This super simple DIY Hummingbird Food Recipeuses TWO ingredients to make homemade nectar that will have the hummers stopping by your feeder all day long.
Hummingbirds are beautiful and fascinating creatures.
They are also amazing pollinators, making them a commodity to any garden.
What do Hummingbirds Eat?
In the early spring when hummingbirds make their way back north they can struggle to find food with few flowers in bloom.
Setting out a hummingbird feeder is a great way to provide them with food so they can continue to thrive.
Hummingbird Nectar
The most common hummingbird food is nectar.
The sugar helps provide them with plenty of energy while giving them all-important water.
You can buy this hummingbird nectar concentrate or you can make your own hummingbird nectar at home.
To make your own nectar you will need just a few things.
Once you learn how to make hummingbird water yourself, you will never spend your money on the store-bought kind again.
Homemade Hummingbird Food
- A saucepan
- 1 cup of water
- ¼ cup of sugar
- Hummingbird feeder
How to Make Hummingbird Food
Pour water and sugar into the saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Stir well until all sugar is dissolved. Allow to cool before placing it into your hummingbird feeder .
Hummer Bird Food Tips
- Change out your hummingbird nectar at least once a week.
- If nectar sits too long it can ferment and make the hummingbirds that drink it sick.
- Each change of nectar, give your hummingbird feeder a good cleaning as well.
- Never add food dye to your nectar. This can risk the health of the hummingbirds visiting your garden.
If you really want the red coloring to attract hummingbirds, consider purchasing hummingbird feeders that are red and you won’t have to use the toxic food dye.
Hummingbird Care
While this is the main food you can provide for hummingbirds you can help supplement their diet in other ways as well.
Avoid using insecticides on plants in your garden near your hummingbird feeders.
Hummingbirds eat insects for protein and are great at helping control bugs from flies to aphids.
If you attract plenty of hummingbirds to your garden with your feeders they will work as an effective insect control saving you time and money working to control unwanted insects in your garden.
Want to skip the sugar water nectar in your garden altogether?
A garden bed full of wildflowers is a recipe for success when it comes to feeding hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies without serving them sugar water.
How to Plant a Bee Friendly Garden that Hummingbirds will love too!
Granulated white sugar is the best choice for hummingbirds. The other sugars might contain corn syrup or honey and can be harmful to a hummingbird’s health.
Yes. Boiling the water is the best way to get rid of any impurities that might be in the water.
You can store leftover nectar in the fridge for up to two weeks. Be sure to watch for any signs of mold growth and discard them immediately.
Pat says
Is organic sugar ok?
Kristie Sawicki says
Yes, that should work just fine.
Stephanie says
Actually hummingbirds will eat ants. Please feel free to google it. I know right now I have honey bees and hummingbirds feeding together! Couldn’t get a picture of it at the time.
Kristie Sawicki says
I love it!!
Carol Beman says
What is the best way to clean my hummingbird feeder.? Should it be cleaned every time you add new food to the theater?
Kristie Sawicki says
I usually just rinse it out with water and then refill it.
nancy martinez says
Hi, how i can keep ants away from the nectar???
Thank you so much.
Kristie Sawicki says
I’ve never had this problem so I am not sure how to do that, sorry.
If it were me, I would try wiping some kind of ant deterrent on the area that the ants are crawling along leading to the feeder (not on the feeder itself though).
Bea West says
I have found that peppermint will keep ants away. I’ve used peppermint essential oil and put dots along the hanger. Ants come up to the peppermint and turn away. Bea West
Vicki says
There are any guards that you can purchase from Walmart,Lowe’s or Amazon the ones I use are called perky pet and are less than $7.00 dollars,they work very well
Kristie Sawicki says
Thanks so much for this tip!
Sandra Whidden says
Your article is very helpful, thank you
Annie (Sawicki) Smilie says
Thank you for this simple recipe! Just wondering if you could double or triple it and keep in fridge for the next week?
Kristie Sawicki says
I’ve kept it in the fridge up to a week, so I am sure it would be fine.
gary says
Thank you for your humming bird recipe.GAC
Kristie Sawicki says
You’re welcome!
Phyllis Hill says
Thanks so much for your videos on the “hummer” food. Our family loves watching them!!❤️❤️