The Best Hummingbird Feeders 2020: Invite the Birds to Your Garden
Hummingbirds are incredible tiny creatures. These colorful birds pollinate garden trees and flowers like bees and butterflies. Besides, they are beautiful and cheerful, which makes them very nice to have in the garden. The best way to attract hummingbirds and make them stay in your garden is by using a special feeder.
Table of Contents:
What is a Hummingbird Feeder and How Does It Work?
The Best Hummingbird Feeders: a Comparative Chart
Things to Consider When Buying a Hummingbird Feeder
How We Selected the Best Hummingbird Feeders
The Best Hummingbird Feeders in 2020: Our Choice
1. Aspects 367 Hummzinger Ultra Hummingbird Feeder
2. CopperHummingbird Bee and Wasp Proof Copper Hummingbird Feeder
3. Homestead Hummingbird Feeder
4. Droll Yankees WH3 Window Mount Hummer Feeder
5. More Birds Hummingbird Feeder
6. First Nature 993051-546 Hummingbird Feeder
7. Aspects Jewel Box Suction Cup Windows Hummingbird Feeder
8. Grateful Gnome - Hummingbird Feeder
9. Best-1 8oz. Hummingbird Feeder
10. Perky-Pet 203CPBR Pinchwaist Hummingbird Feeder
Five Interesting Facts about Hummingbirds and Their Feeding
Frequently Asked Questions
Verdict and Recommendations
What is a Hummingbird Feeder and How Does It Work?
Before we proceed to the best hummingbird feeder reviews, we’d like to explain why at all these unique creatures need feeding. As you, probably, know, hummingbirds are ones of the smallest bird species in the world, Simultaneously, their normal activity level is incredibly high if compared to other birds. Hummingbirds are always on the move. They have to flap their wings around 12 times per second, and their heartbeat rate can reach 1250 times per minute!
We can only guess how much energy such a tiny bird has to spend just to sustain a normal activity level, considering the fact that they consume tiny portions of food. No surprise they need feeding every 15 minutes. In the natural environment, hummingbirds eat nectar, which consists, primarily, of glucose, fructose, sucrose, and water. Common sucrose syrup is a good alternative for nectar: it is easy to prepare and cheap; besides, it provides the birds with energy.
A hummingbird feeder is a small reservoir containing syrup. The unit commonly has several feeding ports, which are gradually filled with the syrup. The construction of the unit depends on its type.
Dish or Horizontal Feeders
They resemble a plate or a saucer. Their construction is very simple: the main hummingbird feeder parts are a dish and a tight lid. The lid commonly features several ports, through which the birds can easily access food. The dish is easy to refill and easy to wash.
Bottle or Vertical Feeders
The feeders of this type resemble a vertical tube or a bottle with a closed plate below. The tube is filled with syrup, which gradually comes down under the gravitation force and accumulated in the plate. Once the birds have eaten the available food, a new portion of the syrup is released.
Hummingbird feeders can be made of glass or plastic; they come in different shapes, colors and sizes. All of them have their pros and cons. Read our recommendations on how to choose the best hummingbird feeder that will make its job exactly as needed.
The Best Hummingbird Feeders: a Comparative Chart
| Image | Product | |
|---|---|---|
Best Choice  | Aspects 367 Ultra Hummingbird Feeder
| Check Price |
Also great  | CopperHummingbird Hummingbird Feeder
| Check Price |
Also great  | Homestead Hummingbird Feeder
| Check Price |
Also great  | Droll Yankees WH3 Window Mount Hummer Feeder
| Check Price |
Also great  | More Birds Hummingbird Feeder
| Check Price |
Best Choice  | First Nature 993051-546 Hummingbird Feeder
| Check Price |
Also great  | Aspects Jewel Box Suction Cup Windows Hummingbird Feeder
| Check Price |
Also great  | Grateful Gnome - Hummingbird Feeder
| Check Price |
Also great  | Best-1 Hummingbird Feeder
| Check Price |
Also great  | Perky-Pet 203CPBR Pinchwaist Hummingbird Feeder
| Check Price |
Things to Consider When Buying a Hummingbird Feeder
Though the construction of most feeding stations is very simple, they are not made equal. The best hummingbird feeder is the one that doesn’t leak, has a nice design, and that is convenient for birds and easy to clean. That is why consider some basic things before buying this garden accessory.
Dish or Tube
Though this is, primarily, just a matter of taste, you need to keep in mind that dishes are easier to maintain and less prone to leakage. Tubes, in their turn, have a bit more complicated construction, and they can leak. However, tube feeders often come in various shapes and forms. They are more diverse in terms of their design.
Flowers or Ports
All the feeder models come with special feeding ports. Basically, a port is a hole, through which a bird can access nectar. In some units, the ports feature artificial flowers, which make them look like pots with bloomy flowers. But if you are thinking of how to keep ants out of hummingbird feeder, keep in mind that the flowers won’t work. They have a purely decorative function. Also, they let the birds find the ports easier.
Window or Hanging
Are you going to mount a feeder on the window or hang it somewhere in the garden? Think it over in advance and choose the right design. Most units are hung on a hook; however, some of them are mounted on the window with suction cups.
How We Selected the Best Hummingbird Feeders
To pick out the best feeders for hummingbirds, we’ve tested over 20 Amazon hummingbird feeder models, including both best sellers and new offers. During tests, we checked each unit for leakage, estimated its overall build quality, materials, and ease of use. On top of this, we checked the current price of every offer. The result of our research is a top-list of ten best hummingbird feeders 2020.
The Best Hummingbird Feeders in 2020: Our Choice
It’s always for you to decide what particular option meets your needs best. We tried to review various models and pick out decent options in each category. Here is a list of tried and tested feeders. Read our short reviews to make the right choice.
Aspects 367 Hummzinger Ultra Hummingbird Feeder
Review
This Aspects hummingbird feeder is a simple, classic-looking dish with four feeding ports and a hook. Its bright red color attracts tiny birds, and artificial flowers around the ports divert water during the rain. The unit is very easy to assemble, refill, and wash. A moat around its perimeter prevents ant invasions and serve a drinking bowl for birds.
What we think
Though the reservoir is made of plastic, its build quality is excellent. One of the selling points of the Aspects is a limited lifetime warranty. All in all, the product is really great; however, we’d like to improve a couple of things. Thus, the flowers could be yellow, not red. Bright contrast colors attract hummingbirds. Plastic is sturdy and durable but not BPA-free, which is another downside.
PROS
- easy to use and wash;
- leak-proof;
- features an ant moat;
- plastic flowers divert excessive water;
- nice design.
CONS
- not BPA-free;
- flowers are the same color as the dish.
BUY NOW AMAZON
CopperHummingbird Bee and Wasp Proof Copper Hummingbird Feeder
Review
If you don’t like cheap plastic items, try this red hummingbird feeder, which is made of copper. These environment-friendly feeders are made to last. They have a smart wasp- and bee-proof design, so nobody will steal the sweet nectar. On top of this, the small cups look nice and serve an excellent decoration or any garden.
What we think
On the plus side, these cans are well-made, easy to refill, easy to wash, and wasp-proof. On the minus side, they are very small (just 1 Oz), so you’ll need to refill them every day or every other day. Also, in our opinion, they are a bit pricey.
PROS
- the cup is made of copper;
- wasp- and bee-proof;
- easy to refill and wash;
- beautiful design;
- birds love them.
CONS
- very small;
- only one feeding port;
- a bit pricey.
BUY NOW AMAZON
Homestead Hummingbird Feeder
Review
This glass hummingbird feeder looks sleek and exquisite. The two-piece dish is easy to disassemble and clean, and the screw-capped glass tube is easy to refill and wash. The unit features four ports with bright yellow flowers, which attract birds and help them find the food. An ant- and bee-guard protects it from annoying insects. The 12-Oz container is large enough to last several days.
What we think
This affordable, beautiful, and capacious option is among our favorites. Mind that the reservoir is rather large, so it can happen that there is some nectar left after 3-4 days of feeding. In this case, you’d better throw it away, wash the bottle, and fill it with fresh syrup, as it tends to fret over time. Also, we’d like to see a hook included.
PROS
- made of hardened glass;
- large capacity;
- sleek design;
- easy to assemble and wash;
- inexpensive.
CONS
- no hook included;
- for larger colonies of hummingbirds.
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Droll Yankees WH3 Window Mount Hummer Feeder
Review
If you believe that the best place to hang a hummingbird feeder is your window, this Droll Yankees option is for you to consider. This is a medium-sized 6-Oz dish feeder, which comes with suction cups. The unit is made of sturdy, UV-stabilized BPA-free plastic. It features two feeding ports with nice tips in the form of flowers. The unit is easy to disassemble and wash when needed.
What we think
The material is great, the feeder itself is lightweight and easy to mount and refill. It is not completely insect-proof: butterflies, wasps, and bees tend to land on it to collect tiny sweet drops from its surface. But, at least, they can’t reach the feeding ports. Depending on the number of hummingbirds in the garden and their activity, you’ll have to refill it once in 1-2 days, which is pretty normal.
PROS
- sturdy and durable;
- BPA-free, UV-stabilized polycarbonate;
- easy to mount;
- uction cups and a port brush included;
- no nectar leaks.
CONS
- a bit pricey for a plastic container;
- suction cups can get loose over time.
BUY NOW AMAZON
More Birds Hummingbird Feeder
Review
As the name implies, More Birds is a large hummingbird feeder. It holds up to 20 fluid ounces of syrup, which is sufficient for a large colony of hummingbirds inhabiting your garden. The feeder has a vintage look of an ancient lamp or a bottle. It is made of glass, not plastic, which makes it look solid and respectable. The plate features 5 ports with bright red flowers.
What we think
The unit is well-made and surprisingly cheap. During testing, we didn’t notice any leaks. There are reports that the glass bottle breaks when it is in the dishwasher, so we recommend to wash it manually in soapy water.
PROS
- stylish and beautiful;
- glass instead of plastic;
- large capacity;
- five feeding ports;
- easy to wash.
CONS
- the bottle is transparent while birds are attracted with bright colors;
- it is fragile.
BUY NOW AMAZON
First Nature 993051-546 Hummingbird Feeder
Review
This feeder traditionally ranks high in hummingbird feeder reviews, thanks to its low price, reliable construction, and sleek design. The unit with the capacity of 16 Oz is large enough for multiple birds feeding, while ten ports allow several birds to eat simultaneously. The unit is double-piece: to refill it just remove the upper part, turn it upside down, fill the tube with syrup, and then screw the lower part.
What we think
This is a great value for money. The container is capacious and convenient for multiple birds. We love its leak preventing sealing ring and simple construction. That said, we’d prefer it was all-red, not transparent to attract birds better.
PROS
- affordable;
- leak-proof;
- easy to refill and clean
- large capacity;
- 10 feeding ports;
CONS
- the tube is transparent;
- made of inexpensive plastic.
BUY NOW AMAZON
Aspects Jewel Box Suction Cup Windows Hummingbird Feeder
Review
If you don’t know where to hang a hummingbird feeder in your garden, why not mount it on your window or glass panel. The Jewel Box Feeder from Aspects lets you enjoy the view of colorful hummingbirds right behind your window. The unit is easily mounted on the glass with the help of suction cups. While being lightweight and compact, it holds up to 8 ounces of liquid and features 3 feeding ports. Optionally, you can use it with an ant moat.
What we think
It is a simple, attractive, and easy to use unit. It takes no more than a couple of minutes to wash and refill it. That said, the plastic body seems a sort of flimsy, and there are some complaints about the suction cups, which tend to go loose over time.
PROS
- simple and attractive;
- easy to mount, refill, and wash;
- birds love it;
- a removable ant moat included;
- compact and lightweight.
CONS
- it is all-plastic;
- there are complaints about the suction cups quality
BUY NOW AMAZON
Grateful Gnome – Hummingbird Feeder
Review
If you are looking for the unique design, consider of these hand-blown glass hummingbird feeder options by Grateful Gnome. This is a perfect opportunity to make your garden special with these exclusive figures, which look like magical creatures. They don’t lose their color over time and continue to attract birds for years. The metal stand features four feeding ports with bright flowers. An S-hook is included.
What we think
Grateful Gnome is more expensive than most standard feeders but we believe it is worth it. The metal base forms an extremely durable combination with hand-blown glass. Bright colors are perfect for attracting the birds. It is easy to hang anywhere you wish, and, what is most important, hummingbirds love it.
PROS
- exclusive designs;
- hand-blown glass;
- superb quality of materials
- an S-hook included;
- holds up to 24 Oz.
CONS
- a bit more expensive than counterparts.
BUY NOW AMAZON
Best-1 8oz. Hummingbird Feeder
Review
Best-1 hummingbird feeder is a popular option that is notable for its sleek compact design and simple construction. It features a glass vertical reservoir and a plastic lower plate with 8 feeding ports. The unit is very easy to assemble, disassemble, and maintain. Bright red elements attract birds and let them find the food easier.
What we think
This is a good classic option, which lets hummers access nectar without hassle while making wasps keep away. Thanks to the unit’s simplicity and versatility, you can use it anywhere. The lower plate is wide enough and convenient for birds. On the minus side, the container is transparent.
PROS
- compact and easy to use;
- made of glass;
- doesn’t leak;
- 8 feeding ports available;
- wasp-proof.
CONS
- the glass reservoir is transparent.
BUY NOW AMAZON
Perky-Pet 203CPBR Pinchwaist Hummingbird Feeder
Review
This is a beautiful feeder with an elegant red glass reservoir. All the rest Perky-Pet hummingbird feeder parts are also red, which makes it look gorgeous. It features four large feeding ports made in the form of flowers and protected from bees and wasps with yellow guards. There is also an ant moat, so the food is reliably protected from the invasion of the most annoying insects. The container holds 8 Oz of nectar.
What we think
The build quality of this bird feeder is decent, and it is covered with a 1-year warranty from the manufacturer. The red glass option looks really cute, and birds love it. The mouth opening is wide, and the container is easy to clean. The glass bottle is dishwasher safe.
PROS
- sleek design;
- a red glass reservoir;
- easy to assemble and mount;
- dishwasher safe;
- bee-, wasp-, and ant-proof.
CONS
- the ant moat is small, and the water tends to evaporate from it quickly
BUY NOW AMAZON
Five Interesting Facts about Hummingbirds and Their Feeding
- A hummingbird spends most of the time flying. It can’t walk or hop like other birds. Chest muscles responsible for flying make about 30% of the bird body weight.
- Hummingbirds need a lot of energy to keep on flying; this is the reason why they need to consume as much sugar as 0.5 of their body weight daily.
- Normally, a hummingbird eats from 5 to 8 times per hour or every 10 minutes, and any hummingbird feeder recipe includes a lot of sugar.
- Nectar is not the only type of food hummingbirds consume. Moreover, the birds are not vegans – they can eat small insects.
- Hummingbirds don’t eat nectar with their beaks; instead, they lick it at a high speed with their long narrow tongues.
Frequently Asked Questions
People buy hummingbird feeders in order to attract these tiny creatures to their gardens. To achieve the best results it’s important to choose the right option and use it correctly. In this section, we collected some essential hummingbird feeder tips and answers to popular questions.
A: Hummingbirds are attracted by red color. In the wild nature, they are looking for large red and yellow flowers containing sweet nectar. The best way to attract the birds in the garden is to use special feeders imitating these flowers and filled with sweet sugar syrup. A: Contrary to a popular belief, hummingbirds are not blind. They distinguish several colors, mostly bright ones. Their favorite colors are red, orange, and yellow, which is why the feeders are often dyed in these colors. A: Yes, numerous tests prove that hummingbirds find red objects easier. Feeders made of red glass or red plastic are considered to be the most effective. However, you must not try to add red dye into the food – it can be dangerous for the birds. A: There are a lot of variations. If a feeder comes with a hook, you can hang it on anything you wish – on a tree branch, on a fence, terrace, light pole, etc. Some models come with suction cups that allow to attach them to a window or a glass panel. Choose the places where you’d love to see hummingbirds gathering. A: Bees and wasps are frequent guests of hummingbird feeding stations. A lot of buzzing insects contaminate the food and make birds fly away. To address this issue one needs to know how to keep bees away from hummingbird feeder. There are several universal recommendations: A: Yes, surely. The combination of sugar and water is safe for hummingbirds; moreover, glucose contained in sugar is their main source of energy. The standard proportion is approximately 1 cup of sugar and 4 cups of water. A: Read the manual to learn how to clean a hummingbird feeder correctly. Some models are dishwasher safe; others are not. Commonly, to wash a feeder you need to disassemble it and pour away the remaining syrup if there is any. Then soak the reservoir or/and the plate in soapy water for some time (10-15 minutes) and rinse under the running water. Some feeders come with a special brush for the feeding ports cleaning. A: There are several ways to protect a hummingbird feeder from ants. The most obvious one is to use an option with an ant moat. However, this method doesn’t work sometimes, especially when the unit is hanging on a tree. Ants can climb the tree and then attack the feeder from above. In this case, try to hang it on a fishing line, which is too thin and slippery for climbing it. A: A popular question is what to put in a hummingbird feeder to provide the birds with useful food without making harm to their health. The best natural food for a hummingbird is nectar that mainly consists of fructose, sucrose, and glucose. In commercial feeders, it is successfully replaced by sucrose syrup made of sugar and water in the ratio of 1 to 3. A: It is not recommended to expose the feeder to the direct sunshine. Firstly, bees and wasps are more active in the sun. Secondly, direct sunshine enhances the fermentation of nectar. The best approach is to choose a partly shaded spot under the tree or near natural flowers. A: There are two main reasons why no hummingbirds come to visit your feeder: they can’t find it or they don’t like the nectar offered. To make your feeder visible and attractive for hummingbirds add red colors to it. Try to place it not far from flowers they like and make sure it is reliably protected from predators and big bully birds. As for the nectar, the best (and the simplest) product for hummingbirds is sugar syrup, consisting of one part of sugar and four parts of water. Don’t forget to boil it to kill harmful bacteria. A: Hummingbird nectar can ferment and repel the birds. They will try it once and never come back if the nectar has spoiled. So, changing it regularly is mandatory. Even if the feeder looks full as if no bird has ever tasted a drop of the nectar, change it frequently. In hot weather, change the nectar once in two days. Once the weather goes mild, changing the nectar once a week becomes fine. Protecting the nectar in the hummingbird feeder longer, you will not be obliged to change it frequently. Just make sure the spot you've placed the feeder gets a good mixture of sunlight and shade. Do never place the feeder under the intense sun, or you will have to change the nectar every few hours.Q: How Do You Attract Hummingbirds to Your Yard?
Q: What Color Do Hummingbirds Like Best?
Q: Do Hummingbirds Prefer Red Feeders?
Q: Where to Hang a Hummingbird Feeder?
Q: How to Keep Bees away from a Hummingbird Feeder?
Q: Is It Safe to Feed Hummingbirds Sugar Water?
Q: How to Clean a Hummingbird Feeder?
Q: How to Keep Ants out of a Hummingbird Feeder?
Q: What is the Best Food for Hummingbirds?
Q: Can I Put My Hummingbird Feeder in the Sun?
Q: Why are no hummingbirds coming to my feeder?
Q: How often should you change your hummingbird feeders?
Verdict and Recommendations
If you have a garden or a yard inhabited by hummingbirds, then a feeder for these unique creatures is a very nice accessory to have. How to choose the best hummingbird feeder ever? There is no single answer to this question because of a great diversity of brands available and because, to a large extent, it is a matter of taste.
We’ve reviewed ten popular feeder models that are available on Amazon right now. Some of them are notable for their design; others are great in terms of their convenience and ease of use. Our top pick is First Nature 993051-546 one of the best sellers of the year. This is a versatile, easy to use, and attractive option with a good capacity of 16 Oz and 10 feeding ports. On top of this, it is a great value for money.
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Is glass or plastic better for hummingbird feeders?
Hi,
Both glass and plastic feeders have their pros and cons. Plastic feeders are cheap and lightweight, and they are less likely to break. However, they tend to fade over time and they are not very durable. Glass feeders, in turn, look really nice. They are durable. That said, they are heavier and more expensive if compared to plastic options.
Perky-Pet this attractive red-glass hummingbird feeder is an excellent choice for small and big yards. Featuring an easy-to-fill wide-mouth, built-in bee guards and an ant moat, this feeder is pest-proof. You get four flower-shaped feeding ports, and the red colored glass attracts the birds from across the yard.
A great hummingbird feeder looks lovely on its own, and is at its best when surrounded with these unique creatures. But before you buy a hummingbird feeder, make sure you have considered two things: they require regular cleaning to prevent the buildup of bacteria or an infestation of ants or other insects, and once hummingbirds become dependent on your feeder, it will be your responsibility to consistently provide them with nectar.
How to keep ants out of hummingbird feeder?
Hi,
Ants are always attracted by the sugar mix that is used for hummingbird feeding. To get rid of these annoying little things you may use ant moats on their route. Alternatively, some people process the string or the rod with petroleum jelly. Ants can’t climb on a slippery string.
The hummzinger highview feeder offers an upgrade to the classic line of hummingbird feeders. The feeder includes a highview perch that invites hummingbirds to rest comfortably as they drink from any of four feeding ports while also offering an unobstructed view of the birds. The built-in ant moat blocks crawling insects from contaminating nectar. Bright red cover attracts hummers from a distance and removes easily so the bowl can be cleaned quickly and thoroughly. Constructed of unbreakable polycarbonate and backed with a lifetime guarantee.
Hummingbirds always look for food sources. If you attract them, you need to put the feeder in a place where they can easily see it. And that’s why you should choose a feeder that comes with red color.
How do I make hummingbird nectar?
Hi,
Essentially, hummingbird nectar is nothing else but usual sugar syrup. To prepare it you need to mix up one bowl of sugar and four bowls of water and boil the mixture. Boiling is necessary to kill harmful bacteria. After that, let the syrup cool down and load it into the feeders.
It is a well-known fact that hummingbirds attract to flowers that are bright in color. And particularly, they are a fan of red color. So you’ll observe that these species will prefer a red color flower over any other color. The benefit of having a glass feeder is the food inside remains fresh for a longer period of time. Also, they do not catch moisture quickly that ultimately prevent nectar from spoiling.