![]() The use of red dye in hummingbird nectar recipes is not necessary. With a few simple steps, you can fill your hummingbird feeders with attractively delicious sugar water all season long. In warm weather or when multiple birds are using the feeder, clean them more frequently.įollowing this classic hummingbird nectar recipe is a great way to create hummingbird food that is far less expensive than commercial nectars or nectar mixes. Clean hummingbird feeders at least once a week and refill them with fresh nectar.When making your own nectar, adjust the recipe quantity to only make enough for one week to eliminate waste. Unused hummingbird nectar can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.These additives are not necessary for hummingbirds’ health and a simple sugar solution will attract just as many birds as more expensive commercial products. Commercial hummingbird nectar products may advertise different flavors, vitamins and other additives that are supposed to attract additional birds.Hot nectar can warp or crack both glass and plastic hummingbird feeders and warm nectar will ferment more quickly. Hummingbird nectar must be completely cool before filling feeders.The 4:1 water to sugar ratio most closely approximates the sucrose levels in natural nectar. The ratio of sugar and water can be slightly adjusted, but a solution that is too sweet will be difficult for the birds to digest and one that does not contain enough sugar will not be suitable to attract hummingbirds.If you use extra fine sugar no boiling may be needed. Therefore, it is not necessary to boil the nectar once the sugar has been dissolved. While boiling will help slow the fermentation of the nectar initially, the nectar in hummingbird feeders is contaminated as soon as it is sipped by a bird.Sugar substitutes do not have the caloric energy that hummingbirds need for energy. Honey and molasses (brown sugar contains molasses products) are too heavy for hummingbirds to digest efficiently and can ferment more quickly, creating a mold that is fatal to hummingbirds. Do not use honey, brown sugar, molasses or artificial sugar substitutes for any hummingbird nectar recipe.You can also boil the water before adding the sugar to help purify it. If your tap water contains heavy chemicals, consider using bottled or purified water for purer nectar.Note: Please do not substitute honey, which can promote dangerous fungal growth, or use red food coloring, which is not necessary and could also prove harmful to birds. 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. This hummingbird sweet treat can be made right at home with a few simple ingredients. You can help these hardworking foragers get the nutrients they need by providing them with their favorite post-workout meal-nectar. 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. Hummingbirds may be some of the smallest birds in the world, but fluttering those tiny wings can be quite a workout.
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