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Home » Animal and Land » How to Make Hummingbird Food

How to Make Hummingbird Food

07/14/17 | Animal and Land, Farm & Family, Gardening

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Learning how to make this hummingbird food recipe is as simple! Get the exact directions here and keep those little birds coming back to your yard!

Learning how to make this hummingbird food recipe is as simple! Get the exact directions here and keep those little birds coming back to your yard!

Learning how to make this hummingbird food recipe is as simple! Get the exact directions here and keep those little birds coming back to your yard!

Earlier this summer I noticed that two cute little hummingbirds were frequenting my flowers so I made this hummingbird food recipe and hung up a feeder. At the store, I noticed that hummingbird food can be pricey!! Don’t pay for it! It’s so easy to learn how to make hummingbird food yourself and all you need is some sugar, water, and a heat source.

Do you boil water for hummingbird food?

In the video below where I show you how to make the standard hummingbird food recipe, I use a pan on the stovetop but just as often I’ll use a large pyrex bowl in the microwave. Both work very well! The reason you heat the water until it is boiling is two-fold.

One reason is so all of the sugar will dissolve and stay in solution. You don’t want grainy hummingbird food, that would end up being an inconsistent food source, not to mention it would clog up your feeder.

The second reason is to be extra certain there isn’t any mold or bacteria in the food you are making. Once mold gets in your feeder it is hard to get out and it can be toxic to hummingbirds.

Also, I just have to say it. I hate that hummingbird feeder! I picked it up at the store on a whim because it was $2 and I wasn’t sure the hummingbirds would even eat from one.

Turns out they love it and now I’m hesitant to change it because I hear they can be picky. I think I’ll get a prettier one that I love and hang them side by side for a while to see what happens. I am loving these glass bottle feeders! They are on my list…

Do you need food coloring in my hummingbird food? 

Now, I know adding food coloring to anything can be controversial. First of all, please remember that food coloring is added in such small amounts to this hummingbird food recipe that it really isn’t going to influence the food.

But if you are opposed to adding it, then don’t! I find they prefer colored water. Another solution is to purchase a feeder that is tinted. Problem solved! Although I’m not convinced food coloring is a problem in the first place 🙂 {Read more about my thoughts on food choice here}.

What are the ratios for making hummingbird food? 

Let’s do a little math review for this hummingbird food recipe. Don’t leave! Ha! It’s easy. Ratios are often given by saying four to one or written 4:1. When a ratio is given instead of an exact measurement, it’s actually very nice because you can scale whatever you’re making up or down to suit your needs.

A 4:1 ratio means there are 5 parts total – think of it as a pie with 5 slices. 4 of the slices are water, and 1 slice is sugar {if we are talking about this hummingbird food recipe – if we are really talking about pie I’ll take 4 slices of pumpkin and 1 slice of triple berry 🙂 }.

How to Make Hummingbird Food

Ingredients

  • 4 parts water
  • 1 part sugar
  • Food coloring

Instructions

  1. Combine water and sugar.
  2. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring frequently (see note).
  3. Once sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and add a small amount of food coloring, if desired.
  4. Allow to cool completely.
  5. Pour into the feeder and enjoy the hummingbirds!

Notes

My hummingbird feeder holds roughly 5 cups of fluid, so using the 4:1 ratio of water to sugar, that would be 4 cups of water and 1 cup of sugar. This ratio can be scaled up or down depending on how much hummingbird food you need (see blog post for further explanation).

You can boil the mixture on the stovetop or in the microwave in a microwave-safe container.

Learning how to make this hummingbird food recipe is as simple! Get the exact directions here and keep those little birds coming back to your yard!

 

Pin this farm tip on your Gardening board to SAVE it for later! Follow Longbourn Farm on Pinterest for more great tips, ideas, and tutorials!

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How to make Hummingbird Food, 4:1 ratio of water to sugar.
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How to Make Hummingbird Food

Learning how to make this hummingbird food recipe is as simple! Get the exact directions here and keep those little birds coming back to your yard!
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Keyword how to make hummingbird food, hummingbird food, hummingbird food recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 5 cups
Author Alli
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Cost 1

Equipment

  • Hummingbird Feeder

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 cups water
  • 3 drops food coloring

Instructions

  • Combine water and sugar.
  • Bring to a rolling boil, stirring frequently (see note).
  • Once sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and add a small amount of food coloring, if desired.
  • Allow to cool completely.
  • Pour into the feeder and enjoy the hummingbirds!

Video

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Notes

My hummingbird feeder holds roughly 5 cups of fluid, so using the 4:1 ratio of water to sugar, that would be 4 cups of water and 1 cup of sugar. This ratio can be scaled up or down depending on how much hummingbird food you need (see blog post for further explanation).
You can boil the mixture on the stovetop or in the microwave in a microwave-safe container.
Tried this recipe?Mention @longbournfarm or tag #longbournfarm!

Looking for more great gardening posts?

  • How to Make Hummingbird Food
  • Tips for Growing Herbs Indoors
  • Building Raised Planter Boxes
  • Gardening Tips for Beginners
  • Winter Squash Storage
  • Garden Soil Preparation for Planting
  • Quick and Easy Way to Preserve Tomatoes
  • How to Compost
  • Best Way to Store Zucchini
  • Harvesting Onions and Storing Onions
  • Watering Your Garden
  • How to Harvest and Freeze Broccoli
  • Herb Harvest and Preservation

Comments | 6 comments

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Comments

  1. Sandy S says

    June 9, 2021 at 5:00 AM

    Please do not use red food coloring in the sugar water as it can harm the hummingbirds. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Alli says

      June 9, 2021 at 10:06 PM

      I said it was optional.

      Reply
  2. Alli says

    January 4, 2018 at 4:03 PM

    5 stars
    Great recipe and explanation!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Canned Green Beans with Bacon • Longbourn Farm says:
    October 27, 2021 at 8:48 PM

    […] How Do I Make Hummingbird Food […]

    Reply
  2. How to Gel Stain Garage Doors • Longbourn Farm says:
    May 12, 2021 at 9:42 PM

    […] How to Make Hummingbird Food […]

    Reply
  3. How to Plant Flowers in Large Planters • Longbourn Farm says:
    July 21, 2020 at 10:43 AM

    […] How to Make Hummingbird Food […]

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Hi, Friend!


Alli Kelley is an Agriculture focused entrepreneur. She runs a successful food blog, a consulting and coaching business, and all the social media connected with an online presence.

She also owns and operates a small, diversified farmstead where she enjoys home improvement projects, experimenting in the garden, creating profitable mini businesses on the farm, and of course, riding her big grey horse, Zane.
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