A hummingbird feeder can be hung wherever the birds can reach it, but you should also be able to reach it easily.
Feeders for hummingbirds should be hung or installed at a height of 4 to 6 feet. The ideal height for a bird feeder is between 4 and 6 feet, although any height above that is fine as long as you can easily reach the feeder. Having the hummingbird feeder hung at a height of 4 feet or less makes it easy for anyone to use it.
When deciding where to mount or hang your hummingbird feeder, it’s important to think about the surrounding area rather than trying to pinpoint an exact spot.
Due to their extreme sensitivity, hummingbirds require a setting free of any other birds.
Hummingbirds will love a perch that is too low or too high, as long as they can get to it without being disturbed at all hours of the day and night, so if you have a quiet site available, you should give it a try.
The truth is that it’s impossible to have a hummingbird feeder too high up. The reason is that the feeder is higher up, out of reach of curious hands and the reach of any pets or wild animals that could want to hurt the delicate hummingbirds.
Therefore, a height of at least 6 feet is required, and anything more is preferable.
The hummingbird feeder can go wrong if it is hung, placed, or mounted too low to the ground, where it can be accessed by pets, nuisance wildlife, and even children.
As such, the feeder shouldn’t be lower than 4 feet off the ground, however ideally it should be kept much higher.
Contents
Up to 4-6 feet off ground
For hummingbirds, the basic answer is 4 to 6 feet, the same as when hanging a bird feeder for other backyard species.
As the person in charge of hanging the feeder, you shouldn’t even consider hanging it lower than four feet.
A hummingbird feeder should be no more than six feet off the ground if you want to be able to reach it easily.
This suggested average height only roughly corresponds to the height of a person from their chest to the top of their head.
While it’s important to give serious thought to the suggested 6-foot-tall spot, you can rest confident that any height over this is still reasonable.
Bears and other large animals can be a nuisance, so hummingbird feeders can be as high as necessary to deter them.
Since the hummingbird feeder must be hung at least 4 feet off the ground, any further adjustments must be made to the feeder’s height.
Bird feeders should be hung at a reasonable height, but not so low that they are within reach of pets, children, or the local flora.
Feeder must be accessible
Hummingbird feeders should be hung at eye level or just above, giving the birds a clear view of the food.
The nectar water in a hummingbird feeder, or a series of feeders, must be replaced frequently to keep it fresh and healthy, and this is especially true when temperatures soar or drop.
It would be less of a hassle to replenish the sugar water in your hummingbird feeder when you can easily get to it from your backyard.
Hummingbird feeders require up to three weekly cleanings, hence the feeder itself must be easily accessible so that this may be done.
Even a few days of a hummingbird feeder sitting out in the open will attract bumblebees, so it’s up to you to keep the bees away by giving the feeder’s exterior a periodic cleaning.
Hummingbird feeders should be cleaned thoroughly every few days, but a daily wipe down with a damp, soapy cloth can remove any sugar or debris that has accumulated on the outside.
Your hummingbird feeder shouldn’t be too low or too high; ideally, it would be at shoulder height.
Higher up for protection
Hanging or putting a hummingbird feeder too low on a tabletop or too high on a flat surface is a design flaw in my opinion, so I would choose the latter.
Even while it may be inconvenient to clean a hummingbird feeder if it is placed too high up during the summer, the reward is well worth the effort.
Hummingbirds are prone to being shy, so providing them with a quiet space to eat will only help.
As they gain self-assurance, hummingbirds will move higher up the feeder, where they will be safer from potential threats like cats, dogs, and humans.
As an example, if they are feeling threatened when in a tree, the environment will have a voice in the matter. This means that all birds, not just hummingbirds, will be more at ease with the bracket mounted high up beneath a porch overhang or along the side of the house.
Cats are excellent climbers, so don’t assume that a higher hummingbird feeder means greater safety.
Due to their short migration period, hummingbirds aren’t likely to be given enough time to develop self-assurance, but they are likely to fly away if disturbed.
Unlikely to feed too low
Hummingbirds aren’t likely to use a feeder that hangs from the ceiling, is mounted on a window, or is simply set on a surface if they perceive that the area is risky.
Feeding hummingbirds from a lower point, using any kind of hummingbird feeder, would therefore allow you to get away with it, provided you can guarantee a safe and peaceful area.
The most common occurrence involves hummingbirds being spooked by humans, including you and your loved ones.
The same rule applies to people, whether they are just strolling by or are actually your neighbors hidden behind a wall or fence.
The danger of placing a hummingbird feeder too low is that it attracts hummingbirds too close to ground-level predators if the feeder is not constantly monitored.
Hummingbirds will not have time to feed if dogs are allowed out in the yard for bathroom breaks.
The hummingbird feeder is too low if it is in danger of colliding with a backyard fixture or the surrounding plants.
Conclusion
Place the hummingbird feeder at eye level rather than too low or too high.
Consequently, this only applies to hummingbird feeders that are hung from a bracket; feeders that are put in windows or maintained on tables still require supervision.
It is recommended to hang a hummingbird feeder between four and six feet off the ground.
The birds will feel more secure feeding higher up, therefore a recommendation of 6 feet is made solely because that is within reach of the person who must refill or clean the feeders twice or three times a week.
Hummingbird feeders should not be hung higher than 6 feet unless they are completely inaccessible.
Instead, the bigger problem is that the feeder is being hung too low for the birds’ comfort. True, four feet isn’t quite towering, but it’s plenty tall enough. A safe distance to hang a feeder is between five and six feet.
Hanging a hummingbird feeder from the ceiling requires careful planning to ensure that the food is never out of reach.
When it’s low, it’s easier to reach, but it also leaves the feeder vulnerable to predators.
