How to Make Homemade Hummingbird Food | A Step-by-Step Guide

Hummingbirds are fascinating creatures that are known for their beauty and their ability to hover in mid-air. They are also important pollinators, and many people enjoy attracting them to their yards. One of the best ways to attract hummingbirds is to provide them with homemade hummingbird food.

Why Make Homemade Hummingbird Food?

There are several reasons why you might want to make your own hummingbird food. 

• First, it is very easy and inexpensive to do. 
• Second, homemade hummingbird food is healthier for hummingbirds than commercial hummingbird food, which often contains artificial ingredients and dyes. 
• Third, you can control the ingredients in homemade hummingbird food, which is important if you have hummingbirds that are allergic to certain foods.

What Do You Need to Make Homemade Hummingbird Food?

To make homemade hummingbird food, you will need the following ingredients:

• 1 part sugar
• 4 parts water

You will also need a pot to boil the water in and a container to store the hummingbird food in. A hummingbird feeder is also ideal, but you can also use a glass or jar with a small hole in the lid.

Instructions

1. Bring the water to a boil in a pot.
2. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the sugar until it is dissolved.
3. Let the hummingbird food cool completely before putting it in a feeder or container.
4. Hang the feeder or place the container in a sunny spot where hummingbirds can find it.

Tips for Making Homemade Hummingbird Food

• Use only white granulated sugar. Other types of sugar, such as brown sugar or raw sugar, can contain harmful bacteria that can make hummingbirds sick.
• Do not add any red dye to the hummingbird food. Hummingbirds are attracted to the color of the sugar water, not to red dye.
• Change the hummingbird food every 2-3 days, or more often if it gets dirty or cloudy. This will help to prevent the growth of bacteria and mold.
• Clean your hummingbird feeder regularly with hot, soapy water. This will help to prevent the spread of disease.

Hummingbird drinking from feeder

Hummingbird drinking from feeder in garden

How to Attract Hummingbirds to Your Yard

In addition to providing hummingbirds with homemade food, there are a few other things you can do to attract them to your yard:

• Plant hummingbird-attracting flowers. Some good options include bee balm, cardinal flower, columbine, honeysuckle, and trumpet vine.
• Provide hummingbirds with a water source. A birdbath or shallow dish of water is all that is needed.
• Keep your yard clean and tidy. Hummingbirds are attracted to neat and tidy yards.

attracting garden

Making homemade hummingbird food is a simple and inexpensive way to attract these amazing creatures to your yard. By following the tips above, you can make sure that your hummingbird food is safe and healthy for hummingbirds to enjoy.