Best way to hang Hummingbird feeder
Delicate operation to situate a hummingbird feeder, but the important thing to remember is making sure its not permanent, as you may need to change location several times.
Best way to hang a hummingbird feeder is via its short and stumpy half hook or full loop. This would be hung over a bracket on a feeding station or shepherd's hook, but in a limited way if that. Limited to a short hang only, so to add length you'd use rope, but it must be made more stable to prevent it swinging.
What good is it going out to buy a top rated hummingbird feeder, to only realize your hanging options are limited, no thanks to the default hanging point.
Hang point would be the full hook sitting above the feeder, or more of a metal bar that is a half hoop - in which can result in it detaching itself off the bracket in high winds.
To avoid any mishaps you'd need to tie two knot points to not only prevent the feeder from moving in any wind, but so to too stop it swinging around.
Hummingbird feeders must be hung using its own hoop or hook, but you could add a little more length if anything - to bring the hanging hummingbird feeder within reach.
Unstable hummingbird feeders run a risk of leaking, and as such they make a mess directly below. This can attract bees and other insects, but in turn can result in a lot of fuss on your part.
Best way to prevent this is to make sure the hummingbird feeder is stable as it hangs, as the liquid would continue to leak until it is secured.
Better yet, utilize a hummingbird feeder which features an ant moat already built-in to it, which in effect can trap leaking nectar into the moat - while avoiding spilled nectar on the ground all together.
Best to use installed hoop
How you would go about hanging a hummingbird in the best possible way, would be going down the route of using its own loop for hanging only.
Hummingbird feeders must be hung in a very specific way, because unlike other common backyard birds - the hummingbird is a bird that likes to land on a perch, or often prefers to feed as it hovers.
Its therefore important to always make sure there is a clearing around the hummingbird feeder at all times.
To hang up any kind of hummingbird feeder, the best way is to use what would be a small rounded hoop attached to the top on the feeder.
This hoop would be made in what the feeder is made in, and so would be the strongest point on the feeder for hanging purposes - it may seem obvious but to alter a hanging point can jeopardize the hang point, but is a must for certain people.
No need to extend this feeder with an additional hanger, or using rope to extend the length, but that is sure a possibility if only under certain conditions.
Less hang, less movement
To hang a tower type or saucer shaped hummingbird feeder off its provided hoop on a bracket of any kind, only use this loop or hook on a stable platform.
The half hook style can detach in wind, whereas a full hoop is a little more safer, but designed more to be hooked over the bracket on a feeding station or shepherd's hook.
Often you may need to improvise to allow a hummingbird feeder to be hung off its short loop or hook - so you would need to use an additional hanger or say.. a rope or chain that is up to a foot long.
It could be to offer more clearing around the feeder, or to at least bring the feeder within your reach.
However, in this process a hummingbird feeder can become unstable as its swings in the wind, in which can lead to the hummingbird feeder making a mess below it.
This encourages bees to the feeder so now the hummingbird feeder would have to be shared with pests.
Stabilize swinging feeder
If you need to extend the hanging point on any hummingbird feeder, first consider a saucer type hummingbird feeder as it does offer a lengthier bar for hanging.
But overall, in comparison to a tower hummingbird feeder, this length would normally even out.
Do lengthen the bird feeder if you feel its out of reach, or is hanging too high for the hummingbirds needs.
Tie a strong knot with rope or use fabric with a toggle or lock to secure the hang. What this length would offer the hummingbird feeder is extra length to hang, but can absolutely be more unstable as it is.
Worst still, unless you tie two separate connections, the feeder could now become prone to swinging around.
And as its going to move in any wind, it is important to use two independent knots. Other than that, you must use a tie point on say the perch or anywhere that a knot can be tied - to then tie the length of rope in or near to a horizontal line to a point in the yard.
More tie points the better as the feeder becomes more unstable as it hangs.
Re-adjust feeder on pole only
Best way to hang hummingbird feeders in my opinion is with use of a bird feeding station, or similarly a shepherds hook.
What this means for you is if you fail to situate the hummingbird feeder or feeders in a place that encourages many birds to use it, you'd have the opportunity to uproot the spike in the ground to re-locate the feeder on the pole in a different place the in yard.
Its can be a slow process so never settle a hummingbird feeder in one area, without a plan be.
Options can be to locate the hummingbird feeder in the sun or more in the shade throughout most of the day; or to move it among insect attracting plants, that would in-turn attract hummingbirds to feed off the feeder, in theory.
Hanging options can be off the bracket of a feeding station or shepherd's hook, as a wall mounted bracket could work - and so to a hanging point beneath the porch.
Don't uproot bird feeders of any kind too soon, as time is needed for it to be found, but in this time you'd need to keep an eye on your hummingbirds behavior in hope of finding a place that is more to their liking.
To summarize
Best way to hang a hummingbird feeder in your yard is via the hoop or hook supplied, with no way of it detaching of course.
Common design of a hummingbird feeder hanging point is a half-hoop on a long metal bar; or a small full ring that is made in plastic or metal, depending on what the body of the feeder is made in.
Its this point that must be hoped over the bracket of a bird feeding station or shepherd's hook, or think about adding length if the location is too high off the ground.
Similarly, a too high hummingbird feeder may not offer enough clearing for hovering hummingbirds, it may then need to be hung to offer a full 360 degree clearing.
What can be used is purpose made feeder hangers to add length, or why not use a length of rope to hang it to an additional, unconventional hanging point in the backyard.
Be default, a full of sugar water hummingbird feeder would see little to no movement as it hangs, but to add your own length can unsteady the feeder.
Its vital then to use to hanging points above to prevent to swinging around, or use a length of rope to tie on the perch, if supplied - to hang over to the side to prevent it rocking and swinging at the same time.
Be sure you are in a position to continue to move the hummingbird feeder in the best way you know how, with a new location needed if plan A fails.
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