Placing multiple hummingbird feeders close together is a good way to ensure less aggression among hummingbirds.
Read on to find out the perfect guide on how far apart you should hang hummingbird feeders and other essential information regarding the placement of hummingbird feeders.
Here’s How Far You Should Place Hummingbird Feeders:
Generally, placing hummingbird feeders at a gap of at least 3 ft. – 4 ft. from each other is sufficient to ensure hummingbirds get enough space for maneuvering themselves. In addition, placing multiple hummingbird feeders close together is a good way to reduce hummingbird fights over feeders.
If you want, you can also keep the gap among hummingbird feeders up to 10 ft. to 30 ft. But given that hummingbirds are so small in size (only around 3- 5 inches in length), leaving huge spaces between the feeders isn’t needed (and would be overkill)
What Happens If You Place Hummingbird Feeders Too Close?
If hummingbird feeders are arranged too close to one another, it will be difficult for the birds to fly around and perch themselves on the feeders.
The chances of the hummingbirds colluding with each other will increase. But other than that, there’s no major issue.
1. Why It’s Good To Place Multiple Hummingbird Feeders Close Together:
When nectar supplies are limited, hummingbirds have to be aggressive to ensure they don’t have to fly far to find more flowers to feed on their own. And their aggressive tendencies are also noticeable when it comes to feeders.
Hummingbirds will battle it out over who gets to use the feeder. They defend their feeders and their precious nectar with fights.
Hummingbird Aggressive Behavior Around Feeders
Hummingbirds often use flight and alarm calls to drive away a potential rival.
They often display aggression and territoriality by chasing away intruders.
Often at a feeding spot, a dominant hummingbird might challenge an intruder before chasing them. Sometimes there are angry chirps or other noises that accompany these pursuits. It takes a high-speed camera to capture hummingbirds clawing one other.
Furthermore, there are situations when these hummingbird encounters become lethal.
So, What’s The Solution To Prevent Hummingbird Fights On Feeders?
Well, by hanging many feeders, you will be able to prevent hummingbirds from attacking each other over food. So more is definitely better when it comes to hanging hummingbird feeders.
To prevent a single hummingbird from driving away others, it is preferable to attract a large number of them at once.
When there is too much competition for the aggressive hummingbird, he won’t be able to keep up with it. It is difficult for a dominating bird to protect numerous feeders at once.
So, to prevent hummingbirds from attacking one another, it is recommended to install many feeders in close proximity to one another.
Put out four or five little feeders rather than a single large feeder, and you’ll observe that you attract and sustain a greater diversity of hummingbirds.
By keeping hummingbird feeders at a safe distance from one another, you can prevent the birds from becoming aggressive against one another. They’ll be happy, and you’ll be able to keep an eye on them via additional windows of your room!
Read More: Do Hummingbirds Like Jasmine?
2. Can You Arrange Two Hummingbird Feeders Next To Each Other?
Yes! Hanging multiple feeders close together is a great way to spread aggression and reduce the chances of hummingbird feeders.
However, just ensure not to place the feeders too close together; otherwise, it would be difficult for the hummers to fly around and maneuver themselves around the feeder.
The general rule is to have at least a 3-4 feet gap between each feeder. You can also have more gaps – up to 10 feet or so if space permits.
To attract more hummingbirds, a greater number of smaller feeders is preferable. Because hummingbirds are so possessive about their feeding territories, it’s better to put out multiple small feeders around your house than to use a single large feeder.
If you can keep up with the maintenance, you can have multiple hummingbird feeders as per your wish.
Having extra feeders can attract even more birds to your yard, so there’s no maximum number. However, practically speaking, it is also more challenging to keep numerous feeders working.
So, as a general rule, put out at least four and preferably six feeders for hummingbirds to maximize your chances of attracting these little friendly birds.
3. Hummingbird Feeder Next To A Bird Feeder: Is It A Good Idea?
Hummingbirds like having their own feeder if given a chance. As a result, separate your hummingbird feeders from your usual bird feeders.
Small birds like hummingbirds tend to be terrified of bigger ones. If they detect them, they will avoid the area. Because of their tiny size, hummingbirds often become targets of several predatory birds.
Hawks, merlins, owls, crows, and grackles are just a few of the species that prey on hummingbirds. In addition, smaller birds like hummingbirds may easily escape the area if they hear a loud noise.
Despite their aggressive nature, hummingbirds are really rather timid little creatures who prefer to be left alone. So, let them fly about freely, far from the other bird feeders.
4. Should Hummingbird Feeders Be Hung High Or Low?
You should put a hummingbird feeder where you can easily fill and clean it.
Keep in mind that hummingbirds don’t often feed in treetop areas, so hanging the feeder at a higher level isn’t a suitable option.
Moreover, arranging the feeder too close to the ground can also welcome unwanted dangers to the hummingbird.
The best position to hang the feeder is about 5 ft. above the ground, making sure there is no vegetation beneath that would tempt unpleasant visitors, like mice or squirrels, to the feeder.
5. Where Should You Not Hang A Hummingbird Feeder?
Hummingbird feeders are beautiful to look at, and you may want to put them near a window so you can observe the birds.
But you also need to consider the placement of hummingbird feeders near a window thoughtfully. The chance of crashes can be reduced by placing feeders either far from windows or quite near to windows.
There are two acceptable placement options for feeders:
- Placing the feeder very near to the window, which is less than 3 ft. away.
- Or, placing the feeder considerably farther away from the window, like more than 10 ft.
The window can’t cause any real damage if the hummingbird flies into a window from a nearby feeder, and there are plenty of areas for them to fly about if the feeder is set far away.
6. At What Time Should You Hang Hummingbird Feeders?
Hummingbird feeders should be hung two weeks before the birds are expected to arrive.
Hummingbirds are drawn to early springtime warm temperatures. The hummingbird feeders should be put out early in such regions so that the birds always have access to a reliable nectar supply.
Overall, the best time to set out feeders for hummingbirds in most states is March to May, when the temperature is warmer, and the birds are more likely to visit.
Recommended Read: How Long Does It Take Hummingbirds To Find A Feeder?
7. Is It Necessary To Place Hummingbird Feeders In Shade?
It’s best to keep hummingbird feeders in the shade. The nectar in the feeders will eventually go bad if exposed to the sun’s heat. Also, the feeder won’t break from the wind or blow off if it’s in under the covered areas.
But if you are attempting to get hummingbirds into your yard for the first time, select a bright, open location of your yard where hummingbirds may easily find the feeder as they fly about looking for nectar and other food.
Once you’ve attracted the birds and they’ve become used to the feeder property, you may relocate the feeder to a shaded spot.
Read Related: Can Hummingbirds Drink Cold Nectar?
Final Takeaways
In short, although it’s usually recommended to have a 10 ft. gap between hummingbird feeders, a gap of at least 3 ft. is also sufficient, given that hummingbirds are so small in size.
Placing multiple feeders close together is often a good idea to reduce aggression by increasing the competition for the bullying hummingbirds. In general, have at least 4-6 hummingbird feeders set up in your yard.
But avoid setting up the hummingbird feeder with other regular bird feeders to give your hummingbirds their own space.
And try to choose a shaded yet visible location for the hummingbird feeders once you have successfully attracted them to your yard.
So what are you waiting for? Put up a feeder for these jolly little hummers, fill it with nectar, and watch them flutter around your house.
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