Description
New Design. Looking to attract tuis, bellbirds and waxeyes to your garden?
Yes, feed native NZ birds safely with Topflite’s purpose-designed Nectar Feeder. Expect visits from tūī, bellbird and waxeyes, if present.
New Zealand birds are quirky and colourful. They also have unique feeding needs. Topflite has designed a Nectar Feeder that serves native garden birds safely and is super-easy to clean and refill.
This design keeps feathers and droppings well clear of food with its wide, thin perching ring and the red colour of the base mimics native flowers to help birds find it easily. A removable insect cap keeps bees from taking a dive and small feeding holes for fine, tapered beaks make sure it’s just tūī, bellbirds and waxeyes who are invited to feed.
Best of all, hygiene is made easy with a glass bottle and sturdy base that are both dishwasher safe.
- Strong enough to handle a hefty tūī or three
- Easy to use – just fill and screw on the base
- Includes a sample-size sachet of nectar
- Attracts tūī, bellbirds and waxeyes, if present
- Bee friendly
Set-up Instructions:
Unscrew the glass bottle and fill it with water, sugar water or Topflite Wild Bird Nectar mix. Screw into the base firmly but gently. Avoid over-tightening the bottle in the feeder base thread. The best ratio for feeding is one part sugar or Topflite Wild Bird Nectar to four parts water. Throw out any liquid not consumed after 3 days to avoid it fermenting. Dirty bird feeders are dangerous to bird populations as they can spread pathogens: thoroughly clean the feeder with gentle soap and warm water before every refill, or run it through the dishwasher.
Feeding Guide:
Place the feeder high and out of predators’ reach but close to native trees and shrubs (where possible)—place it near other wild bird food sources. Larger native birds are more likely to visit a feeder already in use by their smaller feathered friends. Where possible, plant native shrubs as long-term sources of natural nectar and berries.
Dimensions: 29cm x 25cm x 25cm
Frequently Asked Questions
1) Does nectar in bird feeders go stale or ferment?
Yes, it does. While we humans are partial to the odd fermented beverage, old sugar water or nectar is not good for birds. Leftover nectar or sugar water should be drained from the feeder after 2 - 3 days, and the feeder should be thoroughly cleaned to prevent bacterial growth.
2) Should I use white or brown sugar for feeding native birds?
We recommend white or raw sugar. There is no scientific consensus that brown sugar offers benefits over and above white sugar, and equally, there’s no evidence it does any harm. We use raw sugar in our Wild Bird Nectar because it’s minimally processed and provides the golden colour that we know helps birds to locate a food source.
3) What ratio of sugar to water should I use in my nectar feeder?
Manaaki Whenua and other researchers recommend a sugar concentration of around 20% (one cup of sugar per litre of water) This mimics the sugar concentration of natural plant nectar consumed by New Zealand nectar-sipping birds.
