We live in Zone 7a (middle Tennessee). I've never heard of batface. Interesting name. I might look for a larger feeder, but I'm definitely going to find a shrub or two I hope they'll like better than sugar water.

The hummingbird population increased greatly at my place starting three weeks ago, but I have a lot of feeders and some of them are fairly large (32oz). The five, or so, hooded orioles also help to drain the sugar water during the summer, so I buy the 25 lb bags of sugar to keep up.

Feeders are an easy food option for the birds and bring them closer for our enjoyment, but are not necessary for the birds' survival. If you want to have fewer birds, there are several strategies you could try.

--You can weaken the sugar concentration to 5 parts water (or even lower): 1 part sugar instead of the typical 4:1 to encourage the birds to locate other nectar sources with higher sucrose levels.

--Or you might fill the feeders once per day, and when the nectar is gone, don't refill.

--Plant other nectar sources for the hummingbirds to give them additional options. Remember they also feed on insects.

--Encourage neighbors, or others in the community, to help by putting up their own feeders. Often it helps to weaken the solution at your location, and have the new feeders use a 5:1 ratio. Hummers are creatures of habit, and they will often continue to use an old feeding source over adopting a new location, unless there is a benefit for them to switch to the new location.

--Buy feeders the hummers don't like as much. Really! They do have preferences as to perches, hole alignments, angles and reach distances. I was gifted a feeder that the local hummingbirds hated; they had to be hungry and the flowers dry before thinking about poking their bill into The Last Resort. It was a visually beautiful feeder, but they did not like it.

Try swapping out the feeders for something you may enjoy a little better too. Get hanging baskets of Petunias. Then you can simply water those and maybe fertilize them now and then. I am nearby in Southside Virginia and they are visiting my feeder and the basket equally.

Thanks all for the great ideas and information. I really appreciate your replies.

Too many hummers is like saying I have too much money! lol

Salvia Guaranitica (Black and Blue, Blue Ensign, Amistad, Argentine Skies, Purple Majesty) will probably either overwinter or reseed in your area. I'm in south central PA and I have a 4x12 bed jam-packed with Argentine Skies and Black and Blue coming back every year. My only problem is I only get a a few hummingbirds. Most of those will favor the Salvia over the feeders. I also have Cuphea (which is zone 10+) but you can root cuttings or overwinter (watch for bugs if you bring them into your house!) them indoors. Proven winners sells Cuphea 'Vermillionaire' if you're not into propagating.

I used to have a similar problem. I was hanging a 50oz and 30oz feeder plus another 8 smaller feeders and having to refill often. But as I kept adding the right hummingbird plants now there is more action at the flowers and not so much at the feeder. Now I put out 5-6 smaller feeders and only change them twice a week.