Hummingbirds

Feeding - Weather and Seasonal Dangers

Photo of winter feeder with lights — Feeder Heater using Holiday Lights (Photo credit: Ann Nightingale)

Winter Feeding - safe feeding in cold weather

When the cold weather rolls around it is time to think about winter feeding and keeping those precious hummingbird feeders unfrozen. Even in colder weather, we still recommend that you keep the nectar concentration at 1 cup white sugar to 4 cups water, if possible.

Why is frozen nectar a problem?

When nectar freezes, the water portion becomes ice and the remaining sugar becomes increasingly concentrated as a syrup. This can result in the liquid having an extremely high sugar concentration. In the wild, hummingbirds can tolerate some slightly higher concentrations of sugar, as long as they can find water to dilute the syrup. You may see them drinking at fountains after a particularly rich meal. Unfortunately, in freezing conditions, birds may not be able to find any unfrozen water to dilute their sugary drink. In freezing weather, it is even more important to make sure the sugar concentration does not get too high.

Tips to Stop Nectar From Freezing:

1. Use a feeder heater
Feeder warmers are an excellent way to combat bouts of freezing weather. Try making you own with Sara Hiebert's photos to guide you. There is a down side to heaters. It is very easy for the nectar to concentrate. Be prepared to change out your nectar very regularly (even daily). We recommend you only use a heater if the temperature falls below freezing.

2. Choose a sheltered location
Move the feeder close to the house and under the eaves. A sheltered location will provide a bit of warmth and protection from the cold. It will also help to reduce any snow build up that could clog the feeder ports.

3. Winter Woolies
Some people have had great success with adding an insulating layer to the outside of the feeder. This is especially helpful with the more tube like styles. There are some wonderfully creative ideas out there from old socks to Christmas lights, as seen in the photo at the top of the page.