Join my twice monthly newsletter for the latest recipes sent straight to your inbox
I participate in various affiliate programs so this post may contain affiliate links. When you make a purchase, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps support new recipes.
I only recommend things that have brought value to my life and hope they'll do the same for you.
I’m a Certified Nutrition Coach, gluten-free recipe creator, and home detoxification expert with a focus on gut health. I show burned-out women with digestive issues how to take a proactive, holistic approach to healing by sharing nutrient-dense recipes, and sustainable lifestyle tips that are easy to implement in everyday life.
I’ve been making homemade hummingbird food for years. It’s simple, quick, cheap, and only requires two ingredients. Because it doesn’t contain the artificial colors and preservatives found in commercial mixes, homemade hummingbird food is healthier for the birds. Plants don’t contain additives, and neither should your feeder.
My love and appreciation for hummingbirds started when I was a kid. My mother bought several small feeders at Agway where we bought feed for our horses. She showed us how to make homemade hummingbird food and we hung the feeders from the beams of our front porch.
Much to my delight, I learned that if I stood at the feeders long enough, and rested my finger along the perches they would sit on my finger and feed. Hummingbirds often appear curious and fearless–they’re too fast to have any real predators. As a result, they’ll often fly up close to you to check you out.
In the Eastern United States, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird is the only species we see. If you’ve ever watched them spar and play with each other around a feeder, you’ll know they have more than enough personality to make up for the lack of variety. I highly recommend grabbing a few feeders and making homemade hummingbird food during hummingbird season to ensure hours of entertainment.
Where we live on the border of North and South Carolina, hummingbird season is from late March through late September. You can follow their migration routes here to see when to set your feeders out in the spring.
In the fall, it’s best to leave your feeders out for two weeks after your last hummingbird sighting in case there are any hungry stragglers that were late to the migration party.
After years of using large glass bottle hummingbird feeders, I switched to this smaller tray style. It’s easier to clean, and it doesn’t hold as much nectar, so I’m reminded to clean it out and refill it more often (which is healthier for the birds).
Spiritual Connection to Hummingbirds
When my mom died in 2013, she was missing for four weeks before her remains were found. During that time there were multiple search parties looking for her across several states. The day after she went missing, I had the first of two very special and mystical encounters with hummingbirds during that time.
In these encounters, the hummingbirds acted as spiritual messengers to me from the other side. I could feel my mom’s energy communicating that she was gone, and finally at peace. Needless to say, these feisty little birds hold a special meaning for me.
There is a sense of joy I get when making homemade hummingbird food for these birds. I think of them as neighbors I share this piece of land with. When they return every spring looking for the feeder, I am always relieved (and amazed!) that they survived their migration, and I greet them like friends.
When I whip up a batch of homemade hummingbird food, I do it with love. I like to think they can feel that energy. It’s a small way I can connect with a greater force.
How to Make Homemade Hummingbird Food
Making homemade hummingbird food is simple. All you need is one part white table sugar to four parts water.
Do not use raw, brown, or powdered sugar, turbinado, honey, agave, corn syrup, etc. White table sugar (sucrose) is the closest to the chemical makeup of flower nectar, so it’s important to stick with that.
In a medium saucepan, bring four cups of water to a gentle boil for one minute. Keep the lid on to reduce the amount of evaporation as evaporation will slightly alter the sugar to water ratio.
Turn off the burner and remove the water from the heat. Carefully pour 1 cup of white table sugar into the hot water and stir until completely dissolved.
Cover the pan again and let sit until it reaches room temperature (roughly an hour).
Pour the homemade hummingbird food into your feeder and hang it outside for the birds.
Note:
Store any remaining hummingbird food in an airtight glass jar in the refrigerator.
Empty, wash and refill your hummingbird feeder every 3 days.
I’ve enjoyed hours of entertainment watching our local hummingbirds interact at our feeders. Here, a Carolina anole lizard added to the sighting.
This homemade hummingbird food recipe is quick, inexpensive, easy to scale and only requires two simple ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
1 cup white table sugar
4 cups water, boiling
Instructions
Boil Water: Bring four cups of water to a gentle boil in a medium saucepan for one minute. Keep the lid on to reduce the amount of evaporation as evaporation will slightly alter the sugar to water ratio.
Dissolve the Sugar: Turn off the burner and remove the water from the heat. Carefully pour 1 cup of white table sugar into the hot water and stir until completely dissolved.
Cool: Cover the pan again to prevent evaporation and let sit until it reaches room temperature (roughly an hour).
Add to the Feeder: Pour the homemade hummingbird food into your feeder and hang it outside for the birds.
Notes
Do not use raw, brown, or powdered sugar, turbinado, honey, agave, corn syrup, etc. White table sugar (sucrose) is the closest to the chemical makeup of flower nectar, so it’s important to stick with that.
Empty, wash and refill your hummingbird feeder every 3 days.
Use a 4:1 ratio of water-to-sugar if adjusting the recipe to yield more or less. Quick water-to-sugar measurements in cups: 4:1, 3:3/4, 2:1/2, 1:1/4
Homemade Hummingbird Food FAQs
Here are my suggestions for maximizing the enjoyment you’ll get from making your own hummingbird food, while saving time and energy.
How Much Hummingbird Food Should I Make?
The ratio remains the same regardless of the final yield making it easy to adjust the recipe for your feeder. I recommend a smaller feeder so the hummingbird food doesn’t spoil before they can drink it.
To save time, make a 4-cup batch (above) and refrigerate the leftover nectar. It’ll keep in an airtight glass jar for a week or two.
How Often Do I Change the Feeder?
It’s critical for bird health and safety to keep the food fresh, so change the food every three days or so.
Where Should I Hang My Hummingbird Feeder?
Where you can see it! Half the fun is watching them, so choose a spot near a window, porch, or patio to ensure enjoyment.
Ideally, feeders should be placed in the shade. This will keep the hummingbird food from spoiling as quickly. If they get a lot of sun, you’ll have to change the food more frequently.
More Posts for a Healthy Home
Making your own hummingbird food is an easy way to connect with the natural world in your own backyard. If you’d like more ideas for optimizing your home to help you flourish, check out these additional posts.
