Get The Sweet Spot Right
The ratio of sugar and water can be slightly adjusted in this hummingbird nectar recipe, but a solution that is too sweet will be difficult for the birds to digest and one that does not contain enough sugar will not be suitable to attract hummingbirds. The 4:1 water to sugar ratio most closely approximates the sucrose levels in the natural nectar of hummingbirds’ favorite flowers.
Fun Facts About Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds are truly remarkable little creatures. Check out these fun little factoids.
How To Make Sugar Water For Hummingbirds
If you want to encourage more hummingbirds to visit your yard and enjoy their morning and afternoon visits, then what better way to attract more birds than by learning how to make sugar water for hummingbirds? Making your own sugar water for your backyard birds will allow you to create the perfect sugar to water ratio that closely mimics the nutrition that these birds get from the sweetest flowers in your yard. Making your own nectar is also a great idea since so many types of commercial nectars contain ingredients that can be potentially harmful to hummingbirds.
Read Also: How To Control Urine Sugar
What Should You Not Feed Hummingbirds
The things that are bad for hummingbirds are red food coloring, dirty feeders, not following the hummingbird nectar recipe, and failing to protect from bees and antsbut all these things are easily remedied. Read on for all the details and specifics of what I discovered about safely feeding hummingbirds.
Also Check: How To Control High Sugar Level Immediately
What Does 1 Part Sugar And 4 Parts Water Mean
A part can be any type of measurement but will always be equal. To calculate 1 part sugar and 4 parts water for your recipe, first choose a measurement for one part. Then, do some simple math:
1 x = total sugar
4 x = total water
For example, if you want to make a large batch of sugar water, you might decide that for your recipe 1 part = 2 cups.
1 x 2 cups = 2 cups sugar
4 x 2 cups = 8 cups water
So, in this example, you would mix 2 cups of sugar with 8 cups of water .
To make a smaller batch of sugar water, you might decide that for your recipe 1 part = ½ cup.
1 x ½ cup = ½ cup sugar
4 x ½ cup = 2 cups water
So, in this example, you would mix ½ cup of sugar with 2 cups of water .
Read Also: Sugar In Low Blood Pressure
This Nectar Recipe Seems Too Easy Do I Really Just Use Regular Table Sugar And Water
Yes! It really is that easy!
Natural nectar found in flowers is mostly a sucrose solution. Luckily, white sugar is also made of sucrose, so when its mixed with the appropriate amount of water, it closely resembles natural nectar that hummingbirds find in nature.
Dont try to get fancy and use brown sugar or an artificial sweetener in your recipe. Neither of these will work nor will be good for hummingbirds! Please stick to plain old white sugar.
Tips For Hummingbird Nectar Recipe:
You need to concentrate on the following tips to make perfect nectar for hummingbirds.
Purified Water:
Sometimes normal water contains some harmful chemicals and has a strong taste, so you need light purified water to make perfect nectar. You can also boil the water for that purpose, but make sure you dont reduce water volume during boiling. It may increase the sugar concentration in the water. If you are a little confused, buy this cheap purified water or any other of your choice.
Refined sugar:
Sometimes you use the unrefined sugar in place of regular white sugar and think that its ok. But unrefined sugar is very heavy compared to regular white sugar, which may cause harmful effects on birds. So always use refined white sugar to make perfect nectar-like natural nectar obtained from flowers. We are recommending you one that works best, but you can buy any white sugar.
The ratio of sugar and water can be slightly adjusted but always try to maintain the perfect ratio of 1:4 ratio of sugar and water. Less sugar water is not attractive for birds because they get sweeter nectar from flowers. The more sugar-concentrated water is not easy for birds to digest. So always try maintaining a perfect concentration 1:4 ratio of sugar and water.
Cool before use:
Also Check: Can We Control Sugar Without Medicine
Why Make Homemade Hummingbird Food Instead Of Buying It
Making homemade hummingbird nectar couldnt be easier seriously! Its so easy to make, that its a GREAT project to have the kids can help you do.
I used to buy store-bought hummingbird nectar, but I read one time that the red dye is not only unnecessary but possibly harmful to hummingbirds. From then on I started making DIY hummingbird food without any food color and have never looked back.
Making food for them is simple, takes little time, and is cheaper than buying it from a store. Plus, it doesnt contain red dye! I do not put red dye in my food since it isnt needed.
As long as your feeder had the bright red color on it they should still be attracted to the nectar.
How Often Should I Change The Sugar Water
- Sugar water does not stay fresh very long.It lasts just 4-5 days in the refrigerator and can spoil quickly outside depending on how hot it is.
- I find it needs changing every second day in moderate weather and twice daily on hot days .If we have a heat wave, I take the feeders down because they will go moldy.
Also Check: How To Control High Sugar Level Immediately
The Easiest Homemade Hummingbird Food Recipe
4/25/20TThis post may contain affiliate links. We receive a small commission at no additional cost to you, and we only recommend products that we have and use in our own homes. For more information, please read our Disclosure Policy
Making homemade hummingbird food is cheaper, easier, and healthier than buying pre-made food! Find out how to make hummingbird nectar and how to make the process extra quick and easy.
Is Nectar The Only Food That Hummingbirds Eat
I asked this question the first time I made nectar at home and realized that hummingbird nectar is basically a fancy name for sugar water! There had to be something of substance they also ate to supplement their diet?
Upon more research, I learned that hummingbirds get their protein by feasting on small insects and arthropods .
- RELATED: What do hummingbirds eat?
So to attract as many hummingbirds as possible, I try not to use any insecticides in my yard. I want there to be plenty of bugs for them to eat.
Here is an easy tip to provide lots of fruit flies for hummingbirds to eat.
Take any bananas or other fruit that is ready to spoil, and place it outside in a spot that is easy to observe. The old fruit is naturally going to attract lots of fruit flies, which in turn should attract hummingbirds for an easy meal.
You May Like: Whether Banana Is Good For Diabetes
Hello Spring: Make Diy Hummingbird Food
I cannot tell you just how much I love spring! Everything starts coming alive again, theres a fresh smell in the air, and I love the budding trees and blooming flowers.
Spring seriously makes my soul sing.
As soon as I see azaleas blooming in my yard, I know its time to start making homemade hummingbird food, since theres not much else for them to feed on at that point.
Once the warm weather starts arriving and the flowers start blooming, the hummingbirds are close behind!
NOTE: If you live in a region that is colder than North Carolinas climate, I recommend waiting to make DIY hummingbird nectar until you start to see the grass turning green, small flowers starting to come up from the ground, and the overnight temperatures staying above freezing.
Proper Maintenance And Care
If youve decided to feed the hummingbirds that visit your yard, make sure you use the best hummingbird feeder, one that comes with plenty of nectar ports, and is easy to refill and clean. When youre shopping for a feeder, make sure you buy one that has a small tank or water bottle area. This is because sugar water spoils fairly quickly, especially in hot weather, so using a smaller feeder will cause you to fill it more frequently, which can prevent birds from feeding on spoiled sugar water. Make sure you clean the feeders often and choose a feeder thats easy to clean out. The feeder should also come with several perches that will allow a hummingbird to rest while they eat. If the type of feeder you purchase has a dispenser bottle, choose a glass one over a plastic model since glass tends to last longer and plastic can quickly turn yellow.
Recommended Reading: High Blood Sugar What To Do
A Few Things To Remember When Feeding Hummingbirds:
- We recommend avoiding using food colorings, honey, brown sugars, or unrefined sugars. For example, you dont want to use Domino® Brown Sugar or Domino® Golden Sugar, as the molasses in it can be harmful to Hummingbirds. You may use our Domino® Granulated Pure Cane Sugar.
- Never spray insecticides or other poisons near bird feeders.
- Properly clean feeders, replacing nectar every 5-6 days in cooler climates, or 2-3 days in warmer areas.
- Hummingbirds also drink plain water, so keep a birdbath available nearby.
Also Check: Reduce Sugar Level Instantly
What If I Make A More Concentrated Sugar Solution Wouldnt Hummingbirds Like It Better
If you are like me, then you probably subscribe to the if a little is good, then more is better thought process.
You are probably thinking that if hummingbirds love a nectar solution that contains 1 part sugar to every 4 parts water, then they are going to go crazy over my recipe that doubles the amount of sugar!
Unfortunately, adding more sugar wont help! If the nectar becomes too sweet or concentrated, then its not going to resemble what hummingbirds find in flowers and become hard to digest.
As tempting as it can be to add more sugar, stick to the tried and true hummingbird food recipe found above.
You May Like: Can Diabetics Eat Banana
How Long Do You Boil Water And Sugar For Hummingbirds
Classic Hummingbird Nectar Recipe Combine Sugar and Water. Combine one part plain white granulated table sugar and four parts water. Heat the Mixture. Slowly heat the solution for one to two minutes for slow fermentation and to help the sugar dissolve. Let Cool. Allow the solution to cool completely before filling feeders.
Why Make Diy Hummingbird Food
My kids always get a kick out of observing these little guys, too. Its just so much fun for the whole family! Thats why I want to share the simplest and best homemade hummingbird food with you all today. Its two ingredients and couldnt be easier to make, and its sure to bring a few of these pretty birds to your yard this season.
I will advise right off the bat not to use red dye, which some sources say to mix into the food. Hummingbirds like the bright color red because it reminds them of sweet flowers, but just use a red feeder for the same effect, since dye can be harmful to hummingbirds health. With that, lets get into the recipe!
I love to make a batch of my favorite granola bar recipe , taking a snack outside, and spend some time enjoying nature and these highly entertaining little critters. Seriously, theyre so entertaining and good for the soul.
Also Check: How To Come Sugar Disease
Can I Use Honey In The Nectar Recipe
No. Adding honey to this nectar recipe will not help and can actually be dangerous to hummingbirds. This is because when honey mixes with water, it ferments rapidly, which spoils the nectar and creates an environment that lets bacteria and fungus thrive.
If hummingbirds feed on rotten nectar, it can lead to a deadly infection that makes their tongue swell. It makes their tongue so large that they have trouble even fitting it back into their bill. Unfortunately, this sickness almost always leads to a slow death.
And if your still not convinced, think about this fact:
Hummingbirds dont eat honey naturally! Have you ever observed or heard about a hummingbird raiding a honey bee nest? Honeybees are not even native to North America, so at no point in history did hummingbirds evolve to eat honey or have access to the stuff except for the last few hundred years.
Just stick to the simple nectar recipe that calls for 1 part white sugar and 4 parts water. Its human nature to try and improve everything, but this is an example where more intervention harms hummingbirds.
Boiling Is Only To Slow Fermentation
While boiling will help slow the fermentation of the nectar initially, the nectar in hummingbird feeders is contaminated as soon as it is sipped by a bird. Therefore, it is not necessary to boil the nectar once the sugar has been dissolved. If you use extra fine sugar or stir the nectar vigorously, no boiling or heating may be needed.
Read Also: Sugar Increase Symptoms
Use Small Quantities And Clean Your Feeder Often
Homemade hummingbird food is basically a version of simple syrup and will keep in your refrigerator for two weeks. Since this is just sugar water, it can mold in hot weather. And, hot water sitting outside is just asking for trouble in large quantities. We fill our feeder with 1-2 cups of water every 10 days or so . Also, be sure to wash your feeder with soap and water every month or so to prevent it from getting sticky or moldy.
Do I Need To Boil Sugar Water For Hummingbirds
Courtesy Rhonda Horrall
Is it necessary to boil the sugar water mixture for hummingbird feeders? I just stir until the sugar is dissolved. Ive always wondered if its safe to make my hummingbird food recipe without boiling, asks Amy Kernes of Brea, California.
Opinions differ on the importance of boiling the hummingbird food mixture. We always do boil the water to neutralize some impurities that might be in the water or sugar. Besides, sugar dissolves more easily in hot water. But as soon as the feeder is outdoors, contaminants will get into the water anyway, brought by hummingbirds, insects or just a breeze. So at best, boiling the mixture keeps it fresh a little longer. If your water is good and your time is limited, washing the feeder thoroughly and often is more important than boiling the sugar water mixture.
Using really hot water will usually suffice to dissolve the sugar. However, if you plan on making extra hummingbird sugar water to store in the fridge or you have so-so water quality, then its best to boil.
Its always best to stick with real white sugar in your hummingbird feeders. Say no to sugar substitutes and brown sugar.
Check out 4 ways to make a DIY hummingbird feeder.
Read Also: How To Bring Down Sugar Level Quickly
Where Should I Place My Hummingbird Feeder
There are a couple of points you should keep in mind when placing the feeder:
- Shade: The feeder should be covered from the sun, This makes sure the nectar stays good as long as possible and also gives the birds a spot to cool off.
- Visibility: Just because you should put the feeder in a shaded spot doesnt mean you should hide it completely. The feeder should still be visible to passing birds.
- Safety: This can be from harsh weather like strong wind, intense rain and blazing sun. But also other animals that may harm the birds while they try to eat.
The Hummingbird Feeder Recipe That You Can Easily Make At Home
You can easily make a hummingbird feeder recipe at home. You need to take 5 min to make perfect hummingbird nectar similar to natural flower nectar. The hummingbird nectar recipe is very simple and easy to make. To prepare the ideal hummingbird nectar, you need sugar, water, and some material with the following instructions.
There are only two main ingredients required to make perfect nectar.
- Regularly use refined sugar
You need two vessels to make hummingbird nectar.
- Bowl or glass
Also Check: How To Come Sugar Disease
Also Check: How To Control Pp Sugar