I've written before about my adoration for the whimsical creatures that are hummingbirds. Last month, I shared about how to attract them to your own yard in this blog post! They just fascinate me and bring so much joy and wonder to outdoor spaces. I grew up watching their little bodies flit and flutter outside the window at my Grandma's house, and ever since, I've always been delighted when they show up in my garden to feed on flowers or from my hummingbird feeder.
My kids always get a kick out of observing these little guys, too. It's just so much fun for the whole family! That's why I want to share the simplest and best homemade hummingbird food with you all today. It's two ingredients and couldn't be easier (or faster) to make, and it's 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, let's get into the recipe!
Hummingbird Food (homemade)
I love to make a batch of my favorite granola bar recipe (or a smoothie recipe), taking a snack outside, and spend some time enjoying nature and these highly entertaining little critters. Seriously, they're so entertaining and good for the soul.
Homemade hummingbird food only requires two simple ingredients that I guarantee you have at home. To make this hummingbird food recipe you'll need:
To make hummingbird nectar simply boil the water, remove from the heat, add the sugar, and stir until the sugar dissolves. Let the mixture cool completely, then pour into your hummingbird feeder.
Easy) Hummingbird Nectar Recipe
Start keeping an eye on your feeder because once these beautiful birds realize there's sweet sugar water for them to drink they'll start visiting your feeder as often as possible.
You can! Just be sure to boil it before using so that it dissolves the sugar and the boiling will remove any impurities.
You'll want to use granulated white sugar -- or regular table sugar. Do not use raw or unprocessed sugars or honey or corn syrup because those can be harmful to hummingbirds' health.
The Best Ever Hummingbird Food Recipe
Store leftover sugar water in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. If you notice mold growing in the mixture, toss it and make a fresh batch.
It's best to change and clean out feeders every other day, but if you miss a time or two, just make sure you're switching out the food and cleaning it out at least twice a week during warm months and once a week in cooler months. This helps to prevent mold growth.
Hummingbirds migrate with the seasons, so when you put out a hummingbird feeder depends on where you live. For those who lives in southern parts of the States, you can set up feeders from February through November. Across the middle of the country, plan on placing feeders from April through October. Along the northern states in the U.S., put hummingbird feeders out from early May through September.
Make Your Own Hummingbird Nectar
Place your hummingbird feeder in low-activity areas (away from where pets or kids might play often because hummingbirds can be shy and territorial!). Close to trees is best because they like to perch on branches to watch out for predators.
Foremost, red dye isn't necessary because many feeders themselves are red -- plus, dye is harmful to hummingbirds' health, so be sure to skip it.
Hummingbirds love flowers that are brightly colored and produce lots of nectar, including bee balm, trumpet honeysuckle, and bleeding hearts. They also really like red tubular flowers.
What's The Best Recipe For Hummingbird Nectar?
A hummingbird feeder should be sturdy, have lots of red on it, be easy to wash, fill, and hang AND it should be a good price. Here are my top 3 hummingbird feeders to buy:
Homemade hummingbird food is inexpensive and a more healthy option than store bought food. Store bought food tends to have harmful chemicals and preservatives that are not healthy for hummingbirds.
It is important to regularly clean your feeder to avoid mold growth and protect the delicate hummingbirds. Every other day is recommended. Rinse your bird feeder with very hot water. It is advised not to use soap because the residue can change the flavor of the nectar.
Hummingbird Food Recipe
A deeper cleaning of your hummingbird feeder is in order about once a month. You can soak your feeder in vinegar or hydrogen peroxide to disinfect. Combine 1 part vinegar and 2 parts water. Take the feeder completely apart and let it soak in a bucket for 1-2 hours.
Hummingbird feeders should be placed in partial sun. If your feeder is in the sun all day it will spoil faster. You want to put the feeder somewhere where you can see it but also somewhere that the hummingbirds feel comfortable. They don’t like to be out in the open, so the partial shade of a tree or bush, or hanging from a canopy or your house is a good location.
This easy and quick homemade hummingbird nectar recipe will be sure to bring lots of these magical and exciting birds to your outdoor space!
Diy Hummingbird Nectar
Melissa is dedicated to helping parents figure out the nightly questions, What's for Dinner?! with her no-fuss approach to cooking. Read more...Making homemade hummingbird food is cheaper, easier, and healthier than buying pre-made food – and you only need 2 ingredients you already have! Find out how to make hummingbird nectar quickly and easily.
I cannot tell you just how much I love spring! Everything starts coming alive again, there’s a fresh smell in the air, and I love the budding trees and blooming flowers.
As soon as I see azaleas and the forsythia bushes blooming in my yard (usually around late April or very early May), I know it’s time to start making homemade hummingbird food, since there’s not much else for them to feed on at that point.
How To Make Hummingbird Food With Only Two Ingredients
NOTE: If you live in a region that is colder than North Carolina’s 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.
Hummingbirds might be some of the world’s smallest birds, but they flap their wings at an astounding average of ~50 beats per second! And it’s seriously cool to watch (and hear – it sounds like a miniature helicopter ‘whoop-whoop-whoop’)
All that flying burns some serious calories, so hummingbirds search out the natural flower nectar of approximately 1, 000-2, 000 flowers a day because they need to feed every 10-15 minutes.
Hummingbird Food Recipe: Make Your Own Nectar
Make some DIY hummingbird nectar and put it out to make their search a little easier – they’ll be grateful and come back for more!
The best way to enjoy hummingbirds is to set up feeders then sit and read a book outside (or sit on your porch and watch the world)!We’ve also seen male hummingbirds warning off other male hummingbirds – what a cool experience!
Making this homemade hummingbird nectar recipe couldn’t be easier – seriously! It’s so easy to make, that it’s a GREAT project to have the kids can help you do.😘
Homemade Hummingbird Nectar Is Surprisingly Easy To Make
I used to buy commercial hummingbird nectar from the store, but I read one time that the National Audubon Society says that the red food coloring or dye is not only unnecessary but probably isn’t safe for hummingbirds.
Many companies and people put red food dye in hummingbird food to attract the birds (notice how they love red flowers? It’s the
Since I want to keep hummingbirds healthy, I looked up homemade hummingbird food recipes because I thought they would be safer. Unfortunately, many recipes for homemade nectar contained red dye and other unnecessary ingredients. Bleh.
How To Make Hummingbird Nectar
After a little more research, Istarted making this DIY hummingbird food recipe with 2 simple ingredients – NO food coloring – and have never looked back!
Making food for them is simple, takes little time, and is way cheaper than buying it from a store. Plus, it doesn’t contain red dye! I don’t put red dye in my food since it isn’t needed.
The best hummingbird feeders have a bright red color on it, which is a great way to attract the birds to the nectar!
Ingredient Homemade Hummingbird Food
Skip buying store-bought hummingbird food and follow these simple directions (or grab the handy printable recipe at the end of the post) to make your own hummingbird nectar!
To start the process, I clean my feeders and get them out and ready for the hummingbirds (see cleaning notes in the recipe).
It’s important to thoroughly clean your hummingbird feeders in between refills to ensure they don’t harbor bacteria or anything else that could harm your hummingbirds.
Hummingbird Food Recipe: Ideal Ratio Plus Handy Tips
PRO TIP: I have two 32 oz Best Hummingbird Feeders and I LOVE them! They are the best in terms of being easy to use and clean!
Boiling the water ensures that the ingredients are combined into nectar and removes any bacteria or other organisms that could make your hummingbirds sick.
Hang your feeder outside in a
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