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Home Made Feeder Stoppers - Dont understand- Please help

Posted by fkcfkc Orange County, CA (My Page) on
Mon, Oct 30, 06 at 12:47

I like making my hummingbird feeders as I can make ones that look really cool. I am currently using the stoppers with a clear plastic tube and red end on them.

I dont know if they work or not and would like help understanding the physics behind them.

When I turn my bittle upside down, the liquid doesnt really fill the tube. In fact there seems to be a lot of air in the tube. If I shake the bottle, liquid will squirt out, but then there still will be air in the tube.

If I "suck" on the end, I can get liquid, but I dont know if hummingbirds can suck as hard as I can.

I am worried that they cant get the liquid out.

I have read that the tube should protrude 1/4" through the stopper into the liquid, and other reports that it should be flush.

How do these things work???

Is there a better feeder attachment I can hook up to my bottles? if so where can I get it or how do I make it?

I used to have a cheap feeder. They kind you buy in the grocery store and tons of humming birds would come. Now I dont see that many and when they come they seem to only stay for a second or two which would suggest they are not getting the liquid?


Follow-Up Postings:

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RE: Home Made Feeder Stoppers - Dont understand- Please help

The hummers don't suck, they lick. As long as there is room to stick their tongues up the hole/tube and come in contact with the sugar water, they're fine.


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RE: Home Made Feeder Stoppers - Dont understand- Please help

if you look at all the stopper feeders you can buy online, they seem longer than what a hummingbird tongue could ever be. Should I shove it in the stopper to make it a lot shorter? It just seems like there is nothing but air in the stopper all the time. How do I get the liquid to stay at the end?


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