Hummingbirds are wonderful little critters to have in your yard. They are easy to attract when offered their favorite foods.
There is no need to buy expensive hummingbird food mixtures. Hummingbird food is simple to make with common kitchen ingredients. It doesn’t get any simpler than sugar and water.
The formula for hummingbird food is: 25% sugar and 75% water. The red coloring found with store-bought food is unnecessary. Red food dye can be added, but is totally unnecessary. We have tried using both expensive hummingbird mixes found in stores, as well as the simple formula. Quite frankly, hummingbirds don’t really care. They just love sugar water.
Here is how to make it.
Start with a two-cup glass measuring cup. It is important to use a glass cup, because plastic cups are not intended for use in microwave ovens.
Add 1/2 cup of standard white sugar, then fill the cup with water up to the 2 cup mark.
Stir the mixture. Place the cup in a microwave oven and stir it again to start a rotation in the water. Start the microwave on the high setting and heat the mixture for one minute.
When the microwave is done, remove the cup and stir it again. Most of the sugar will be dissolved into the water, but it may take an extra minute or two to complete the process. Stir the water gently until al the sugar is dissolved.
At this point the water should be warm, but not hot. If it’s hot, let it sit for a while before filling your hummingbird feeders. Fill your feeders and watch the hummingbirds begin to flock to the feeders.
Here’s something else to know about hummingbird feeders. If you live in an area with cold winters, set your hummingbird feeders up in early springtime, as soon as the threat of freezing temperatures passes. When hummingbirds return to an area, they establish their feeding areas very early. Once they find your feeders, they will return.
It’s also a good idea to keep the feeders out of direct sunlight. Sugar water has a tendency to grow strange things when in the sun. Clean the feeders regularly and refill them with fresh solution, such as once per week. That helps assure that your little hummers are eating a healthy diet.
Keep them happy and they will keep you entertained.
Here’s a tip. If you have a cat, place the feeder outside a window where the little hummers can entertain your furry friend.