protect the Hummingbird Feeder from Wind and Storms?
• Does a Shady Place Help Hummingbirds Hide from Predators?
• How Many Hummingbird Feeders Should You Hang?
• 10 Best Tips for Where to Hang Hummingbird Feeders

Why Does the Placement of Hummingbird Feeder Matter?

The placement of your hummingbird feeder matters due to several reasons. First of all, whether you hang your hummingbird feeder in the sun or shade, you should put it in the right place so that hummingbirds can see the feeder clearly while passing it.

When hummingbirds come back from migration in late spring and early summer, you have to place your feeder at a highly visible place to attract them. You can also set hanging baskets of red flowers, such as Fuchsias and geraniums, with the feeder to grab their attention.

Besides, if your neighbors have active hummingbird feeders, you should place yours in the same row so that hummingbirds can come to inspect it. Once you have some hummingbirds regularly eating food from your feeder, you can relocate it to a shady place.

Since early morning sunshine is good for hummingbirds, you can set your feeder to grab the first rays of the sun. When the day starts getting hot, you may want to get back your feeder to the shade. The solution is you should put your feeder where the shade comes after a while.

People hang the feeders in their backyards in order to enjoy them from inside their home. If you place your feeder 10 to 15 feet away from your home window, you can enjoy watching hummingbirds visiting your feeder every day.

Some hummingbirds may visit your feeder in the after or evening, especially right after sunset. They come to load themselves with calories to overcome the cold weather of nights. That’s why you should set up your feeder in the right place or put a second feeder for them.

Related Blogs:
Do Hummingbirds Eat Seeds? [Read more]
When Do Hummingbirds Migrate South? [Read more]
What To Put In Hummingbird Feeder? [Read more]

Why Should Hummingbird Feeders Be Hanged in Shade?

You should hang your hummingbird feeder in the shade to make the sugar water last longer. If you place the feeder in the sun, it can quickly grow mold and bacteria in the nectar. Consequently, the sugar water becomes cloudy, and dark patches grow all around the feeder.

Once you’ve noticed the cloudy nectar and dark patches in your feeder, immediately take your feeder down and discard the remaining fluids. After that, scrub and rinse the feeder thoroughly and put fresh hummingbird nectar in it.

If you don’t notice mold or bacteria in your feeder, it’s the best practice to change nectar every 3 days in summer and once a week in winter. If you see that hummingbirds aren’t coming to drink nectar, although your feeder has enough liquid, clear the feeder and change the nectar.

We always recommend you fill your feeder with nectar that hummingbirds drink in 2 days. As a result, there is no excess nectar available because hummingbirds will consume all the nectar and leave the feeder empty within a couple of days.

Related Blog: When To Stop Feeding Hummingbirds? [Read more]

Is it Ok to Put Hummingbird Feeders in the Sun?

You’re probably feeling tensed that nectar in hummingbird feeders may become scorching if they’re under the hot sun all day. Could that hot fluids burn the hummingbirds while having nectar? In fact, they evidently won’t burn them.

Nectar in hummingbird feeder can get 10˚F warmer than the temperature of the surrounding. That won’t be hot enough to burn hummingbirds while drinking nectar from the feeders. However, it’s not ok to put your hummingbird feeder in the sun, but why?

As mentioned earlier, nectar in hummingbird feeders in the sun all day tend to spoil quickly. So, you frequently need to change the nectar every other day. In short, the more your feeder gets sun, the faster the nectar will get spoiled.

Handy Hint: To read more about birds feeder, visit our other article about put in hummingbird feeder [here..] and when to feed hummingbird details [here..]

Does a Shady Location Protect the Hummingbird Feeder from Wind and Storms?

Hummingbird feeders tend to swing gently in the soft breeze, and hummingbirds don’t mind it. However, they’re likely to avoid strong wind and storms because the feeders heavily swing and twist in those situations.

If you place your hummingbird feeder in a shady location, like under a tree, next to a wall, or under the eaves, hummingbird feeders and nectar inside them will probably be safer. Nectar won’t get spilled and invite ants or other pests.

Does a Shady Place Help Hummingbirds Hide from Predators?

If you place your feeder in an open space, hummingbirds may become vulnerable by some predators, such as cats, squirrels, and other invasive birds, including hawks. You have to set the feeder at least 5 feet above the ground to avoid cats’ attack.

A shady place really helps hummingbirds hide from predators. You should hang your feeder next to a large shrub or under a small bushy tree to help them out. Consequently, they’ll get enough protection from predators and shade during hot days.

How Many Hummingbird Feeders Should You Hang?

In late summer and fall, plenty of hummingbirds are available in the United States and Canada regions. They consume much more nectar in this period. If you want to attract them in your backyard, you should put more than one feeder with enough nectar.

Besides that, more dominant hummingbirds typically choose a feeder and prevent the less dominant ones from drinking nectar from the feeder. That’s why you should place several feeders in different locations in your backyard.

10 Best Tips for Where to Hang Hummingbird Feeders

Now that you know where to hang your hummingbird feeder, you should also learn some useful tips to enhance the number of hummingbirds in your backyard. We’ve brought 10 best tips for you to help you place your feeder in the right position.

• #Noticeable for Hummingbirds: Hummingbirds only visit your feeders when they notice them. So, you should hang the feeders in dappled sunlight so that they can sparkle and shine to hummingbirds’ eyes.

• #Convenient Distance: You set the feeders to watch hummingbirds, right? That’s why you should put them at a convenient distance from windows to enjoy bird watching clearly.

• #Near Flowers: if you hang your hummingbird feeders near flowers, especially near colorful Fuschia, Petunias, and Gladiolas, hummingbirds will see them more clearly.

• #Near Water (If Possible): Hummingbird feeders near water allow hummingbirds to get baths like other bird species. So, if you have a water source near your feeder, it will attract more hummingbirds to your feeder.

• #Away From Windows: You should place your feeder at least 15 to 20 feet away from windows to avoid the risk of fatal collisions.

• #Spacing between Multiple Feeders: Once you’ve decided to put multiple hummingbirds in your backyard, make sure you keep enough space between the feeders. Hummingbirds are territorial birds, and they need open space to feel comfortable.

• #Partial Sunlight: Hummingbird feeders should be placed in partial sunlight so that they don’t get the worst heat of the days, and the nectar doesn’t spoil so quickly.

• #Shady Location: Hummingbirds love to drink nectar when they find feeders in a shady location. If you want to place some feeders, you should choose a shaded area to set them. Besides, hot summer days are the main reason for the quick spoiling of nectar.

• #Easy to Clean & Refill: Ideally, you must hang the feeder not too high or deep so that you can easily clean it and refill it with nectar. In this case, we would recommend you hang the feeder at your eye level.

• #Safe from Predators and Pests: Not only do hummingbirds drink sweet sips of nectar, but ants and other pests also enjoy having the sugar water. So, you have to make sure that you place the feeder in a safe place where predators, such as cats and hawks, cannot attack hummingbirds during feeding.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can you put a hummingbird feeder next to a bird feeder?

Answer: You shouldn’t put your hummingbird feeder next to a feeder for other birds. This is because hummingbirds are tiny birds, and they prefer having some privacy. If you put them together, other larger birds may detract them from drinking nectar.

2. How far apart should you hang your hummingbird feeders?

Answer: You should hang your hummingbird feeders far enough so that hummingbirds can maneuver to the feeders easily. In our opinion, hummingbird feeders should be placed 10 feet apart to give hummingbirds enough space. You can also set a feeder per each side of your house.

3. When should I put out my hummingbird feeder?

Answer: You should put your hummingbird feeder by mid-March to attract early migrant hummingbirds. You shouldn’t be late to place your feeder when you see the first ruby-throated hummingbird in early spring.

Wrapping Up

In summary, shade is the right place to hang your hummingbird feeder. If you put your feeder in the hot sun all day, nectar will get spoiled quickly. Besides, you’ll find many benefits of setting hummingbird feeders in the shade, including being protected from wind and heavy storms.

On top of that, predators and pests cannot attack the feeders if you place them in the shade as well as 4 to 5 feet high from the ground level. You should also put the feeders next to a large shrub and under a small tree. Therefore, hummingbirds can easily hide from predators.