That is a great idea! I have a sprinkler system for my lawn that I set to go off at 2:00 in the morning so I don't normally run a sprinkler during the day time. However, on rare occasions I've turned the dial on my waterhose gun to a gentle shower and hung it from a tree for the birds to play in when I am home early. I've gotten a few photos of a hummie bathing before...but have been working until 8pm the past couple of weeks so haven't had the chance to give the birds a treat again. Gotta put that on my list of things to do again...real soon! ~ Cat Here are some of my hummie bathing photos. Sorry, they are a tad blurry...they were taken before I figured out what all those buttons on my camera were for :o) DISCLAIMER: I do not agree with nor endorse the use of "Sponsored Links" possibly embedded in my posts by the owner of this or any other website. You can blame the village idiots for that.

I saved your two photos to my PC so I could examine them at full size. That definitely looks like torpor to me, I once hand-fed a Hummer in that state (from exhaustion when it got stuck in my garage). Up close, you can see the Hummer is barely hanging on with the one claw. They fight so hard with each other, it might have just been worn out from combat. I'm glad you stirred it, hopefully it moved to a safer perch. Donna, VA

I don't know that there is a 'best' feeder. I've always used a smallish glass and plastic model made by Perky Pet. It hold about 8 ounces, I think, and has 4 feeding stations (shaped like flowers). All of the pieces come apart easily for convenient cleaning and soaking. I choose the model with the little perches at each port. I prefer the smaller glass feeders because I think that the glass is easier to keep clean and the smaller size insures that the sugar water gets changed often. These feeders are very long lasting and inexpensive. You've probably seen them at Wal-Mart or other similar location. Another purchase you might want to think about is an ant guard. Ants are an on going issue with me. Perhaps some others have some suggestions about that. Make your own sugar water by bringing one part sugar to four parts water to a boil, then cooling.

How Many Feeders and Where Should I Put Them? Put out as many feeders as you are willing and, most importantly, are able to maintain. (It is even better if you also garden for hummingbirds.) Having more feeders/plants may help lessen the competition amongst hummingbirds, especially if the feeders are hung out of sight from one another (and the gardens are well-spaced). You may want to check this by thinking like a hummingbird... You may not be able to see both feeders from inside your house, but a highly territorial hummingbird will find the perch outside that overlooks both! Experiment with feeder locations; once a hummingbird has discovered that a feeder is a reliable source of food, it will remember exactly where that feeder is. Go ahead and hang a feeder right up close to your house or even on a window. (Just be aware of the potential for window collisions on unprotected, reflective glass and with screened porches and other large screened-in structures.) Hummingbirds are rather fearless, and don't mind being observed close at hand if you don't make any sudden moves. Note: The sugar solution in feeders in full sun may spoil more rapidly than that which is in shaded feeders. Feeder and Feeding Facts ALG and GARDEN WEB. Please reference these sources if you use the above information as presented here in any form or media other than for personal, individual use.