Hummingbird photography + feeders

[Turberticus]

The Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are making their way south through my region over the next few weeks and I want to focus on getting some decent images of them. Behind where I live there's a short service road through a small open area where I have already set up some perches for my photography. I'd like to add a hummingbird feeder to the mix, but don't want photos of the hummingbirds on the feeder. I would like for them to perch on something close by. Would it make sense to hang the feeder from my existing perches, hoping they'd use that perch to rest before/after feeding, or could I maybe zip tie some perches on to the feeder? Curious if others have tried a similar approach. Thanks!

 

[Jonathan]

I have a hummingbird feeder in my yard. From observing hummingbirds I’ve found they like to perch nearby before zipping over to the feeder. They tend to have a favorite perch they return to before/after feeding.

You might try hanging the feeder nearby your existing perches. I think that could be more effective than zip tying a perch to the feeder.

That being said, I don’t have many perched hummingbird photos from my yard. Their preferred perch is too high up in a tree for good photos.

Most of my hummingbird photos from the yard are of them hovering before coming in for a drink at the feeder. They fly in and hover close to it for a second before coming to the feeder. They will also sometimes fly back a bit and hover between drinks.

I try and capture them in flight during those moments since when they backup the feeder won’t be in the shot. Or if it is it’s only in the corner of the image and can be easily cropped out. Hopefully some of that was helpful!

 

[Chappy]

I have been shooting hummingbirds the last two days. This is an area around the house with large pecan trees and lots of flowers around the house that attract hummingbirds. The two feeders are hanging on hooks that push in th eground on the bottom and have a hook to put the feeders on. There are two different feeders about 20 feet apart. Above the feeders are branches and limbs from the pecan trees. The little guys go from the feeder and up to the limbs in th trees above. These are mostly black chinned hummingbirds with one male Rufous that rules the roost and tries to chase all the other hummingbirds away from the feeders. More of the chasing goes on from midday on. In the mornings the birds go around the place feeding on the flowers and the feeders. Here are a few of my photos.

The feeders will help keep the hummingbirds engaged in the area but observation will help you get the shots where they are going to the flowers.

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[DRwyoming]

The Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are making their way south through my region over the next few weeks and I want to focus on getting some decent images of them. Behind where I live there's a short service road through a small open area where I have already set up some perches for my photography. I'd like to add a hummingbird feeder to the mix, but don't want photos of the hummingbirds on the feeder. I would like for them to perch on something close by. Would it make sense to hang the feeder from my existing perches, hoping they'd use that perch to rest before/after feeding, or could I maybe zip tie some perches on to the feeder? Curious if others have tried a similar approach. Thanks!

I've had hummingbird feeders up for many years and as you say I don't really like photographing them on the feeders but prefer them flying or perched on natural perches. FWIW, at least around here they don't tend to perch right near the feeders though they often perch within sight of a feeder though that tends to be on a small tree twig or in a nearby bush and not so much on an obvious perch out in the open the way other birds might near feeders.

The easiest flight shots are near feeders and I usually frame the image with the feeder itself right outside the frame and wait for them to come in, feed and then back off and hover near the feeder. The same can happen near flowers and in that case I usually observe which flowers they frequent and then set up near those flowers waiting for them to come in and feed.

In terms of perched shots, I usually just observe where they naturally land and often there's some preferred perch or bush that they return to several times and then I set up and wait in the area.

Here's a few shots using those approaches:

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[dupcak]

I'm only in my second season of hummingbird photography here in Massachusetts so I'm definitely not an expert. I have some flower boxes set up on the railing of our deck along with a couple of feeders and a couple random perches. Both years have been different:

Year 1: Good mix of males and females, 98% of the time they were feeding from feeders
Year 2: Only females this year, 85% of the time feeding from flowers (rest of time from feeders)

Both years, they were very skittish in the first couple of weeks and would spook if I was outside anywhere near them. Over the period of about 4-5 weeks they grew to tolerate my family on the deck to the point of feeding within 2-3 feet of us. Both years it took two+ months for them to feel comfortable enough to sit on a perch attached to the railing (only when we were inside the house). Most of the time they would fly in from a distant tree (15-30 yards away), feed for a bit, then fly off to the same or different location. So if your specific location/situation is anything like mine, then they might not get comfortable enough to sit on a "local" perch if they are just migrating through.

A few recent photos just for good measure:

1) Female RTH at some salvia greggii:

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2) Female RTH at a cardinal flower:

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[ninog]

It is very nice to have hummingbirds visit the garden, and it is fun to try to take some pictures of them. A perch near the drinker can be a good strategy, they usually adopt it to perch... and from there they watch the territory since they are very territorial... also put your favorite flower near the drinking fountain, they usually go through it on the way or back... the only thing if it doesn't come right away depending on the flower it loses freshness right away... you have to change it.

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[Turberticus]

Thanks for the feedback all! As predicted, they came, but they did not perch anywhere near the feeder. I did have plenty of chances for some flight shots right before it landed on the feeder so I guess I'll have to focus on those. Despite sitting in my car (mobile blind) they were very apprehensive about this new feeder and would hover from maybe 5 feet away to inspect it before finally coming in for a drink. I'll see what I can come up with these next few weeks as they migrate through.

This is the only decent shot I got. Hopefully a male stops by.

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[raptor photo]

It is very nice to have hummingbirds visit the garden, and it is fun to try to take some pictures of them. A perch near the drinker can be a good strategy, they usually adopt it to perch... and from there they watch the territory since they are very territorial... also put your favorite flower near the drinking fountain, they usually go through it on the way or back... the only thing if it doesn't come right away depending on the flower it loses freshness right away... you have to change it.View attachment 67650View attachment 67651View attachment 67652

These are from your backyard!!! Incredible photos.

 

[Rassie]

Thanks for the feedback all! As predicted, they came, but they did not perch anywhere near the feeder. I did have plenty of chances for some flight shots right before it landed on the feeder so I guess I'll have to focus on those. Despite sitting in my car (mobile blind) they were very apprehensive about this new feeder and would hover from maybe 5 feet away to inspect it before finally coming in for a drink. I'll see what I can come up with these next few weeks as they migrate through.

This is the only decent shot I got. Hopefully a male stops by.

Great start, and who says one cannot get decent BIF images with the D7500 and 200-500mm lens?
Here's a male that I got with the same equipment in 2020.

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[ninog]

Thanks for the feedback all! As predicted, they came, but they did not perch anywhere near the feeder. I did have plenty of chances for some flight shots right before it landed on the feeder so I guess I'll have to focus on those. Despite sitting in my car (mobile blind) they were very apprehensive about this new feeder and would hover from maybe 5 feet away to inspect it before finally coming in for a drink. I'll see what I can come up with these next few weeks as they migrate through.

This is the only decent shot I got. Hopefully a male stops by.

View attachment 67684

I think you should be patient...it is not instantaneous that they adopt a perch...sometimes you have to wait...generally there is a specimen that adopts it and watches from there...and when someone else approaches the drinking fountain they usually make very funny chases. And in my experience it is not necessary to camouflage, as long as you do not make sudden movements... hummingbirds are generally sociable... Very good image... congratulations...

 

[Turberticus]

I think you should be patient...it is not instantaneous that they adopt a perch...sometimes you have to wait...generally there is a specimen that adopts it and watches from there...and when someone else approaches the drinking fountain they usually make very funny chases. And in my experience it is not necessary to camouflage, as long as you do not make sudden movements... hummingbirds are generally sociable... Very good image... congratulations...

Thanks for the tips! That's nowhere near my best photo of a hummer but it's at least something. I haven't photographed hummingbirds since '21 so it's been a while. I have a few weeks so I'll try to be patient

 

[Turberticus]

Well, good news. I set up my balcony perch next to the feeder and I had an immature male land on it before making his way over. Also got some decent hovering photos. I'll post them in the presentation forum.

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[Viathelens]

The Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are making their way south through my region over the next few weeks and I want to focus on getting some decent images of them. Behind where I live there's a short service road through a small open area where I have already set up some perches for my photography. I'd like to add a hummingbird feeder to the mix, but don't want photos of the hummingbirds on the feeder. I would like for them to perch on something close by. Would it make sense to hang the feeder from my existing perches, hoping they'd use that perch to rest before/after feeding, or could I maybe zip tie some perches on to the feeder? Curious if others have tried a similar approach. Thanks!

If you can set up the feeder and leave it there, filling it daily the birds will become used to it. I have two feeders in my yard and the birds almost fly to the feeder before I hang it back up, whipping around me until I get done. I can stand 10 feet away and take shots. I start shooting as soon as the birds swoop down and then catch them again when they back away and fly out. I remove any feeder that is still in the shot. I have about 15 hummers who eat daily at my feeders.

 

[MikeInMI]

I recently went on a photo trip to Costa Rica and got tons of humming birds. It was like shooting fish in a barrel due in large part to the work of our guide and the location we went to. They have humming bird feeders set up all the time so the birds are very used to coming there. Then, when we want to shoot, they take the feeder down, and instead put up a fixture with a fresh flower -- usually red (but not always). Then they also had a syringe with sugar water, and they'd periodically use the syringe to douse the flower with the sugar water. Made it a piece of cake. The first two of the below pics were done like this with an extensive five flash setup. The third pic below was shot in the wild with no flash or other setup.

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[joe43]

In my backyard here in Houston, TX, I use a shepherd hook pole and hang from it a feeder with a single port. When the ruby throated comes to it it usually backs away after a feed. That is when i try and get my photos.

I have tried the perch approach but without success. They like to perch higher up and away from the feeder.

My feeder height is determined so the background is rendered is as clean as possible. I am sitting in a chair so my shooting position is level with the feeder. My best shots are in early evening light around sunset when they seem to be more active and more tolerant of my presence.

The feeder I use looks like this:

https://hummingbirdpictures.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Single-Feeder-0360.jpg

One tip to keep the feeder parallel to your camera: Use a flexible wire to hang it so the feeder remains stable once you hang it from the hook. . I have found that S hooks are not stable enough.

I use my 500mm f5.6 pf lens for most of my shots.

 

[Milos]

The Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are making their way south through my region over the next few weeks and I want to focus on getting some decent images of them. Behind where I live there's a short service road through a small open area where I have already set up some perches for my photography. I'd like to add a hummingbird feeder to the mix, but don't want photos of the hummingbirds on the feeder. I would like for them to perch on something close by. Would it make sense to hang the feeder from my existing perches, hoping they'd use that perch to rest before/after feeding, or could I maybe zip tie some perches on to the feeder? Curious if others have tried a similar approach. Thanks!

Hammers are usually much more beautiful in flight. You have to have perfect light and good background to make them look good sitting down.

 

[Patty15]

This is our setup. The perch setup was made by my husband out of an old metal coathanger. Yes, they will perch close to the feeder, especially if they want to chase everyone else off! They also will fly to the trees showing in the background, but so many times I look out the window and someone's sitting on this perch above the feeder.

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