Great Reader Hummingbird Tips

Head-Feeding Hummingbirds

Our friend Rick loves to watch hummingbirds. So, to get up close and personal, he built this device by taking a hardhat and mounting a sugar-water feeder to the front.

It works great, and Rick definitely gets the up close view he was after. In fact, he said he learned the hard way that safety glasses are required when you're wearing the hat.

It only has one feeding port, but Rick has had as many as 10 hummingbirds buzzing around his head at one time! —Don and Gayle Martens, Duluth, Minnesota

Hummingbird Hangout

For years, we used shepherd's hooks to hang our sugar-water feeders. Then we recently decided to exchange all our old hooks with a single folding clothesline.

We hung 15 hummingbird feeders from it, and the traffic really took off! The clothesline is the perfect size for the birds to perch.

The contraption revolves, making it easy to refill the feeders. And it folds up at the end of the season. It's a great way to bring in more hummingbirds at one time. I think there are close to 100 hummingbirds perched or feeding in this photo. —Darlene Potts, Grandview, Indiana

Stepping Gingerly

I read in an old issue of Birds & Blooms how you can keep ants away from the bottom of your hummingbird feeder pole by putting old grass clippings around it. We don't have a lawn, so we found another solution.

Just sprinkle a little ground ginger around your feeder pole. Once you do, the ants won't go near the area. And, as an added benefit, it smells good. Good luck to everyone who tries this! —Carson Tyree, La Grange, California