Everything You Need To Know About Homemade Hummingbird Nectar

Hummingbirds are beautiful tiny birds that are found in many parts of the world. One of the most common species is located along the Pacific coast and the most beautiful out of all. They are called Anna's hummingbird, which is a befitting title for such magnificent creatures.

There are many other species of hummingbirds as well. Most people like to attract them to their backyards or lawn. This is because the song of these birds is soothing, which is why people love their chirping.

If you would also like to pass your time by gathering hummingbirds in your yard, you've come to the right place. One of the best things about these birds is that they are low-maintenance and require food constantly.

Hence the best way to attract hummingbirds to your property is by building a feeding station for them. All species of this creature are carnivores and feed on insects. However, they also love flower nectar which is why this is the food your feeder must have.

What Is Homemade Hummingbird Nectar?

You may have heard about flower nectar, but the term homemade hummingbird nectar may startle. However, there is no need to worry or overthink. This is because both of them are the sweet watery solutions that hummingbirds feed on.

The only difference between the two is that flowers make their nectar internally through natural processes. Meanwhile, the homemade nectar is prepared by you using different ingredients. It may be artificial, but hummingbirds love them as much as the ones made by flowers.

Why Should You Prepare Homemade Hummingbird Nectar?

If you are well aware of bird feeding methods, you must know that nectar is also available in stores. You can buy the pack for a few dollars and pour it into the feeding station. 

However, there are many reasons that will encourage you to make homemade hummingbird nectar. Here are the top reasons why you should prepare the food instead of buying it:

Minimal Ingredients

The best thing about homemade nectar is that you don't need many things from your pantry and kitchen. To prepare the food, you only require two ingredients which are readily available in all homes.

One of the ingredients you require to prepare nectar is sugar. The only thing to keep in mind is that it must not be unprocessed or raw. Additionally, you should not use brown sugar and powdered ones. These ferment promptly and are susceptible to mold, which can kill the hummingbird.

Besides sugar, the second and last ingredient you need to make homemade hummingbird nectar is water. There are not many restrictions to this item. You can use tap water for making the food. However, you should ensure that it is free of all contaminants. The best way to do this is by boiling the liquid.

Inexpensive

You may have already realized this benefit from the ingredients. After all, sugar is something that all homes already have. We bet if you go to your kitchen right, you will find a filled jar in one of the cabinets.

Besides that, water is also a utility that everyone has access to. The best part is that you can use the tap form to make the homemade hummingbird nectar. That is why we always suggest people prepare the food for the birds themselves.

Hassle-Free

The best thing about homemade hummingbird nectar is that you don't have to do any hassle to prepare it. However, if you decide to buy the food from a store, the case would be different. Firstly, you will have to leave your home to go to the shop.

Apart from that, you will have to spend a few dollars to buy the nectar solution. The amount may not seem significant to you because the food costs less than $10. However, it is still something that you can use for some other item.

The cost of making homemade nectar is zero since the ingredients will already be in your kitchen. Besides that, you won't have to burn your car's fuel or take the bus, which may add unnecessary expense to your list.

Minimal Time

The process of making homemade hummingbird nectar is straightforward. You have to combine the two ingredients in the right proportions first. After that, you have to heat the solution to ensure that the sugar dissolves appropriately.

Once the heating process is complete, you have to allow the homemade hummingbird nectar to cool. As soon as this happens, you can pour the sweet solution into the feeding station. The time the whole process takes is minimal.

Mixing the water and sugar will not make you more than a few seconds. Besides that, you have to heat the solution for only two minutes. This is the maximum time limit that you should follow. 

Cooling can take a few minutes, but it does not require you to stand in the kitchen and wait. You can complete some other chores while the nectar cools down.

The Perfect Ratio For Making Homemade Hummingbird Nectar

When it comes to the ratio of water and sugar while making homemade hummingbird nectar, all experts have the same opinion. The perfect balance between the two ingredients is 4:1.

For example, if you are taking ¼ cup of sugar to make the nectar, you should use precisely one cup of water. You may want to change the proportions not to make extra nectar, but you should avoid it.

If you deviate from this ratio, then your nectar will be too sweet or not sweet at all. While hummingbirds love sweeter solutions, this is not recommended because of sugar crystallization. This can disrupt the digestion of the birds and even clog the port of your feeding station.

Wrapping Up

That was everything you needed to know about homemade hummingbird nectar. This food is one of the things that these creatures love most. That is why you should fill feeders with them if you want to attract hummingbirds.

Besides that, we recommend you make homemade hummingbird nectar instead of store-bought. This is because you will have complete control of the ingredients. Hence you can keep the birds safe from harmful elements.