Where you hang a hummingbird feeder affects how many birds visit, how fresh the nectar stays, and how safe the birds are. A few simple choices make a big difference.
Choose partial shade
Hang the feeder where it gets partial shade, especially during the hottest part of the day. Nectar in full sun spoils and ferments much faster, meaning more cleaning and a risk to the birds. A little morning sun with afternoon shade is ideal, and placing it near flowers helps hummingbirds find it.
Keep it safe from windows and cats
To prevent deadly window strikes, place feeders either within about 3 feet of a window (too close for a bird to build up speed) or more than 15 feet away — the in-between distance is the most dangerous. Hang it up high and away from bushes or fences where cats could ambush visiting birds.
Make it easy to reach and enjoy
Hang the feeder at a height you can comfortably reach, so cleaning and refilling stay quick. Put it somewhere you can watch, near cover the birds can perch in. If you use several feeders, space them out of sight of one another, because males can be territorial and will guard any feeder they can see.