Hummingbirds are the smallest birds that exist, and also one of the most beautiful. They often pass through our gardens, especially if we have flowers and it is a warm season, but their flight is so fast that it is difficult to appreciate their beauty.
To attract them, it is best to have flowers that, although they do not have a very intense aroma, are colorful and produce a lot of nectar. Azaleas, monardas, milkweed, colombinas, purple bells are his favorites.
But also, if you want them to stop in your garden long enough to admire their beauty in person, you can build this simple hummingbird feeder by recycling a bottle, and be dazzled by their wonderful flapping wings!
Materials
- – A small glass bottle (better if it is colored)
– Thick copper wire
– Tweezers
– A hook or hanger
– Beads, plastic flowers or red figures
– A thin plastic tube (like the tube of a pen)
– A stopper (cork or plastic) for the bottle
– Sugar and water for nectar
Process
1. With the help of a pair of tweezers, shape the copper wire creating a support for your bottle. It has to be decorative but, at the same time, be able to support the weight of the bottle upside down. To make it hold up well, be sure to wrap the wire around the beak several times. Attach it to a hook so you can hang it from a tree, balcony or gallery ceiling.
2. Put some beads, fake flowers or decorations on the wire; even better if they are red, the favorite of hummingbirds.
3. Get a stopper for the bottle with a feeding line (in some countries they are known as Hummingbird feeder tubes) or you can make it yourself by piercing a cork or rubber stopper and inserting a plastic tube inside it. To prevent it from leaking, put a stopper on the tube with a very small hole, so that the hummingbird’s beak will just fit.
4. Make nectar: Mix 1 part sugar to 4 parts water and boil for a minute or two. Let the mixture cool. Do not use honey or dyes, both are harmful to these birds.
CAUTION: The nectar should in no way be used excessively or recurrently, and care should be taken to clean it every two days because it can lead to the production of fungi; so as not to affect hummingbirds or generate any type of addiction.
5. Fill your bottle with nectar, cover it and hang it in a lighted place.
And see the amazing beauty of hummingbirds in your own home!
You can take a closer look at its beauty in the following video: