Updated at: 18-06-2023 - By: Jane Brody

Keep in mind that hummingbirds can still be attracted and fed at a feeder that lacks a perch; this is more important than knowing which feeder they prefer.

Since hummingbirds in the natural feed entirely while hovering in midair, a feeder with perches is unnecessary. Hummingbirds benefit from perches, especially when the wind is blowing, however perches are optional. It’s beneficial to other birds if you leave the perch up, so do that.

Hummingbird Feeder Perches

If you are impressed by the hummers’ hovering technique, you can prevent them from landing on your feeders by not providing perches.

You would miss out on the amazing sight of hummers landing in your yard to feed if you didn’t provide them with perches.

Hummingbirds, like wild hummers, love to eat while in flight, and they can only do so successfully if there are no hard plastic perches nearby, which would just serve to annoy you if your hummingbird location was off.

Hummingbirds, of course, don’t need perches, and in some cases they might even do better without them.

By keeping the hummingbird feeders crowded, you can prevent hummers from monopolizing the port wells by making them wait their turn.

A perch isn’t necessary for the majority of bird feeders, but hummingbirds can’t perch on an angle as other birds can, so they’ll need one when it gets busy.

Hummingbirds use the perches on the feeder to their best potential; otherwise, so many of them would have a hard time getting enough food from such a little source.

Hummingbirds in less densely populated backyards won’t have to worry about this, but a perch can still be in the way if you’ve made a confined feeding area for them.

Only hummingbird feeders with perches will attract other bird species, as hummingbirds need a place to rest occasionally.

Most of the usual backyard birds can be attracted to a hummer feeder, and since they are not a pest or a threat, they are likely to remain a permanent fixture of the garden.

Use a hummingbird feeder without a perch so that only hummingbirds can feed from it; other species won’t be able to use it if they can’t land on the feeder to do so.

No perch requirement

Hummingbirds can be easily fed by suspending a feeder near the port wells without the need for a perch or perches.

Hummingbirds may still easily feed from any sort of feeder, including those without perches.

As it turns out, hummingbirds may find it simpler to eat at the port wells if there isn’t a feeder perch available, as perches can restrict hovering and poorly placed perches can limit flight pattern when feeding.

Certainly not a regular occurrence, yet the absence of a perch can have significant advantages.

A hummingbird feeder with or without a perch is equally appealing to the birds.

If you had two hummingbird feeders in your yard, one with perches and one without, it’s likely that the hummers would choose the easier-to-reach, less crowded one with the best nectar.

Perches can aid hummingbirds

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A hummingbird feeder with perches attached is more convenient for humans, but hummingbirds can still benefit from not having to worry about how they position themselves as they feed.

Hummingbird feeders are aided by the addition of perches in precisely these situations.

The hummingbirds can save up energy on the perch and only take off when they have plenty to spare.

Since hummingbirds expend a lot of energy, it is possible to observe them doing something extremely unusual: sitting on the feeder’s perch without taking advantage of the nectar it provides.

While a perch on a single bird feeder in the yard won’t bother feeding hummers, perches on multiple hummingbird feeders can be a nuisance.

When a hummingbird feeder’s perch is too close to another feeder, or when a standard bird feeder is placed too closely beside a hummingbird feeder, the birds may be unable to perch properly.

Hummingbirds can feed just as effectively from a feeder without a perch as they can from one with one, as they hover to do in the wild.

Needed more in windy conditions

Hummingbirds typically hover as they sip nectar from tubular flowers when foraging in the wild. This is because landing areas are not typically close to where these flowers bloom.

Hummingbirds will benefit from having a perch on their feeder, although they are not strictly dependent on one.

However, hummingbirds can benefit from a perch when the weather makes it impossible for them to feed via the narrow hole of a feeding well.

Because of its sensitivity to even the slightest breeze, a hummingbird feeder that is hung from the ceiling may be observed to sway or spin as the wind blows by it.

In this scenario, I recommend using straps to secure your hummingbird feeder, but perches might also be helpful.

Hummingbirds will have trouble catching their food in the air, so providing them with a perch to land on and use as a platform to feed from at the same time is a great idea. However, when the feeder isn’t quite stable enough for them, hummers will land.

You can switch back to a tabletop hummingbird feeder, or even a mounted one, because continuing to feed hummers in subpar conditions will eventually drive them away.

Instability, equals landing

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Although hummingbirds are amazing to see, their reluctance to approach a shaky feeder can dampen your enthusiasm.

As was previously said, hummingbirds are not likely to perch on a moving bird feeder.

Hummingbird feeders can be fixed by mounting them to a post or railing, securing them to a table or flat surface, or using rope to prevent them from spinning.

The fact that a hummingbird feeder is frequently observed in motion is not sufficient evidence that hummers will figure out how to solve this problem without human assistance.

If a hummingbird feeder is being moved around, the hummers will likely find another, more stable feeder in the area or go back to feeding in the wild.

A perch will be important if you want to keep feeding hummingbirds despite unforeseen circumstances.

The presence of wind can prevent birds from foraging, but if they have a safe place to land, like a perch beneath the port well, they will use it.

Perch can assist other species

Common bird species can use the same feeder as hummingbirds, but can only perch while eating.

Orioles, finches, woodpeckers, grackles, warblers, titmice, and a great many more are just some of the birds that will visit and dine at a hummingbird feeder. None of which are circling birds.

Do invest in a high-quality hummingbird feeder that comes with perches if you want to continue feeding hummers while also attracting the aforementioned species.

These birds won’t care if it has a few perches or a full enclosure.

If you don’t want to attract unwanted birds, a hummer feeder without perches is a good choice because it reduces the amount of space other species can use to perch.

Don’t ever alter your homemade nectar’s ratio of 1/4 sugar to tap water, as doing so could be harmful to the hummingbirds and other birds who drink it.

To summarize

Hummingbirds do not have a preference for a perch-equipped or perch-less feeder; they will happily consume whatever is in their line of sight.

Hummingbirds can benefit greatly from perches, which provide a place to perch while they feed and allow the birds to rest their wings and bodies.

Hummingbirds can land on a perch and ignore the port wells entirely, or they can settle on one feeder and guard another or the same feeder at the same time.

Use a feeder that has a perch, as hummingbirds aren’t picky about where they rest their beaks.

Hummingbirds will often perch while feeding, however this might become problematic if the wind is blowing too strongly.

Hummingbirds benefit from perches, but it’s important to keep in mind that other birds will also visit your feeder in search of nectar. These other birds won’t hover, so they’ll make use of the perch. Stop using a perch feeder if you want to keep some birds from visiting your feeder.

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