Hummingbird Feeder Parts

It is important to know all of the parts and pieces of a hummingbird feeder and the purpose of those parts and pieces. This is important to not only make the best decision on what type of feeder is best for you, but to also insure the feeder actually works.

All feeders have the same basic components in different shapes and sizes. These components include the tank, the base, the flowers, the perches and the mounting bracket.

The Tank:

The tank is the portion of hummingbird feeders that holds the nectar. It is relatively unimportant what the tank looks like as far as a hummingbird is concerned. They are more interested in the flower. There are plastic tanks and there are glass tanks. While plastic weighs less, they have a tendency to turn yellow over time. Glass tanks are a lot easier to clean and tend to look nice for a longer period of time. However, they are much heavier than plastic. It is important to choose a hummingbird feeder with a tank that is large enough to hold enough hummingbird food or nectar for three (3) days if at all possible. If the tank is too small, the nectar will have to be refilled more often and is probably more difficult to clean. If a tank is too large, some of the nectar will be wasted when you clean the hummingbird feeder. If you don’t clean the feeder, mold will grow inside the hummingbird food, which is not healthy for the hummingbirds.

The Base:

The base is where the tank attaches to the hummingbird feeder. It is relatively unimportant what it looks like as far as the hummingbird is concerned. However, it is extremely important to the person putting the feeder back together. Some bases are very small with only a few flowers or they can be larger and hold many flowers.

The Flower:

The flower is important because it attracts the hummingbirds. This is where the hummingbird gets the nectar out of the hummingbird feeders. A flower helps the hummingbird know where to aim his or her beak when getting the nectar. The flowers are usually red, yellow, or a combination of these colors. We here at the World of Hummingbirds .com have tried out several different kinds of flowers. The flower on our hummingbird feeders that gets the most attention are the big red cup-like flowers. The hummingbirds seem to like to put their head all the way in the flower and hide their face while drinking. The big flowers seem to give them a sense of security not being able to see the other hummingbirds.

The Perch:

The perch is an optional feature. There are two thoughts on hummingbird feeders with and without perches. When hummingbirds go to sleep at night, they go into a semi-coma state called torpor so as conserve energy. By morning, they really need to get some calories to replenish their energy level. Some feel that in the cold weather a cold hummingbird drinking cold nectar makes them more susceptible to hypothermia unless they can warm up by flying while drinking. We have not seen this happen. Some photographers think that a perch on hummingbird feeders interferes with the taking of pictures of hummingbirds. We feel that since hummingbirds are constantly pushing the energy envelope, it is nice to have a break, sit down, and get something to eat. We have perches on all of our hummingbird feeders and never noticed any issue with hypothermia or illness.

The Mounting Bracket:

The mounting bracket is used for hanging the hummingbird feeder. Most hummingbird feeders will hang from a loop in the top of the feeder. However some will stick to a window with the use of suction cups and others are meant to be mounted on a pole stuck into the ground. Your location and how you need to mount your feeder may determine the type of hummingbird feeder you get.

If you would like to purchase hummingbird feeder parts or a hummingbird feeder, please visit our Hummingbird Feeder Parts Shop and our Hummingbird Feeder Shop to see a wide variety of hummingbird feeders and parts. Some feeders are very simple and inexpensive while some are extremely fancy and decorative. Check them out by clicking on the links below.

Note: We don’t actually sell anything on this site. We just link to those that do. If you find a link that is invalid, please contact us and let us know.