# Is there any way to keep the bigger birds off hummingbird feeders? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 21, 2013, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-keep-the-bigger-birds-off-hummingbird-feeders/669358 "2013-09-21T01:04:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2013, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-keep-the-bigger-birds-off-hummingbird-feeders/669358/1 "2013-09-21T01:04:22Z")
Their weight tips it, the sugar water runs out, and I get ants. Lots of ants. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2013, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-keep-the-bigger-birds-off-hummingbird-feeders/669358/2 "2013-09-21T01:56:48Z")
Put it in a box with holes about 1" in diameter. Make it large enough that they can fly from the hole to the feeder. Maybe stick small brads under the holes to serve as perches. Or get a feeder without perches - hummers can eat while hovering. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2013, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-keep-the-bigger-birds-off-hummingbird-feeders/669358/3 "2013-09-21T05:10:45Z")
Put out a sunflower feeder about 3 feet away. Is there water all the birds can get to? How hot is it? We have never had regular birds raid the hummer feeders. What kind are doing that? ---
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2013, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-keep-the-bigger-birds-off-hummingbird-feeders/669358/4 "2013-09-21T05:22:58Z")
Hot. Arizona. I don’t know what kinds of birds they are, but they weigh more than a hummer, and they tip the feeder. I have no idea how the hell they’re even getting water from it. And as far as feeding the other birds, I’d really rather not attract them, tho’ it seems I am. And they keep the hummers away. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2013, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-keep-the-bigger-birds-off-hummingbird-feeders/669358/5 "2013-09-21T14:01:31Z")
Huh. We’ve never had bigger birds at our humming bird feeders. Ants and wasps at times, but not other birds. However, we also have two regular bird feeders that the bigger birds can get to. I wasn’t aware that there even were other birds that would go after sugar water…are you **sure** they’re not a bigger species of humming bird? Not all of them are teeny tiny. According to [this site](http://www.sabo.org/photoalb/hbsofaz.htm), you’ve got some over 5"! ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2013, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-keep-the-bigger-birds-off-hummingbird-feeders/669358/6 "2013-09-21T20:50:42Z")
Midwest hummingbird feeders here. I’ve had the occasional Hairy Woodpecker at my feeder, but not on a regular basis. Never had any other issues with unusual visitors. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2013, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-keep-the-bigger-birds-off-hummingbird-feeders/669358/7 "2013-09-21T23:50:06Z")
> [@DummyGladHands](#): > > Hot. Arizona. I don’t know what kinds of birds they are, but they weigh more than a hummer, and they tip the feeder. I have no idea how the hell they’re even getting water from it. And as far as feeding the other birds, I’d really rather not attract them, tho’ it seems I am. And they keep the hummers away. DGH I’m in Phoenix and we get house finches on the feeders occasionally. Like you I don’t know why; I suspect they smell water but can’t access it. I have seen hummingbirds make runs at such finches on the feeders to get them to move on. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2017, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-keep-the-bigger-birds-off-hummingbird-feeders/669358/9 "2017-11-19T14:58:05Z")
Like **campp,** I sometimes get house finches at my hummingbird feeders (I live in the Albuquerque area). When I moved into this apartment two years ago I put out a regular bird feeder, then switched to a hummingbird feeder after a month or two. The finches kept coming, looking for seeds. They started doing what **DummyGladHands** described, tipping the hummingbird feeder and spilling nectar. They don’t do that too much any more but they do try to get water out of [the ant guards](https://d2ul0w83gls0j4.cloudfront.net/products/88/600/880880.jpg) on my hummingbird feeders. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2017, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-keep-the-bigger-birds-off-hummingbird-feeders/669358/10 "2017-11-19T15:22:46Z")
Didn’t realize this was a zombie thread when I posted. Do zombie hummingbirds eat brain nectar?