Customer Reviews

Schrodt Designs Model HBL-HPA Amethyst Hummingbird Paradise Feeder

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I own two of these feeders. They are absolutely wonderful and the hummingbirds love to feed from them. I have used other feeders, the more traditional kind. The problem is with the slighest wind they sway and the necture leaks out. With the Schrodt feeder the wind can blow but the nicture does not leak out.

Hummingbirds love this feeder and so do I. For several years these Schrodt feeders were difficult to find and if you found one, you had to pay premium. I am glad to see the feeders back with the same beautiful recycled French bottles. Schrodt feeder owners don't want any sacrifice to quality. We have 5 of this style in different colors. The Schrodt feeders are, to my mind, the most stylish of feeders; and the birds act as if they are at the yearly Crouch & Fitzgerald handbag clearance sale.

Some glass feeders regularly drip the sugar water food, which means open bar to ants. In 3 years, I have had no problem with dripping. But I am careful not to drip when hanging them and I clean any drops away from where they are hung. The brass, redwood and glass are long-lasting and stay looking good.

I have interchanged the feeders to see if the hummingbirds show a color preference; they seem to have preference to location but not color. --But I do. I love the pink, blue sapphire, amethyst, gold luster and ruby red. I like the way the sunlight glistens off the iridescent feeders as they turn slightly in the trees. My strong preference is for the solid colors, non-etched, not faceted, with the flat redwood top. To my eyes these are nicer, cost less than the etched and seem more durable than the faceted top.

The birds typically hover as they drink, but often will sit. The shape of the base is perfect because it both discourages larger birds and makes it difficult for these little fellers to mark the feeder, which, because hummingbirds are so obsessively and apoplectically territorial, they want to do. I keep the feeders in the shade and at least 5 feet apart. I'll admit that they are more decorous when grouped together, but then we had problem with the same bird defending multiple feeders causing nervous exhaustion; and we want to encourage many species. To suit me, I have different feeders viewable from different windows.

The redwood comes back to life with a new thin coat of boiled linseed oil and white vinegar solution. Just make sure it's completely dried for a week to avoid harming these indelicate birds.

If you do develop a problem with ants, the Schrodt feeders' pair nicely with the Ant Moat 3" x 6" h Color: Red by Parasol. The upside down parasol is filled with water so ants cannot pass. And the Hummers make derisive comments from below. Regrettably, Amazon does not carry the Parasol Ant Moat directly, so the color currently here is limited to red. The red goes well with the flower decoration on feeders which generally are red. My neighbor has the flat black that goes well with the worn copper base of our feeders.

Our 6th feeder is the Aspects 367 Hummzinger Ultra Hummingbird Feeder, 12-Ounce. It is easier to clean, fill and has its own anti-ant, anti-crawling insect moat in the design. However, the Schrodt colored glass feeder is just plain prettier. I clean all my feeders with a curved brush to remove and to prevent any mildew and bacteria buildup that can harm the birds. The New Droll Yankees Inc Hummerplus Brush Cleans Interior Curves Of Hummingbird Feeders works well; mine is still in good shape after some 3-4 years.

I hope you'll enjoy watching your birds as I do. Just be aware they become obnoxious if the feeders run dry. Use super-fine, bakers or caster sugar for ease of dissolving. Those stupid red dyes are not good for your fingers, let alone the hummers.

The feeder looks great (the purple color is so attractive in the sunlight)but it is very difficult to clean because the mouth of the feeder is so narrow. Also I had to add perches so that the hummers had somewhere to land. It is priced a little high but I am overall satisfied with the purchase.

Bought this for my mother. She loved it. It is pretty, however the box said it was supposed to be sold in sets of two. I ordered one and got one. Strange...

Hummingbirds love this feeder and so do I. For several years these Schrodt feeders were difficult to find and if you found one, you had to pay premium. I am glad to see the feeders back with the same beautiful recycled French bottles. Schrodt feeder owners don't want any sacrifice to quality. We have 5 of this style in different colors. The Schrodt feeders are, to my mind, the most stylish of feeders; and the birds act as if they are at the yearly Crouch & Fitzgerald handbag clearance sale.

Some glass feeders regularly drip the sugar water food, which means open bar to ants. In 3 years, I have had no problem with dripping. But I am careful not to drip when hanging them and I clean any drops away from where they are hung. The brass, redwood and glass are long-lasting and stay looking good.

I have interchanged the feeders to see if the hummingbirds show a color preference; they seem to have preference to location but not color. --But I do. I love the pink, blue sapphire, amethyst, gold luster and ruby red. I like the way the sunlight glistens off the iridescent feeders as they turn slightly in the trees. My strong preference is for the solid colors, non-etched, not faceted, with the flat redwood top. To my eyes these are nicer, cost less than the etched and seem more durable than the faceted top.

The birds typically hover as they drink, but often will sit. The shape of the base is perfect because it both discourages larger birds and makes it difficult for these little fellers to mark the feeder, which, because hummingbirds are so obsessively and apoplectically territorial, they want to do. I keep the feeders in the shade and at least 5 feet apart. I'll admit that they are more decorous when grouped together, but then we had problem with the same bird defending multiple feeders causing nervous exhaustion; and we want to encourage many species. To suit me, I have different feeders viewable from different windows.

The redwood comes back to life with a new thin coat of boiled linseed oil and white vinegar solution. Just make sure it's completely dried for a week to avoid harming these indelicate birds.

If you do develop a problem with ants, the Schrodt feeders' pair nicely with the Ant Moat 3" x 6" h Color: Red by Parasol. The upside down parasol is filled with water so ants cannot pass. And the Hummers make derisive comments from below. Regrettably, Amazon does not carry the Parasol Ant Moat directly, so the color currently here is limited to red. The red goes well with the flower decoration on feeders which generally are red. My neighbor has the flat black that goes well with the worn copper base of our feeders.

Our 6th feeder is the Aspects 367 Hummzinger Ultra Hummingbird Feeder, 12-Ounce. It is easier to clean, fill and has its own anti-ant, anti-crawling insect moat in the design. However, the Schrodt colored glass feeder is just plain prettier. I clean all my feeders with a curved brush to remove and to prevent any mildew and bacteria buildup that can harm the birds. The New Droll Yankees Inc Hummerplus Brush Cleans Interior Curves Of Hummingbird Feeders works well; mine is still in good shape after some 3-4 years.

I hope you'll enjoy watching your birds as I do. Just be aware they become obnoxious if the feeders run dry. Use super-fine, bakers or caster sugar for ease of dissolving. Those stupid red dyes are not good for your fingers, let alone the hummers.

If you are looking to replace a "real" Gary Schrodt floral decal feeder, do NOT buy this one. It will break your heart -- a cheap knock-off of the elegant product that once was and, alas, is no more. I still have my old one for comparison, so this is not just nostalgia talking. The decal lacks the metallic gold highlights and subtle coloration, but it is the wooden top and base that are really disgusting -- instead of artisan-quality woodworking, in redwood (mill ends!), this ugly thing is big and block-y with a hideous orange-red stain on some cheap, big-grained hunk of whatever. The metal base piece is smaller, and not the same lovely little shape as before. It's like replacing a Dolce & Gabbana blouse with something from Wal-Mart. Broke my heart.

Hummingbirds do like the design, however. So it gets one extra star.

No idea why the hummingbirds aren't coming anywhere near this thing. To me, it looks great, and it seems very sturdy and I basically love it...but who knows what hummingbirds are attracted to in a feeder?