Homemade hummingbird nectar should be changed between 1 – 6 days, according to average outside high temperatures. How often to change the nectar in your hummingbird feeder However 2:1 or 1:1 is too high and should be avoided. If there is a cold snap or you want to beef up the energy in late summer before their migration or for over-wintering, you can go up to a 3:1 ratio. All the reading I’ve done suggests that 4:1 is safest and provides enough energy for their day-to-day. Their eggs may be too soft-shelled due to the lack of calcium. Too much sugar in their diet can lead to dehydration, calcium deficiencies, muscular weakness and bone malformation. Hummingbirds naturally supplement their diet with insects as well. However it is very important not to over sugar the nectar. Or maybe that it will help them “fatten up” in the late summer for their fall migration. You might think that by increasing the amount of sugar in your nectar you will attract even more hummingbirds. Male ruby-throated hummingbird drinking happily in my backyard Why the 4:1 ratio is important Also if you know your water is high in iron, use filtered or spring water as iron can build up in their system and be harmful. If you are not drinking the water straight from your tap, why would you want your hummers to? If you only drink filtered or spring water due to impurity issues with your own tap water, please use the same type of water you drink to make the nectar. That being said, water quality does have some importance here. However even if you boil the water the nectar is going to spoil quickly, there is no getting around that, and you won’t be saving more than a day most likely. It is true that boiling the water first will kill bacteria and mold spores present in the water, and this might mean the nectar can last outside a little longer before spoiling. You may also hear people boiling water to remove impurities. It will help the sugar dissolve quicker but it really doesn’t take long for sugar to dissolve in room temperature or cold water. I wrote a more detailed article about why to never add red dye to hummingbird nectar if you want to know more! clear hummingbird nectarĭo I need to boil the water to make hummingbird nectar?Īs we’ve stated in this recipe, no. Red coloring is not necessary to attract the hummingbirds to the feeder, and may be unhealthy for the birds. Storing extra nectar will make refilling the feeder quick and easy.

You can store any extra sugar water in the refrigerator for up to one week.Once all the grains of sugar are fully dissolved, allow the solution to cool and then it is ready to be poured into the feeder.Slowly add the sugar to the water while stirring with a large spoon.

Using a clean container (I recommend a pitcher for easy pouring) mix the sugar and the water.It is best to avoid using a coffee machine to heat water as caffeine is toxic to birds. You can microwave the water for a minute or just use the hottest tap water your faucet can produce. The water does not need to be boiling hot, simply warm. We have stated that you can make this hummingbird nectar without boiling the water, however warm water helps the sugar dissolve more easily. Directions for homemade hummingbird nectar – 4 steps

Homemade hummingbird nectar molasses