The 8 Best Hummingbird Feeders
Updated by · How we research
Eight hummingbird feeders compared on cleaning, leaks, ant moats and capacity. The Aspects HummZinger HighView leads for its lift-off lid and built-in moat. When users buy our independently chosen editorial selections, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
Clean nectar matters more than a feeder's looks. In hot weather, Audubon advises washing a hummingbird feeder every day or two, so the best designs come apart fast and leave no corners for mold. This list covers hanging saucers, glass and plastic bottles, and a window model, for anyone starting out or replacing a feeder that drips or draws ants.
Editor's Notes
November 1, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Admin:
A flat saucer now leads this list. The Aspects HummZinger HighView has a lid that lifts off, a moat for ants and nothing narrow to scrub, and cleaning is the chore that decides whether a feeder helps birds or harms them. We weighed Audubon's cleaning and nectar advice, Bird Watching magazine's notes on saucers versus bottles, a six-week yard trial by Bob Vila's reviewers, and owner reports of drips, cracked parts and ant trouble.
The More Birds Vintage and the Birds Choice Best stay, and the old HummZinger is now sold as the HighView. The First Nature 3055 gives way to the same maker's current 32-ounce flower model. The Perky-Pet Green went because of repeated leak complaints on the brand's glass feeders, and the Couronne Company Mosaic because it holds so little. We couldn't find the Grateful Gnome Bubblegum Swirl, Droll Yankees WH-3 or Aroma Trees 2 for sale, and the Nature's Way GHF7 is more garden light than feeder. New picks add a glass bottle with a moat, a big-yard feeder, a window mount and a pair for spreading out territorial birds. Heated and camera feeders are left out.
March 23, 2021:
It was a quick round of updates for us, with every one of our existing choices continuing to be great picks for the category, leaving us with no need to make any major changes. From the tiny, handheld Aroma Trees 2, which might be great fun for kids, to the Nature's Way GHF7, which might make an interesting addition to your landscape lighting, we felt that the last editor for this page did a nice job of putting together an interesting mix of options, and so we saw no need to go meddling with it, at least until our next round of updates.
If your love for the avian kingdom goes beyond hummingbirds, then you may also be interested in checking out our lists of see-through bird feeders. Or, if your feathered friends are frequently terrorized by ruthless rodents, then our rankings for squirrel-proof bird feeders might be a better match. (If you’re sympathetic to said rodents, don’t worry, we also keep track of the best squirrel feeders.)
January 14, 2020:
These hummingbird feeders are a great way to attract elusive little feathered friends to your yard, and while most come in the birds’ favorite color of red, others also feature an array of bright colors that will also make for attractive yard decor. Speaking of vibrant designs, the newly added Nature's Way GHF7 not only features eye-catching colors, but it also illuminates brightly after dark, thanks to its built-in solar panel. It comes with a hanging ring and a chain, both of which are made from rust-resistant, powder-coated metal.
For another elegant design made of glass, check out the More Birds Vintage, which sports an antique-inspired glass bottle and a base with a burnt penny finish. It can hold up to 20 ounces of nectar and since it’s clear, you’ll know with a quick glance whether it needs refilling. If it’s a sturdy, plastic design you’re after, look to the Aspects HummZinger, which is equipped with an all-around, high perch that’s both comfortable for the birds and helps you to get an unobstructed view of them as they enjoy their meals. Its raised flower-shaped ports prevent rain from getting in, and its middle moat takes care of ant intruders as well.
For the safety of the birds using your feeder, be sure to clean it regularly and replace the nectar as needed, since cloudy nectar or floating insects can be toxic to hummingbirds. As tempted as you may be to add red dye to your nectar, refrain from doing so as the artificial ingredients could also be harmful to birds. Rather, seek out a feeder that has red components built-in.
If you’re looking for additional bird accessories, check out our lists of the best see-through bird feeders and the best heated bird baths.
Special Honors
Duncraft Duncraft has sold bird feeders by mail and online since 1952, and its hummingbird section mixes its own exclusive designs with brands such as Aspects, including Aspects feeders made in the U.S. It also carries nectar and hummingbird accessories, which is handy when you want a moat or a spare part that big stores don't stock. duncraft.com
Saucer Or Bottle: Start With Cleaning
Hummingbird nectar is sugar water, and in warm weather it ferments and grows mold quickly.
Hummingbird nectar is sugar water, and in warm weather it ferments and grows mold quickly. Audubon advises cleaning a feeder every day or two in hot weather, about every three days in mild weather, and twice a week when it's cool. Clean it at once if the nectar turns cloudy or you see mold. Hot water with a little white vinegar or hydrogen peroxide works, and a bottle brush and a small port brush reach the corners. Rinse well, since soap residue can linger.
That schedule is why the shape matters. A saucer feeder is a shallow bowl with a lid, so it opens fully and has no bottle neck to scrub. Bird Watching magazine calls cleanliness arguably the most important feature, and notes that saucers resist leaks better than bottles. An inverted bottle holds more and shows the nectar level, but it relies on a seal, and nectar can drip when it warms and expands in the sun. If you choose a bottle, look for a wide mouth and a base that comes apart.
Match the size to your birds. A big reservoir only helps if the birds empty it before it spoils, so in a quiet yard a small feeder, or a large one filled halfway, wastes less.
Mixing Nectar, And What To Leave Out
The standard recipe is one part plain white sugar to four parts water. Audubon recommends boiling the water, letting the mix cool, and keeping any extra in the refrigerator. That ratio is close to the sugar content of the flowers hummingbirds visit.
Leave out red dye, honey, brown sugar, molasses and artificial sweeteners. The red parts of a feeder are enough to draw birds, and dye adds nothing they need. Honey and unrefined sugars spoil faster and can grow harmful fungus. Store-bought nectar works, but plain sugar water is cheaper and just as good.
Hang the feeder in shade or part shade, where the nectar stays cooler and lasts longer, and near cover such as a shrub where birds can rest. Put it out about a week before hummingbirds usually arrive in your area. Feeders don't keep birds from migrating, so leaving one up into fall helps late travelers.
Ants, Bees And Drips
Most pest trouble starts with drips. Audubon's pest guide recommends an ant moat, a small cup of water above the feeder that ants can't cross. Some feeders build one in; others need one added. Keep it filled, since a moat dries out fast in summer heat. Skip petroleum jelly or oil on the hanger, because a bird that touches it can get its feathers stuck.
Bees and wasps come for nectar they can reach. Saucer feeders keep the nectar level well below the ports, out of reach of insect tongues, and bee guards help on some bottles. Yellow flower ports can draw bees, so red ports are the safer choice if bees are a problem. Moving the feeder a few feet often breaks a wasp's habit.
If one aggressive male chases every visitor away, hang a second feeder out of his sight line. Two small feeders spread around the yard often serve more birds than one large one.
How we researched this
We compared 22 hummingbird feeders, read makers' specifications and care notes for the 8 picks, studied owner feedback for patterns of leaks, cracked parts and ant problems, used Audubon's cleaning and nectar guidance and a yard trial by Bob Vila's reviewers, and checked every brand for recalls with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. We found no recalls for these brands.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I clean a hummingbird feeder?
In hot weather, every day or two. In mild weather, about every three days, and twice a week when it's cool. Clean it right away if the nectar is cloudy or moldy.
Should I put red dye in hummingbird nectar?
No. Use one part plain white sugar to four parts water. The red parts of the feeder attract the birds, and dye, honey and brown sugar add nothing they need.
Will a feeder keep hummingbirds from migrating?
No. Hummingbirds migrate based on daylight and instinct, not food. Leaving a clean feeder up into fall helps late migrants refuel.
Which hummingbird feeders don't drip?
Saucer feeders are the least prone to drips, because the nectar sits in a bowl below the ports. Bottle feeders can drip as nectar warms, so hang them in shade and check the seal.
Are any hummingbird feeders made in the USA?
Yes. The Aspects HummZinger HighView is made in the U.S., and the Birds Choice Best-1 bottle is labeled as made in Texas. Duncraft also sells a range of U.S.-made feeders.
Do I need a heated hummingbird feeder?
Only where nectar freezes while hummingbirds are still around, such as places that host wintering birds. Most yards don't need one.
