Christmas lights can be excellent makeshift heaters for hummingbird feeders in the winter.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Tara Elliott

Hummingbirds can live year-round in the Okanagan but only near committed bird-loving homeowners – and currently they're battling the elements to keep their feeders from freezing amid the year-end cold spell.

In order to survive the winters of southern British Columbia, the little hovering creatures need a steady supply of nectar and a place to nest in the evening. They can withstand the frigid temperatures but rely upon a steady caloric intake from hummingbird feeders.

It’s important for those with a hummingbird feeder to replenish it frequently if birds are relying upon it in the winter. 

And with temperatures in the South Okanagan reaching into the minus 20s this week, nectar left outdoors is susceptible to freezing, so local feeders have required extra care.

“It’s not the right climate for them,” said Carol Boan, who’s been a member of the Oliver-Osoyoos Naturalists Club since the early 1990s.

Although hummingbirds aren’t normally found in South Okanagan during the winter, Boan said if the feeders are kept warm enough to keep the nectar in its liquid form, it is possible to help the creatures survive in colder climates. 

READ MORE: Three main types of hummingbird may be spotted at your feeder, says Okanagan birdwatcher

Tara Elliott, a hummingbird enthusiast from Port Coquitlam, has three birds living at her place this winter. She needs multiple feeders as each bird is territorial over their source of food.

After trying numerous techniques to keep her nectar from freezing, Elliott has a new favourite trick – wrap the feeder with Christmas lights.

“I made coils out of them,” she said. “Not LED lights but the old-fashion Christmas lights.”

Elliott uses twist ties to keep the Christmas lights attached to her feeders and leaves them plugged in around the clock.

“The (feeders) with the Christmas light I haven’t had to touch at all,” she said. “It keeps them at the perfect temperature.”

She also uses clamp lamps to warm another feeder but sometimes notices ice begin to form in the nectar.

“And they don’t like cold water," Elliott said. "It gives them a brain freeze, just like when we eat ice cream.”

The warmth from a clamp lamp keeps nectar from freezing in this hummingbird feeder, although the owner says Christmas lights work better.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Tara Elliott

She has also keeps one feeder warm by leaving it on top of a heating blanket on her porch. 

A heating blanket is left underneath a bird feeder to prevent the nectar from freezing.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Tara Elliott

In places where electricity isn’t available, Elliott has also kept feeders warm in the winter with the heat from a candle. She cut off the top of a pop can and poked holes in the side, suspended it beneath the feeder, and let a candle burn.

She pointed out that hummingbird feeder heaters are available through Amazon, however the only one specific to hummingbirds costs $70 and has a slow delivery time.

The feeder heaters appear to be slightly cheaper at Walmart’s online store, however they are out of stock, and appear to be sold out on many other online retail websites as well.

READ MORE: Kelowna professor’s research on hummingbirds hits National Geographic

Whichever method a homeowner chooses to keep their feeders warm, Elliott said it’s crucial they commit to maintaining the them throughout the winter.

In the summertime the birds can feed off of flowers and other natural treats. But if the feeder remains active past September, the hummingbirds may choose to stay in the area through the winter and the feeder will be their only source of sustenance. If a feeder is neglected partway through the season, any birds that depends on it will likely be doomed.

“It isn’t just to look at and watch a bird land on, it’s a commitment,” she said, adding that she has three hummingbirds who are spending the winter at her place.

Six years after Elliott began maintaining feeders around her home six  year ago.

“I feel like I’m helping them this winter like I’ve never helped before,” she said. “When you see them, they just make you feel good.”

Dr. Andrea Wallace, manager of wild animal welfare at the B.C. SPCA, also wants homeowners to only feed hummingbirds year-round if they are prepared to follow through.

“If a hummingbird were to become reliant on the feeder and then the homeowner for whatever reason stops taking care of it, it could spell trouble,” she said. “If people can’t commit to keeping a feeder up all winter then we recommend taking it down in September.”

The only species that can live in B.C. during the colder months are Anna’s hummingbirds, which Dr. Wallace said are usually found in the southern parts of the province.

READ MORE: Okanagan Christmas bird counts reveals surprises including hummingbirds

The nectar they consume is simply sugar and water. When there is a higher concentration of sugar, the liquid will not freeze as easily. But although it may prevent freezing it is not healthy for the birds that drink it.

“Assuming everybody who’s got a feeder up is committed to doing it all winter, we suggest always keeping nectar at one-to-four ratio of sugar to water. Never increase sugar content thinking it might help with freezing," Wallace said.

It’s also important to change the nectar every two to three days to prevent harmful bacteria from forming, she said.

The SPCA has a page dedicated to hummingbird care that can be found here.

Christmas lights can be used to warm a hummingbird feeder in the winter.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Tara Elliott

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