Hummingbird Food

Homemade Hummingbird Food

1 part sugar/4 parts water

Boil the water first, then measure and add sugar, at the rate of 1/4 cup of sugar to 1 cup of water.

Let cool and store excess in refrigerator until ready to use.

Do not add food coloring, honey (which ferments), or artificial sweetener, which has no nutritional value.

Cleaning

You should clean your feeder at least once a week, more often if the water gets cloudy.

According to the National Audubon Society, cleaning should be done by rinsing with one part white vinegar to four parts water. If the feeder is dirty, try adding a few grains of dry rice to the vinegar solution to help scrub it clean. Follow the vinegar wash by rinsing three times with clear, warm water before refilling with sugar solution.

If mold develops, you will need to soak the feeder in a 10% bleach solution (1 part bleach to 10 parts water) until the mold is gone. A small bottle brush can be handy to scrub crevices. Once the feeder is clean again, rinse it thoroughly, multiple times, removing all traces of bleach.

Placement of Hummingbird Feeders

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Since hummingbirds are territorial, consider hanging two, or more, feeders – at least one in the back yard and one in the front, thus accommodating as many hummingbirds as you can. Juvenile hummingbirds will fight incessantly over territory, a fascinating battle royal to watch, but you can encourage a more friendly hummingbird community by increasing the number of feeders.

Hanging the feeders in a shady spot discourages fermentation and nectar spoilage. I hang mine under the house eaves because of the shade but also because I can more easily enjoy a close-up view of the hummers as they come to visit.

Hummingbird News

Migration Maps

Hummingbird Migration Map
Track the migration of ruby-throated hummingbirds in North America; add your own first sighting of the season.

World Of Hummingbirds Map
Tracking hummingbirds around the world.

Avian Flu – Are Hummingbirds Affected?

Avian flu is taking a heavy toll throughout North America, with many municipalities advising the removal of backyard bird feeders. Avian flu is highly contagious and has killed millions of wild birds, as well as infecting backyard chicken flocks and poultry farms. While waterfowl, raptors and scavenging birds such as gulls seem particularly vulnerable, song birds aren’t as widely affected. Follow advice for your location from local birding experts and government agencies. For British Columbia, Canada, see this article on “removing bird feeders and baths during avian flu.”

“Sick birds may appear lethargic, unusually ‘fluffed up,’ have nasal discharge, or have excessively watery eyes or swelling of the head and eyelids,” according to the SPCA.

Humminbirds are at lowest risk for Avian flu because their feeders are species-specific. If you offer a feeder, however, please be vigilant about changing the nectar and cleaning the feeder regularly (as described above) to eliminate fungal infections.

Attract Orioles and Butterflies to Your Garden

Using a similar sugar and water solution, you can easily attract orioles to your backyard as well as hummingbirds. Orioles also like an offering of oranges and nesting materials.

Butterflies appreciate homemade nectar as well as offerings of over-ripe fruit and watering spaces; they’re also attracted to many of the flowers so loved by hummingbirds. See Butterfly Gardening for more information.