I don't think it really matters all that much. Ideally as Rob suggested,
and if you have the space, then a line with each or most out of sight of
one another. But the birds are so active, already know where they all are
anyway, the whole yard is their territory as is everything in it, and the
constant territorial sparing is just the nature of the game. There was a
video floating around the Internet, even made one of the Network evening news
broadcasts last Fall from Louisiana I think where someone with so many
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds during migration that they had set up a whole line
(big ones), maybe 10-15 or more, can't remember, but only a few feet apart
along the entire length of a large porch and each one was packed out with
hummingbirds. Of course that was a bit different, migration, and not
territorial residents as we see around here now.

Activity amongst Anna's is really ramping up now, more and more with each
passing day it seems, and it's getting hard to keep up again, and the first
Rufous probably aren't too far off to compound things. I've got six
feeders, mostly larger ones, one to four cup capacities. They can drain the
one-cuppers now in just under three days while a month ago, one of those would
last 7-10 days, and I try to keep each filled when it's time again. If I'm
going to be away for a few days, week or so, or more, I just top 'em all
off, sometimes add a couple more which often means only a few feet apart and
certainly within sight, but by the time I get home again, they're ALL
empty and obviously it didn't matter. Still, even so, those suddenly cut off
hummers haven't gone far and will be back the instant the feeders are loaded
up again. And if I am remiss and fiddling around with something else
outside before I get to it, some are usually in my face as if a friendly
'reminder'.

Several people feed hummingbirds around here in this block or two, feeders
seem to contain 'something', but I never see any hummingbirds attending
them. The only thing I can think of is that either the 'nectar' is old or
the wrong concoction, or if the feeders are only sporadically filled and not
tended religiously, then the hummingbirds won't get in the habit of
visiting so much and just keep close to those they know are maintained most
faithfully, especially during the winter when the average Joe figures
hummingbirds are supposed to be summer birds and not something that's around here year
round.

The crown jewels of my yard and a real joy to have around always, 365 days
a year.

Richard Rowlett
Bellevue (Eastgate), WA