Hummingbirds Will Flock To Your Feeder When You Hang It At The Perfect Height

Hummingbirds are the perfect backyard visitors. Not only are they beautiful and delicate, they're also helpful for a yard's entire ecosystem. Hummingbirds play a crucial role in helping plants thrive because they're wonderful pollinators, so it's no wonder so many people buy special feeders just to attract them to their yards. If you've tried but are not seeing much success, you're probably wondering whether you should be moving your feeder somewhere new. Because yes, there is a wrong spot for hummingbird feeders. Typically, these little creatures like them to hang at around 6 feet in the air. 

And the height at which you place the feeder is not just about what birds like, it's also about keeping them safe. Feeders should not expose hummingbirds to predators. Therefore, it needs to be at a height where predators living on the ground cannot jump up and attack them. A neighborhood cat could easily jump nearly 6 feet in the air, so that's a good indicator of how high to hang it. 

With that being said, don't go and attach the feeder too high up either. Hummingbirds are used to snacking on shrubs, flowers, and even spiders. They find all of this food close to the ground, not high up in trees. To tap into their natural instincts, don't go much higher than six feet, because that's not where hummingbirds would typically find food in nature. This will also make it easier to refill the feeder when it runs out of nectar. 

So, now that we've established that 6 feet is the appropriate height for hummingbird feeders, what else needs to be taken into account to find the ideal spot? Hummingbird feeders do best when they're not directly near any obstacles, but somewhat near a tree. Hummingbirds prefer open space around them when they snack, but want the ability to fly to safety (for example, a tree) if danger arises. Try your best to place the feeder within 15 feet of a tree if possible. It's also best to keep the hummingbird feeder somewhere that's a bit shaded. The fake nectar it's filled with, which is essentially sweet water, can spoil quickly under excessive heat and sun. 

All of these conditions might give you the idea of hanging the feeder from a tall tree branch. You can do this, but keep in mind that it might allow squirrels to come down from the branch onto the feeder and help themselves. Another solution is to buy a pole for the feeder. Typical bird feeder poles are sometimes a bit shorter than 6 feet, so look for something like this 72-inch Garden Bird Feeder Pole from Anideer. This type of pole will stick right into the ground thanks to a prong base. That way, you can hang a hummingbird feeder high enough, far away from a tree trunk, and under some shade — the winning combo to bring these cute pollinators to your yard!