Humming Bird Food Recipe

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Hummingbirds may be some of the smallest birds in the world, but fluttering those tiny wings can be quite a workout. Flapping away at up to 90 beats per second burns up calories fast; to maintain their momentum, hummingbirds need to eat—a lot! To satisfy their speedy metabolisms, these busy birds consume half their body weight in bugs and nectar, feeding every 10-15 minutes and visiting 1,000-2,000 flowers per day.

You can help these hardworking foragers get the nutrients they need by providing them with their favorite post-workout meal—nectar. This hummingbird sweet treat can be made right at home with a few simple ingredients. By filling your feeder with this DIY delight, you can complement nectar-rich plants and watch these beautiful little birds feed and flitter all day.

humming bird food recipe

Mix 1 part sugar with 4 parts water (for example, 1 cup of sugar with 4 cups of water) until the sugar is dissolved. Do not add red dye. Fill your hummingbird feeders with the sugar water and place outside. Extra sugar water can be stored in a refrigerator.

The Best Homemade Hummingbird Food

humming bird food recipe

Attract beautiful hummingbirds to your backyard or garden with this simple homemade hummingbird food recipe!

Prep: 5min

Total: 5min

Yield: 4

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups very hot tap water
  • 1 cup white granulated sugar

Instruction:

  1. Boil your water on the stove for 1 minute.
  2. Remove the water from the stove and stir in the sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
  3. Allow the mixture to come to room temperature.
  4. Fill your humming bird feeder as directed on individual instructions.
  5. Store leftover sugar water in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Homemade Hummingbird Food

humming bird food recipe

A simple and inexpensive homemade hummingbird food that will bring those incredible birds back year after year!

Prep: 5min

Yield: 10-20 hummingbirds

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 cup water

Instruction:

  1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil, remove from heat.
  2. Stir in 1 cup of sugar until it’s dissolved, let cool.
  3. Use a funnel to pour the cooled liquid into the hummingbird feeder.
  4. Place humminbird feeder outside.
  5. Refrigerate any leftover nectar in a sealed, air tight container.

FAST EASY Hummingbird Recipe Nectar feeding Hundreds of Birds Hummingbirds Feed in Feeders All Year

FAQ

Is a 3 to 1 ratio OK for hummingbirds?

Keep it simple and only feed hummingbirds the 4:1 water to plain white sugar solution.

Do you have to boil sugar water for hummingbirds?

While boiling will help slow the fermentation of the nectar initially, the nectar in hummingbird feeders is contaminated as soon as a bird sips it. Therefore, you do not need to boil the nectar once the sugar has been dissolved.

Can you put too much sugar in sugar water for hummingbirds?

Nectar with more sugar is more difficult to digest, and it is possible that if hummingbirds are only drinking very sweet nectar, it could cause liver or kidney damage, especially as the birds will be ingesting less water at the same time.

What is the best food for hummingbird feeders?

The best (and least expensive) solution for your feeder is a 1:4 solution of refined white sugar to tap water. That’s ¼ cup of sugar in 1 cup of water. Bring the solution to a boil, then let it cool before filling the feeder.

Why do you boil water for hummingbird food?

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.

Can you feed hummingbirds anything other than sugar water?

Provide Natural Food Sources

Nectar-producing flowers are a rich and popular option, and colorful blooms will attract many birds. Other hummingbird foods include tree sap, fruit juices, pollen, and insects, including spiders.

About the author

Helen is an author and editor at helenbackcafe.com, who has a passion for writing about recipes. She loves to experiment with different ingredients and cooking techniques to create delicious and unique dishes.

Among all the foods, pizza holds a special place in her heart, and she loves exploring different variations and toppings to create the perfect slice. Through her writing, Helen hopes to inspire others to get creative in the kitchen and share their love for food with the world.

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