A bird bath is a surefire way to attract a wide variety of birds to your yard, including hummingbirds. "A mist, spray, or drip feature will be particularly attractive to hummers and allow you to watch them glitter as they hover in the spray," says NYC Bird Alliance birding guide and urban biodiversity specialist Tod Winston.

"Another good option for hummingbirds," he suggests, "is a sheet of water running over a flat rock, which creates the very shallow bird bath that these tiny birds need."

Many underestimate how often a hummingbird feeder requires cleaning. Dan DeBaun, founder of Bird Bites, recommends swapping out the nectar and cleaning your feeder every other day—or every day, if it’s particularly hot and humid. "If you don’t keep your hummingbird nectar fresh and the feeder clean, your feeder will get moldy, and this can harm the birds," he warns.

Maria Kincaid, ornithology research specialist, notes that while there is some debate as to the best way to clean your hummingbird feeders, she chooses to use a small amount of an eco-friendly dish soap in warm water, plus a bottle brush and straw brush used only for hummingbird feeders. "Make sure to use that straw brush to clean out your nectar ports well since they’re sneaky places for mold to hide," says Kincaid.

"If you’re using dish soap, make sure that you rinse the feeder thoroughly after cleaning to get rid of any soap residue," Kincaid adds. "I will also use a vinegar rinse—two parts water, one part white vinegar—to clean my feeders, rinsing well afterwards and letting them air dry."

You don’t need to spend extra money on fancy hummingbird nectar at the store—DeBaun says it’s easy to make your own at home. “All you need is plain white table sugar and water,” he says. ”Mix one part table sugar with four parts water until it’s clear. I usually prep one cup of sugar with four cups of water and store the nectar in my fridge for the week.” 

You don’t need to boil the water beforehand, and it's essential to avoid using any sugar other than white, such as honey or brown sugar. “Using honey can ferment quickly and cause fungal growth in your feeder, which is unsafe for the birds,” Kincaid warns.

Iron-rich raw or brown sugar can also be harmful to birds. "Remember, hummingbirds are very small and have a very high metabolism," says Kincaid, "so what might be safe for humans can be toxic in hummingbirds."

Hanging hummingbird feeders in full sun all day might seem like a good idea to keep them visible. But that constant exposure to heat causes the nectar to spoil much faster.

“Spoiled nectar ferments and grows harmful microbes,” explains Isabelle Manseau, founder of Birdzy Inc., which specializes in premium wild bird seed and high-quality feeders. “It smells off, tastes bad, and can make hummingbirds sick. It may also drive them away altogether.”

A tree branch, pergola, or even a garden umbrella is a more appropriate place to set your feeder. “If the nectar still gets warm quickly, try bringing the feeder inside during peak heat hours and putting it back out in the evening,” Manseau suggests.

While hummingbirds are typically attracted to sugar-water feeders, Winston says sometimes birds may have trouble locating them at first. “Even a simple planting of native, hummingbird-attracting flowers can catch a bird’s eye from a distance,” he says. “Native plants will also provide the tiny, protein-rich insects that hummingbirds eat and feed to their growing young during nesting season.”

Hummingbirds are also territorial over food sources, according to Kincaid, especially during the breeding season. “Allowing for multiple food sources, both natural and artificial, increases the number of hummingbirds you attract to your yard,” she explains.

Because hummingbirds are territorial, it's important to create space between multiple hummingbird feeders. “If people want to add a second hummingbird feeder to their home, I recommend putting one in the backyard and one in the front yard,” DeBaun says. “This should create enough distance to keep your local hummingbirds happy and coming back for nectar.”

You should also hang bird feeders (for all birds) either within 3 feet or farther than 30 feet from any structures with reflective surfaces. Research shows that this reduces the risk of bird-window collisions, which claim the lives of one billion birds annually in the United States.

While it’s true that hummingbirds are attracted to the color red, Kincaid says there are likely enough bright colors on the feeder itself to attract them to the food site, so avoid using additive-laden food or adding red dye.

“There’s anecdotal evidence from licensed wildlife rehabilitators that red dye in hummingbird food is actually harming the hummingbirds, and no scientific evidence that it’s safe," says Kincaid. "If you do choose to purchase pre-made nectar, make sure that it’s made with sucrose, limited preservatives, and no dye."

Ants in your hummingbird feeder are a real hassle. You may be tempted to reach for that can of ant spray, but says to resist. “Pesticides are harmful to hummingbirds,” she warns. “They’re toxic if ingested, and insects are an important part of the ecosystem as additional pollinators and food sources for hummingbirds and other birds you may want to have in your yard.” 

Some hummingbird feeders come with a built-in ant moat, and you can also purchase separate ant moats to hang above or below your feeder, depending on how it's mounted. “Simply fill them with water, and it becomes a natural barrier to ants—they can’t get through the water in the moat to get to the sugar-rich nectar,” Kincaid says.

If you absolutely must use a deterrent, try simple white vinegar, suggests Kincard. "It disrupts the chemical trails that ants use to communicate the path to food sources, and they’ll generally move on to something else."