Fortunately, there’s an easy and inexpensive hack to turn your feeder into a hummingbird magnet. If you don’t yet have a hummingbird feeder, you can get a good one for next to nothing at Dollar Tree or on Amazon. While you’re shopping, grab some bendable wire — the kind typically used for crafting. That’s all you’ll need to create a comfy place for the birds to sit while they sip.

Loop the Loop

To start, take a length of wire and form it into a circle about the size of a balled-up fist. Securely twist or tie the ends together.

Loop the wire circle over one of the fake flowers (aka feeding ports) on your hummingbird feeder. Then, loop it around once or twice more, similar to how you would wrap a hair tie around a ponytail. The end goal is to create a small wire bar for the hummingbirds to perch on while they drink from the flower, so don’t loop it so many times that there’s none left.

Shape It Up

Shape the wire that is now attached to the flower. This shouldn’t take much time or effort; you just want to make it slightly more square than circular. Try to think of it from a hummingbird’s point of view — they need a steady perch while they dip their heads down to drink. 

Repeat this around each flower on your hummingbird feeder, and you’re done. Now, take your feeder back outside (full of nectar, of course) and wait for the little birds to find out they’ve gotten a big upgrade.

Bonus Hack: How To Make Hummingbird Nectar

Hummingbird nectar is incredibly simple (and cheap) to make. All you need is:

• 1/4 cup refined white sugar

• 1 cup water

Bring the water to a boil and stir in the sugar until it is dissolved. Allow the nectar to cool completely before filling up your feeder.

Note: Don’t use red food coloring, which may harm the birds, or substitute honey, which can contribute to fungal growth.

Beating the Birds With Foil

You can keep birds away without resorting to harsh chemicals by using an inexpensive item you probably already have in your kitchen drawer: aluminum foil. Adding strips of foil to your trees or garden beds is a fast, easy way to keep birds from pillaging your plants.

Birds are usually drawn to fruits and seeds. To deter them, tear some foil into strips, then attach the strips to the trees and plants that see the most damage — the wind and sun will do the rest. You can tie foil strips onto trees with fishing line, or use clothespins to pinch them onto your plants and flowers. An even easier method is to mold the aluminum foil directly around the branches to keep it secure.

Tip: If you don’t want to waste a roll of aluminum foil, you can achieve similar results with reflective tape.

Why Does Foil Make Birds Fly On? 

Our feathered friends typically avoid investigating reflective things because, well, it scares them. The sudden glint of sunlight off the tinfoil startles birds because their senses tell them it’s a possible predator. Sometimes, territorial birds even mistake their own reflections for rival avians, causing them to flee, fast.

If you don’t wish to wrap your garden in foil this summer, look to other reflective items to keep birds at bay. Consider adding wind chimes fitted with reflective beads or baubles, or making a mobile out of old CDs or DVDs; these will bounce light and send birds packing.

Don’t Forget To Deter the Deer

If you live in a deer-prone area, use that leftover tinfoil to keep them from damaging your trees or shrubs. Simply wrap the roll around the trunks of trees and saplings for protection. This can help prevent deer from rubbing their antlers on young tree trunks or eating the bark when food is scarce; the animals dislike the tinfoil’s rough texture and reflective surface. Be sure to cover your trees about waist-high so the deer don’t just reach over it.

Birds are amazing pollinators and provide natural pest control, so we don’t want to get rid of them completely. However, with a roll of aluminum foil, you can stop them from destroying your favorite fruits and veggies. This hack is a great way to keep your garden safe, but you can also plant regionally adapted wildflowers for your avian neighbors to safely munch on instead — check your local seed library for options.