Hummingbird feeders attract additional types of nectar feeding birds including orioles, buntings, woodpeckers and finches. Fill your hummingbird feeders, consult your regional field guide to birds, and enjoy the bonus birds visiting your hummingbird feeders. This article offers tips for attracting nectar-feeding birds to hummingbird feeders.
Attracting Nectar-feeding Birds
Nectar feeding birds other than hummingbirds may use hummingbird feeders for supplementing natural food sources. The occurrence of birds using hummingbird feeders depends on the natural range and migration paths of nectar feeding species. Supplementing hummingbird feeders with nectar producing plants, bird baths, and bird feeders is helpful for attracting birds that consume limited amounts of nectar.
Attracting Nectar-feeding Birds to Your Yard
Planting shrubs including jasmine, honeysuckle and plants with tubular shaped blooms can assist with bringing nectar-feeding birds to your yard and hummingbird feeders. Home supply and pet stores sell oriole feeders which can draw larger birds away from hummingbird feeders. This helps with preventing larger birds from interfering with feeding hummingbirds.
Occasional Visitors to Hummingbird Feeders
Hummingbirds rely on nectar and artificial hummingbird food for their primary food sources. Other species of birds visit hummingbird feeders less often as they seek nectar as a supplement to primary food sources such as seeds and and insects. Spring and fall migration may bring transient birds to your hummingbird feeders. Check with a local branch of the Audubon Society or local birdwatching clubs for more information about attracting nectar-feeding birds.
Exotic Nectar-feeding Birds
Naturalized populations of exotic birds including parrots may visit hummingbird feeders. California Florida are home to flocks of escaped parrots that consume nectar as part of their diets. Lories and lorikeets are nectar-feeding parrots popularly kept as pets; escapees may visit hummingbird feeders.