breith95 said: I will say this in defense of the article- I do not put out hummingbird feeders. never have and never will. I do plant for them and that's where they go to eat. I think that hummingbird products are just there to make money and I won't buy into them. I keep my feeders clean and the area clean and make sure the bird bath is scrubbed. And they use that bath all winter long because it doesn't freeze.
I have heavily planted specifically for hummingbirds. However I also run hummingbird feeders. They supplement what is growing. They use the plant resources far more than the sugar water but do make use of it. I can hang hummingbird feeders in places I can't grow plants. This is important as my lot is less than a quarter acre and most of it is in buildings, sidewalk, etc. I see the feeders as making up for lost habitat for the structures. While there are some truly atrocious hummingbird feeders on the market that really appeal to consumers rather than hummingbirds, overall I don't see the difference in using those over a seed feeder. Just like with seed feeders, picking designs and materials are criteria one should use with successful feeding in mind. Further, I have combo feeders to appeal to butterflies as well as provide vinegar flies (some may call them fruit flies but true fruit flies are different) and such for hummingbirds.
I'm also a big believer in artificial cavity habitat (such as nest boxes) for birds and mammals that rely on them since that type of habitat is the first to go and the last created even in woodlots. Humans have massively affected habitat in a number of levels
