Hummingbirds For Mom

As someone who enjoys hummingbirds, I am often asked various questions on topics concerning hummingbirds.  Recently, someone once again asked me about how to make homemade nectar solution.  This is a subject that I thought I would once again take the opportunity to address.  Making your own hummingbird nectar is a very quick and inexpensive thing to do.  Therefore, it is no necessary to go out and purchase the ready made nectar solution.  So, here is the recipe to make homemade nectar solution. 

1. Mix together 1 part white table sugar (like you use in your cereal or coffee) and 4 parts water only.  Please do not use any other type of sugar or sugar substitute.  Bring this mixture to a boil for about a minute to help the sugar dissolve and also help kill any mold or bacteria that may be present.
2. Let the mixture cool completely and then fill and hang your feeders.
3. Any unused homemade nectar solution may be kept in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
4. Please do not use red dye to color the nectar solution.  This is not necessary because the vast majority of the feeders on the market today have some amount of red on them and this will attract the birds.  Also, the use of red dye is believed to be harmful to the hummingbirds.

I hope that this simple recipe will encourage all of you who enjoy hummingbirds to make your own nectar solution.  By doing so you will be saving some money and you will help ensure that the birds will have a plentiful food source.