Hummingbird Nectar Recipe
Hummingbird nectar recipe is a simple mixture of sugar and water. This solution mimics flower nectar and attracts these wonderful birds to your backyard habitat or balcony garden. The birds obtain carbohydrates (sugar) from nectar and protein from insects.
Scientist have tested the sugar content of 200 flowers favored by hummingbirds. The average sugar content was 25 percent, less and the birds reject it.
This is why this recipe is 4 parts water to 1 part white table sugar. It yields an ideal 25 percent mixture.
In a container mix:
4 parts water (example: 4 cups of water)
1 part white table sugar (example 1 cup of water)
Directions:
Boil for 2 minutes and then allow the mixture to cool. This stops fermentation.
Do not boil longer as a more concentrated sugar solution can cause health problems for the birds.
Fill feeder when mixture cools.
Store any extra mixture in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Tips:
- Never add red or any other food coloring. The birds don't need it to be attracted.
- Never use honey or corn syrup. Cane sugar is closer to nectar.
- Hang feeder in a shady place near shrubs or trees for perching after feeding.
- Keep feeders clean.
- Blooming flowers seem to pull birds in and attract them to the feeder.
- Change nectar every 2 or 3 days. Don't use harsh chemicals.
- Black spots that may form is mold. Scrub with bottle brush and hot water with vinegar added. Throughly clean water feeder before refilling.
- A nectar feeder holding 8 fluid ounces (231 ml) of sugar solution will fill the day's energy needs of 40 to 60 birds
- Feeders larger than 20 oz are only recommended to use at a feeding station that will be visited by hundreds to thousands of mirgrants
- During peak migration periods, use more than one feeder and place them a distance apart to ease tensions
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