Simple Homemade Hummingbird Food
June 13, 2023
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I have been in love with hummingbirds since I was a little girl, watching them at the feeder out the windows of my grandpa’s old motorhome. Grandma kept a little glass feeder with red flower perches in the motorhome and it went on every trip.
I remember helping her stir the sugar water and red food coloring with a bent wooden spoon and following Grandpa around as he hung the feeder on a string from the camper’s awning.
Decades later, I still feed my grandma’s beloved birds. Some traditions never die and for that I am grateful. I don’t know what it is about the rhythm of making the simple syrup and filling the feeders that warms my insides, but it does.
And, so I do.
Homemade Hummingbird Food
While I don’t add red dye like Grandma used to, I do keep the rest of the recipe the same…
1 part sugar to 4 parts water
My grandparents used to add dye because it was said to attract hummingbirds. I choose to stay away from red dye for myself due to the harmful side effects so I figure I’d better extend the same courtesy to my hummingbird friends. Knowing that they are attracted to bright colors, I use colorful glass feeders and plant a bevy of bright happy flowers instead.
They don’t seem to miss the food coloring.
Making homemade hummingbird food is quick, super inexpensive, and so easy! You’re basically just making a simple syrup.
How To:
Heat the water in a pot on the stove until simmering, then pull from heat. Pour in sugar and stir. Once the sugar is all dissolved, set the syrup aside to cool.
Once cooled, you can fill your feeders and you’re ready to go!
Simple syrup for sweet little birdies.
Tips & Tricks:
When making homemade hummingbird food there are a few things to keep in mind.
- Only use granulated white sugar. DO NOT substitute honey or other types of sweeteners as they could cause sickness or death to your little winged friends.
- Hang your feeders around flowers. You don’t need massive gardens to enjoy hummingbirds. You might be surprised at who will stop by if you set out a feeder and a pot of petunias on your apartment balcony. Flowers attract hummingbirds and they lift our spirits too. Win/Win!
- If you choose to not use the red dye, use feeders that have bright colors.
- Clean feeders each time you refill.
Don’t over think it, my friends. Mix some hot water and sugar together, pour it into a pretty feeder, and then wait. If it doesn’t work, move it to a spot with more flowers. I hang mine in our canadian chokecherry trees while they are blossoming. Then I move them around to better locations with more flowers as the season progresses. I like using metal hooks like these, as they make it a snap to move my feeders around the yard. You can hang them from tree branches, awnings, and even shepherd’s hooks!
I love this little early summer tradition and hope you do too!
Here’s to cute little grandparents who live in the moment and teach granddaughters to look for magic out camper windows. I’m so grateful for my sweet old folks!
Homemade Hummingbird Food
Equipment
- hummingbird feeder
- cooking pot
- wooden spoon
- measuring cup
- funnel
Materials
- 1 cup white granulated sugar DO NOT substitute for other types of sugar
- 4 cups water
Instructions
- Heat water in pot until simmering, then take off the heat.
- Stir granulated sugar into hot water until dissolved.
- Set aside to cool.
- Once cool, pour hummingbird food into feeders using funnel, if necessary.
- Hang feeder & enjoy bird watching!
