Attracting Hummer Tips

[Joe M]

I will share this tip since so many tend to feel their efforts have gone unrewarded, (the right plantings, the right feeders, etc.).
Many years ago I read an obscure article that mentioned surveyors tape a 'sure fire' hummingbird attractor. Didn't really think much of the idea until I observed hummingbirds poking around surveyors stakes with fluttering surveyors tape.
Inserted a plant stake in my yard and tied a long piece of tape to it and within an day I had a bird 'tasting' it. The stake was next to shrimp plants but the ruby-throat was very interested in the surveyors tape.
I have used the tape on all my feeders for the past 25 yrs and have been blessed with 5 different species of hummers in my yard in the past 15 years. I personally believe the tape has been a factor!
(Iridescent Orange), about $2.50 a roll, at any hardware store. Color will fade after a year or so, but even if you have to replace the tape, the roll should provide for about 20 yrs of replacement tape.
Try it!

Joe M.
Lakeland, FL

[virgo10]

That's really interesting. How tall is the stake you use and how long is the tape?

I've seen 2 RTH since we moved to Florida over 6 years ago. I'm only one town over from Lakeland (Auburndale) and Lakeland seems to be a hot bed of activity while we get next to nothing here. I'm willing to try anything to see if we can get more hummers to my neighborhood.

[Joe M]

'virgo', I just used the plant stake example since that was my first use of the tape, that was a 6" strip, (the stake was about 3' high) keep in mind that a bird flying around searching for a food source needs to be able to see it. I now add a 4-5" strip to all my feeders, usually tied above the feeder.
Joe M.
Lakeland

[Joe M]

Tape Example
Joe M
Lakeland

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