Are Bears More Likely to Visit Feeders With Hummingbirds?
Bears are drawn to hummingbird feeders because the feeders provide a supply of food that is both sugary and heavy in calories. Bears will make an effort to come into your yard in order to consume the food that is being provided by hummingbird feeders that have been loaded with nectar or bird food and that have been put there.
Whenever you live in an area where black bears are common and you put hummingbird feeders in your yard, there is a very good probability that black bears may start coming closer to your house.
The explanations for why it happens and the steps you need to do to stop it are listed below.
What is it about hummingbird feeders that make bears want to hang around them?
Nectar, which is often found in hummingbird feeders and is both sweet and heavy in calories, describes the liquid that the birds eat.
It’s possible for a full regular-sized hummingbird feeder to contain close to 800 calories worth of food in it.
Because of this, bears who are wanting to pack on the pounds either before or after hibernation find it to be an enticing food source.
In addition, it’s well knowledge that bears are suckers of sweets. The sugars fructose, sucrose, and glucose may all be found in nectar, which is an extremely concentrated form of sweet substance.
Bears will be able to easily detect the scent of a sweet item if it is kept in a container and placed in a yard that is exposed to the elements.
Hummingbirds may be attracted to a yard by a variety of blooms, including but not limited to the following:
- Foxgloves
- Hollyhocks
- Petunias Impatiens
- Cleomes
- Perennials
- Lupines
- Bee balms
- Columbines
- Daylilies
- You might also install a birdbath in addition to some trees and bushes in the yard.
Do Bears Have an Exceptionally Keen Sense of Smell?
Bears are well-known for their exceptional sense of smell, which is 2,100 times more developed than that of humans.
Bears have a sense of smell that is seven times more acute than that of bloodhounds, making it impossible for a bloodhound to compete with a bear in this department.
A bear can quickly pick up the smell of a dead animal that is twenty feet away, even if they are separated by a large distance.
The same thing takes place when nectar or bird feed is allowed to be exposed to the open air for an extended period of time.
The most important thing to remember is that bears will not only be able to detect and follow the trail, but breezes and winds will also be able to assist those grizzlies in finding the food source more quickly.
If I bring my hummingbird feeder inside for the night, would it be safe?
Bears are noted for their ability to locate food and forage for it throughout the daytime, despite the fact that they are more active hunters at night.
No matter what time of day it is, if you have a hummingbird feeder with plenty of nectar in it, the little birds will fly all the way over from where they normally live to visit you.
As soon as winter is over, bears will see a significant increase in their appetite. Any potential source of nourishment might be considered fair game. Even if there are just traces of nectar left in the hummingbird feeder, bears will still be attracted to it.
It is also not a safe practice to abandon a feeder in a moving car or a garbage can in the immediate area.
If you want to keep bears from getting into your bird feeder, you should keep it in a container that is resistant to bears and keep it either in your garage or inside your house.
What Happens If I Raise the Hanging Height of the Hummingbird Feeder?
If you hang your hummingbird feeder higher up in a tree or on a pole that is taller, it will be more difficult for bears to get to the nectar within the feeder.
Despite this, they won’t stop trying even though they know it won’t work.
In point of fact, bears will very certainly ultimately make it up there or figure out a method to bring the feeder crashing down.
If some of the nectar has made its way down to the ground or has run down the pole or the tree bark, this will continue to attract bears.
Remember that once you take down a hummingbird feeder, you’ll want to pick up any debris that may have fallen on the ground.
When Can I Hang Bird Feeders?
Because bear encounters with bird feeders account for more than 80 percent of all bear issues near residences, it is recommended that people only leave them out while bears are in their dormant season.
A bird feeder made of red glass specifically for hummingbirds
a bird feeder made of glass specifically for hummingbirds
This occurs between the months of December and March the vast majority of the time. Nevertheless, the possibility exists that the season may be cut short due to exceptionally mild winters.
In a similar vein, whether that is abnormally cold throughout the autumn or spring might cause bears to extend their hibernation periods.
However, if you live in a region that is prone to bear attacks, it is preferable to adhere to the traditional winter schedule and remove feeders as soon as possible if you become aware of any issues.
What Should We Do About Yards That Are Fenced In?
Bears will have a more difficult time getting into your yard if it is surrounded by a fence that is at least 6 feet tall.
There is a possibility that a fence may dissuade some bears, but there is also the possibility that other bears will try to discover a method to climb over the barrier.
This is particularly important to keep in mind if you want to place a hummingbird feeder on a tree that is located outside the boundary of your property.
Trees that have branches that extend higher than the fence or limbs that cross the boundary of the fence are more susceptible to damage.
The main issue, however, lies in the bear’s acute sense of smell as well as its insatiable need to consume food.
It is not unheard of for bears to enter automobiles that still have fast food bags inside of them.
For instance, if bears are prepared to crash through windows in order to follow the smell of French fries or taco grease, then they won’t hesitate to break through a fence if they come across one. There’s also the possibility that an ingenious bear may figure out how to circumvent the barrier by climbing over it.
How Can I Feed Hummingbirds Without Drawing Bears to My Backyard?
If you want to attract hummingbirds without using feeders, you may still do it by growing flowers that are attractive to them. This will also aid the birds out.
Hummingbirds have a strong preference for brightly colored flowers, particularly red ones that produce nectar that the birds may feed on.
Foxgloves are a favorite of hummingbirds, but bears won’t be interested in the blooms in any way.
The majority of the time, birds will choose to build their nests in bushes and shrubs. Therefore, if you would rather not have new home guests in your yard, make sure to keep shrubs and bushes off the menu while planning your landscaping project.
Remark
Inviting birds into your yard can be accomplished in a number of ways. Hummingbird feeders are one of those ways.
These bird feeders, on the other hand, have a well-deserved reputation for drawing in bears.
Even if bears are more interested in getting to the honey than they are in getting into a fight with you, it is still hazardous to have bears near your house.
Bears have the potential to become hostile if they feel threatened or frightened, either of which might trigger this behavior. Additionally, if a bear discovers that there is a supply of food nearby, it will return repeatedly to that location.
If you happen to live in bear territory, rather of trying to entice bears to your yard with food, you should attempt to lure hummingbirds there with flowers.
