How to Make Homemade Hummingbird Food
Want to attract Hummingbirds? Make your own hummingbird nectar with this quick and easy recipe!
Hummingbirds are fascinating little creatures. Whether you’re a bird lover or not, you’ve probably seen hummingbirds around. For the most part, they feed on flower nectar and insects, but they will eat from hanging feeders as well. So if you enjoy having these unique birds around, making homemade nectar is a great way to attract them!
How to Feed Hummingbirds
Feeding Hummingbirds is really easy! All you need is a Hummingbird feeder, somewhere to hang it, and some homemade Hummingbird food. Like most birds, they will come on their own.
Hummingbirds are skittish and don’t like when humans get too close, but they don’t seem to mind being admired from a distance. I like to hang my feeder near a window so I can see them when they come to feed.
What You Need to Make Homemade Hummingbird Food
Making homemade Hummingbird nectar is super simple! All you need is sugar and water. It’s basically just a simple syrup. You will need 1 part sugar to 4 parts water. I usually make about 2 cups at a time for my feeder, so here’s my basic recipe:
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 cups water
Boil the water, then add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Let the mixture cool completely before filling the feeder.
Fun Facts About Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds are native to the Americas. There are hundreds of species of Hummingbirds, but the majority inhabit Central and South America. They are also found in several areas throughout North America.
They have the highest metabolism of all vertebrate animals, which supports the rapid beating of their wings. Small species can beat their wings at a rate as fast as 80 beats per second, while larger species can have a rate around 12 beats per second.
To compensate for their extremely high metabolic needs, Hummingbirds can enter a state called torpor, which is basically like a short-term hibernation. They usually enter torpor when food is scarce or at night, and it can slow their metabolic rate to as little as one-fifteenth of their normal rate.
Hummingbird size varies by species, but the Bee hummingbird is the smallest. In fact, it is the smallest known bird and the smallest warm-blooded vertebrate.
I hope you enjoyed reading about hummingbirds and how to make your own hummingbird nectar. If you liked this post, please share and leave a comment below. Thanks for reading!
