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There are a lot of hummingbird feeders out there, in a wide range of sizes, styles, and designs. I’ve tried a fair few myself, and many are good products – sturdy, attractive, and entirely suitable for feeding hungry hummers. Yet one feeder has stood out far and above the others for its extreme durability, innovative design, and overall beauty – the Hum Sweet Hum and its smaller companion, the Lil Sweety hummingbird feeder.

Dish Feeders That Mimic Real Flowers

These two hummingbird feeders from Love My Birds are deliberately designed to mimic the shape and function of real flowers. They are saucer-style feeders (which minimizes leaks and makes them much easier to fill), with pyramidal feeding ports that cover the entire top surface of the feeder. Unlike many other saucer or dish feeders that just have a few feeding ports along the edge, these feeders allow hummingbirds to feed from different angles and directions, allowing for a more natural approach and accommodating more birds. The edges still have integrated perches around the entire perimeter as well, permitting birds to easily rest as they feed.

The pyramidal shape of each feeding port acts as a built-in bee guard – no more small, flimsy plastic bits and bobs around feeding ports. Because of the height of each pyramid (roughly one-half inch), bees, wasps, and other insects cannot reach the nectar through the ports, but hummingbirds – with their long, flexible tongues – will have no difficulty.

Another ingenious feature of the unique pyramidal ports is their inherent faceting. A total of 180 facets on the Lil Sweety, and nearly 400 facets on the Hum Sweet Hum, sparkle and reflect light, attracting curious birds to their bright, dynamic colors. The feeders are available in several jewel tones, including the classic ruby red, as well as attractive shades of deeper wine merlot, pinkish fuschia, cobalt blue, and grape-tastic purple, each of which can be a fun addition to the garden or a hummingbird-friendly flowerbed.

Feeder Construction

One common complaint with hummingbird feeders is that they are often thinly constructed, and any plastic parts can easily warp or discolor through extended use. The Hum Sweet Hum and Lil Sweety, however, are molded from durable, thick-gauge, UV-resistant polycarbonate, giving them exceptional strength under extreme conditions. Durability testing has even run the feeders over with vehicles, dropped them from heights, and performed other dramatic experiments, and the feeders easily stand up to the abuse.

I particularly love how the two halves of the feeders come together. The clear base and colored top are both hexagonal, and slip together easily – no need to snap, pop, squeeze, wedge, or screw them on. Yet the edges of the feeders overlap well (more than a half-inch), so they will not accidentally separate even if swayed, tipped, or bumped.

Each of these feeders also has an integrated ant moat with a generous one-half to three-quarter cup capacity (no tiny moats here), so it can easily repel ants for several days without refilling. Birds may even sip from the broad moats, adding more versatility to this feeder!

These feeders are 100 percent designed, tooled, and manufactured in the United States, and come with a lifetime guarantee for quality and durability for both parts and workmanship. They won’t fade, crack, or warp, or else the feeder (or the affected parts) will be replaced for free.

Hanging the Feeders

Each Hum Sweet Hum and Lil Sweety feeder is equipped with a durable 13-inch plastic hanging hook that easily slips into the center of the feeder and locks in place when the feeder is lifted. The hook’s diameter is greater than one inch, allowing for easy hanging on any typical bird feeder pole hook, over gutters, or on suitable branches. The hooks are stiff to keep the feeder stable and secure, and have additional faceting for even more sparkles to attract curious birds.

Filling and Refilling

These feeders are easy enough to fill with any nectar solution you wish; just lift the lid and pour the nectar in. Because the lids slide easily over the feeder base, you don’t even have to take the feeder down to refill it or top up the nectar levels. The basic hummingbird nectar recipe of one part sugar to four parts water is even conveniently printed on the base of each feeder.

In fact, you don’t even need to measure nectar proportions. Each feeder comes with two plastic mesh grates that can be positioned in adjacent slots inside the base. Simply fill the small section between the grates with sugar, remove one grate, and fill the base with hot water to the top of the remaining grate. This provides optimum proportions for hummingbird-friendly nectar, and swishing or twirling the feeder around gently will dissolve the sugar for a fresh batch of nectar.

Cleaning the Feeders

With all their bits and bobs, cleaning hummingbird feeders and ensuring you’ve scrubbed every nook and cranny can be a chore. Not so with the Hum Sweet Hum and Lil Sweety! Because they are constructed of durable polycarbonate, these feeders are completely top-shelf dishwasher safe. They can also easily be washed by hand, whichever you prefer. Ideally, all hummingbird feeders should be cleaned each time the nectar is refilled, or at least 1-2 times per week to avoid harboring fungus, mold, or bacteria that may be dangerous to hummingbirds.

Be Your Own Birder’s Thoughts

I like these feeders – a LOT. I own several, as well as other products from Love My Birds, and I’d recommend every one. On putting my first one out (in an area where I’d previously had hummingbird feeders, but hadn’t had a feeder present in over 6 months), I had hummingbirds visiting within a day, eagerly checking out the bright color and fresh nectar. The feeders are durable, easy-to-use, and beautifully attractive. I’ve bought – and rebought – a number of nectar feeders over the years, needing to replace those that warp, fade, crack, or lose parts. I’ve never had to replace any of my Lil Sweety feeders or the larger Hum Sweet Hum, as they’re as attractive now as they were the first day I hung them out for the hummers.

Yes, they can be slightly more expensive than less durable feeders. Factor into the cost, however, replacement charges and the inconvenience of needing to repair or replace feeders, and these feeders are an even better bargain. You can buy a Lil Sweety on Amazon, or visit LoveMyBirds.info and click the “Where to Buy” tab to find the only hummingbird feeder you’ll ever need to buy again, as well as additional videos, and updates on new products.