Is It Time To Take Down Your Hummingbird Feeder Or Should You Keep It Up A Little Longer?

It’s always a little sad when it’s time to take down the hummingbird feeders.

Those lovely flying visitors bring so much life to the garden, and when they’re gone, everything seems much gloomier.

Wondering when to take down your feeder? The best answer would be to keep it up as long as hummingbirds are still around. Even after they leave, you can leave the feeder out for late travelers.

And if you live in a warmer area (like central Florida), you might even have hummingbirds year-round if you keep the feeders up!

So, no need to rush. Watch your hummingbirds, and let them tell you when it’s time.

Should You Keep Your Hummingbird Feeder Up All Year?

In sunny Florida (and along the East Coast), there’s one famous hummingbird that everyone loves to see at their feeders: the Ruby-throated hummingbird!

I adore these little guys – they really know how to brighten up a garden.

As fall arrives, most of these colorful birds head south for warmer weather, but a few brave ones decide to stay for the winter. They might be joined by some hummingbirds from the west or even a surprise visitor from Mexico or the Caribbean!

So, if you live in this area, it’s definitely worth keeping your hummingbird up all year long.

What’s also great is that your hummingbird feeder isn’t just for these tiny birds – all kinds of other sweet-toothed guests might show up too!

You could see orioles, warblers, and even the fun bananaquit dropping by for a snack.

Those cute nectar-feeding bats might also come for a late-night treat. Who knew your feeder could be the hotspot for wildlife in the neighborhood?

If You Leave It Up, Do This

You can attract hummingbirds all year long, but it takes a bit more effort to keep that feeder in good shape.

The sugar water mix can spoil pretty fast (especially in warmer weather), and no one wants a feeder full of sour nectar. Instead of hummingbirds, your feeder will be attracting ants and wasps (yuck).

To avoid this, make sure to regularly clean and refill your feeder. Keep it nice and fresh so that hummingbirds can come whenever they want during the year.

You’d be amazed at how many of those tiny visitors will come to your feeder when it’s well-maintained!

And no worries even if you took it down, your feeder will be marked on their map as a trusty food source, so hummingbirds will definitely pay your garden a visit once they come back.