When Do I Take Down My Hummingbird Feeder in the Fall?
If you put up a hummingbird feeder in the summer you may wonder when you need to take it down. It has been rumored that if you leave it up the little birds will stick around delaying their migration, but this is not the case. There is no need to worry that you’re keeping them around. It’s actually a good idea to keep the feeder up well into fall for the opposite reason. Even though the hummingbirds that frequented your feeder all summer may have left already, migrating birds from farther north may use your feeder for a quick pit stop on their way south.
Here at Chiot’s Run we leave the hummingbird feeders up until mid to late October (I wait 2 weeks after seeing the last hummingbird). They get taken down and washed in a non-toxic soap every 3 days and then they’re filled with homemade organic nectar. Making your own hummingbird nectar is quick and easy.
Simply mix 1/4 cup organic sugar with 1 cup of filtered water in a cup or bottle. Mix until combined, fill feeders, store any extra in the fridge (although I make just enough to fill the feeders each time). Contrary to popular theories, you don’t need to boil the water or use hot water. The nectar does not last longer if it is boiled since bacteria is introduced the first time a bird drinks. It is also not necessary to add red food coloring either. In fact the red coloring can be detrimental for the little birds. I make sure I use organic sugar and filtered water because birds are more sensitive to toxins (read through your oven manual and they say to never clean your oven with a bird in the house and think about the canary in the coal mine).
To give the little hummingbirds a helping hand you can also make sure you have some late blooming flowering in the garden. Nicotiana, or flowering tobacco does very well at seeding down and blooming through frost here at Chiot’s Run. I also have Cardinal Climber vines and a few other nectar rich flowers for them.
Keep those feeders up and have some late blooming flowers in your garden for the little birds traveling the LONG way down for the winter!
Do you feed the hummingbirds in your garden? When do you take down your feeder?
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Thanks for sharing the tip about not having to boil the simple syrup. I always take 4 cups cups of water, bring it to a boil, add 1 cup of sugar and then let it cool. Way too time consuming. I also always wondered when was the right time to take down the feeder We’re in Maryland and I take mine down the end of October. Love your blog.
to Linda's comment
I also appreciate knowing that the water doesn’t need to be boiled. I always feel bad if I’m a little late making it and they have to wait for it to cool. I put mine up in May and take down the end of October as we have quite warm weather late into the year.
to Gayle's comment
I also love knowing I don’t have to boil the water and sugar. That alone will make me take better care of feeding them.
I have a question and maybe I missed something. You stated red food coloring may be detrimental to the birds, but I noticed yours is red. Do you use an organic coloring?
Thanks!
to Andrea's comment
That’s actually my feeder, it has a red bottom on it – I don’t use any coloring in mine. My nectar is actually just the yellowish color shown in the bottle because of the organic sugar.
to Susy's comment
We don’t feed the hummingbirds here.
Amy
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to goatpod2's comment
I just saw a hummingbird out the window yesterday. We don’t put out dedicated feeders, but they come around anyway for the flowers.
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to kristin @ going country's comment
Those crazy buzzing terrorists have a feeder to enjoy year round.
MAYBELLINE´s last post ..Mystery Tomato
to MAYBELLINE's comment
I used to try to put up a feeder (never found one I liked) and always felt badly about my failed attempts at keeping it clean. Then I planted native honeysuckle and lots of other hummingbird attracting plants–especially Agastache–and now it is so much easier to enjoy the birds!
to Val's comment
I have a hummingbird feeder, but my little visitors want nothing to do with it. They’re all over the monarda, however.
to Seneca's comment
That’s funny. I notice them a lot on the flowers around me, but since I live in a mostly wooded area and not many of my neighbors plants flowering plants, there are not many flowers besides the ones in my garden.
to Susy's comment
It’s also handy to know if there are any hummingbird species that do not migrate from your area. If you have them (as I do) you should leave your feeder up year round! I loved finding that out, and I have to say, on cold winter days, it’s very neat to see birds getting energy and warmth from my feeders.
to rachel whetzel's comment
Very true. We do not have any that stay all winter in these parts. I wonder how far South you have to be to have them stick around? That’s a good research topic!
to Susy's comment
On the topic of birds being sensitive to toxins, people who keep indoor birds as companions cannot cook on teflon-coated pans because they release toxins when heated that can kill the birds. Upon learning this, we banished all the teflon from our home. We don’t keep birds, but if it’s lethal for them, and can’t be good us either.
to Diana Holly's comment
Yes, we too banished teflon a long time ago. And if it’s releasing toxic fumes into the air, it’s definitely leeching them into your food *YIKES*. We stick to cast iron and enameled cast iron here at Chiot’s Run as I’ve heard even stainless can leech things into your food.
to Susy's comment
No hummingbird feeders here… I do have lots of plants that flower, but I dont really remember seeing any around here either.. But there are a multitude of other birds out there that enjoy my little water fountain splashing around watering the plants below it.
to KimH's comment
I love my two hummer families that come back every year, but wish I could keep them from being so territorial about the feeders. I could put 3 out and they still fight over one in particular. I’ve seen pictures and read about all kinds of hummers being on several feeders together and wonder how they do it?! I will be keeping mine out until I don’t see them for a couple of weeks as well. I get such a kick out of having my coffee in the morning and having them check me out and buzz by. The wing vibration is amazing every time.
to SewLindaAnn's comment
I feed them every year. They let me know it is time to put out the feeder by buzzing around the front porch looking for it. I have very small feeders so as not to waste food by letting it mold or sour in the sun and the brave little things will even come into my garage if I forget to fill the feeders on time. I love to watch their territorial antics and we hear them chirping and chattering and dive-bombing each other all day long. I generally leave the feeders up until I no longer see them in the yard, but I had somehow never considered leaving them up for migrators. Perhaps I will leave them out a bit longer.
By the way, my mother leaved hers out much longer as she has both Downy Woodpeckers and Orioles that feed from them. My Downy Woodpeckers here won’t touch it, and I have yet to see an Oriole in my yard.
to misstresseve's comment
I’ve never seen a Downy Woodpecker or an Oriole at mine either. I’ve seen an Oriole a few times and considered putting out a feeder, but haven’t yet found one that I like. I do put out suet for the woodpeckers, they flock to that all winter long.
I too love the young hummingbirds dive-bombing each other and chattering. Sometimes I worry that I’m going to go out the back door and end up with a hummingbird stuck in me since they always seem to do it between our house & garage.
to Susy's comment
When the orioles began coming to my mom’s hummer feeder she made a feeder for them using a small plastic tray that she hung from some string from the eaves above her bird watching window. She fills the little tray with grape jelly and they LOVE it. The downies still use the sugar water.
to misstresseve's comment
We have a few that are territorial as well, I have 3 feeders out and we’ll get a male protecting each one.
to Susy's comment
Love hummingbirds. We had several feeders when we lived in Palm Springs. Had year round hummers there as we do here in South Texas. They are so territorial, but at dusk, it was always a sight to see them all sharing a feeder, getting that last drop of nectar before tucking into bed for the night. I finally broke down this week and bought three feeders to put up here in TX. 3 c water/1 c org sugar. Without rain here there are not many things blooming, so I decided those little hummers needed help. I just put the feeders out on Wed morning and I already have a little territorial hummer at each one. Selfish little bugs! It’s alright, I know they are loving the feeders.They are chattering excessively out there now. I just chuckle and watch their antics and aerobatics. Now that I have hummer feeders (I call them hummer theaters) I will keep them out all year round here. Emily
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to Sincerely,Emily's comment
We have a hummingbird feeder that the birds never use (I finally quit filling it after 3 months of inactivity). However, they love the bee balm and nasturtiums. Unfortunately my cat also loves to hunt hummingbirds- so far this summer he’s caught 6 (that I know of). I wish I could find a way to keep him from catching them.
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to ami's comment
Our cats seem to ignore the hummingbirds, they mainly focus on chipmunks & moles with the occasional bird.
to Susy's comment