Hummingbird Food – Making Your Own Hummingbird Nectar

Why buy hummingbird nectar when you can do your own? Hummingbird nectar is only a simple sugar water solution but you have to use the right proportions in making. To ensure that you provide them with healthy, nutritious and easy to digest hummingbird food.

• Mix 1 part sugar with 4 parts water, and bring to a boil to kill any bacteria present.

For example, 1 cup of sugar with 4 cups of water.

Note: Use refined white sugar only. Do not use raw or organic sugar because it contains iron that could be harmful to hummingbirds.

• Cool and fill your feeder.

Make sure that the mixture is completely cool before filling up your feeder. Pouring hot mixture onto feeders would warp plastic feeders and crack glass feeders causing them to leak. It will also easily ferment and gets contaminated.

• Extra sugar water may be stored in a refrigerator.

Nectar could only be stored for up to one week only.

• Red dye should not be added.

It is not necessary to add color to the hummingbird food since most hummingbird feeders have red decorative accents, red bases or feeding ports that will attract them. Also, chemicals could be harmful to the birds.

Important Information on how often to change hummingbird food. According to colorgardening.com

Consider The Nectar Outside Temperature Conditions

• Temperature: 71-75°F (23-25°C); change every 6 days
• Temperature: 76-80°F (25-27°C); change every 5 days
• Temperature: 81-84°F (27-29°C); change every 4 days
• Temperature: 85-88°F (29-31°C); change every 3 days
• Temperature: 89-92°F (31-33°C); change every 2 days
• Temperature: 93°F+ (33°C+); change daily

Feeding hummingbirds is a big responsibility. You have to maintain your feeders. Keep the feeders clean and the nectar fresh. Never let your feeder become cloudy or moldy since bacteria and molds could endanger the hummingbirds’ life.