![]() ![]() 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. 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. □ Why Make Homemade Hummingbird Food Instead of Buying it Want to watch other amazing winged friends too? Check out How To Make Homemade Bird Seed Ornaments! 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. And it means that hummingbird season is starting!Īs 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.Īfterall, once the warm weather starts arriving and the flowers start blooming, the hummingbirds are close behind! 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. So, if you have space, plant a garden with plenty of Hummingbird and bee-friendly flowers (no pesticides, please) and put a hummingbird feeder out for them to drink your homemade Hummingbird Food out of.Make Homemade Hummingbird Food Once Spring Arrives ![]() Once the feeder has been rinsed well and dried it is safe for the hummingbirds. A ratio of 10:1 water to bleach is strong enough to kill any harmful bacteria. This is the same solution used in restaurant kitchens and is very safe and easy to make. ![]() If you are cleaning by hand, I use a diluted bleach water solution for sanitizing and disinfecting. I have two feeders that I rotate, one outside with food in it and one that is being cleaned and dried, ready for the next rotation. Preferably, choose a feeder that can go in the dishwasher. The fancy, super ornamental feeders might be the worst because they aren’t easy to clean. The first thing you want to do is choose a feeder that can be easily disassembled and cleaned. The feeder has the potential to grow all sorts of fungus, mold, and mildew so it is very important to clean it regularly. There is one thing that is extremely important for the health of the hummingbirds, and that is the cleanliness of the feeder.įeeders are out in the hot air and any contaminants, such as dust, ants, bees, pollen, and bacteria from the bird’s beak, etc., will cause the sugar in the Hummingbird food recipe to start fermenting. We should never add red dye, honey or other types of sugar to Hummingbird Food, just plain granulated (caster) sugar and water. My Hummingbird Food recipe is very simple with only two ingredients, four parts water to one part granulated sugar. And although my Hummingbird Food recipe is a little different from my normal people’s food recipes, everyone needs good food, so I have a recipe for everybody, even the Hummingbirds. I just saw our first hummingbird of the season this morning, he was drinking from the waterfall in our backyard koi pond. ![]()
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