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Home » Recipes » Maine

Homemade Hummingbird Food Recipe

Jun 21, 2019 · 41 Comments

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The hummingbirds are back looking for my hummingbird food recipe!

My homemade hummingbird food recipe must be the favorite in the entire neighborhood.  I know I am not the only person around here that feeds the hummingbirds. This morning my feeder was empty after only 2 days.  In addition to that, I see them out here fighting over the feeder.  Now I am not going to say that the hummingbird feeder manufacturers are trying to mislead the general public with false advertising. But every feeder display carton always shows a flock of hummingbirds gathered around the feeder happily enjoying feeding together.  That's not what happens here in the Maine Northwoods.  Either we have the most greedy and aggressive hummingbirds in the world or somebody is Photo-shopping those images for their product packaging. 

Ruby Throated Hummingbird hovering mid air just as he is landing to try my Homemade Hummingbird Food Recipe

Hummingbirds Love the Color Red!!

I stepped out onto the back porch, wearing a red t shirt last Wednesday. The result was I got dive bombed by an overzealous hummer! He came right at me and hovered about a foot away checking me out. He must have thought I was a humongous mega-flower loaded with nectar. Sorry little birdy! I'm not that sweet.  We have had a cold, wet, late spring here in northern Maine. Because of the spring there aren't many flowers around yet so the little fellas are hungry and desperate.

Ruby-throated hummingbird fluttering near a hummingbird feeder drinking the best easy hummingbird food recipe

The Care and Feeding of the Hummingbirds - Cleanliness is Important

So it was time to get the hummingbird feeders out and give then a thorough cleaning.  First, I soak them in hot soapy water with a little bleach added to get rid of any bacteria or fungus from last year.  Every fall I clean them before I put them away. I just feel better if I do it again before I put them out for the new season.  I want to be a blessing to the little hummingbirds and not kill them with sloppy kindness.  Feeding hummingbirds is a responsibility.  You don't just put the feeders out and forget about them.  They must be watched, and maintained for the season.  Hummingbirds are very susceptible to fungal diseases. The warm, syrupy food in their feeders is the perfect breeding ground for those deadly molds and bacteria.  So the hummingbird food must be changed frequently. Each time that you replace it, you must thoroughly clean the feeder.  It is better not to feed them at all if you are not going to be dependable and fastidious in your feeding efforts. And I have found that my hummingbird food recipe is very popular with the local hummingbirds.

Red hummingbird feeder with female hummingbird perched on it this …

The Rewards of Feeding Hummingbirds with our Hummingbird Food Recipe

Your careful efforts will be rewarded. There is nothing more adorable than the little hummers as they hover over a feeder on a warm summer afternoon. Hummingbirds are attracted to the colors red and orange. But it is not necessary to use red food coloring in their food mixture. The red food coloring could be harmful to their health. As long as the hummingbird feeder you are using is red, they will easily find it. The hummingbirds are so tiny and delicate. But the hummingbirds we have frequenting our feeders are also very ferocious in protecting their territory and feeder.   I do marvel at the videos I see on YouTube like the one below that show 50+ hummingbirds all feeding together.  Our little guys aggressively chase each other all over the yard when there is more than one at the feeder at a time. I put out multiple feeders in different places all over the yard but they still fight over them.

Male ruby throated hummingbird eating at a hummingbird feeder

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Best Easy Homemade Hummingbird Food Recipe

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5 from 5 reviews

Why buy "packaged" hummingbird food when you can save money by easily making your own. You can make gallons of this homemade hummingbird food quickly and easily and it's very inexpensive - just pennies for a gallon of it.  No chemical dyes or preservatives so you are giving your little birds a healthier product.

  • Author: Sheryl Thompson
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 2 mins
  • Total Time: 7 mins

Ingredients

Scale

1 cup sugar

4 cups water

Instructions

In  a medium saucepan, mix sugar into water.

Bring to a boil while stirring to dissolve sugar.

Boil for a couple of minutes and then let cool.

Extra solution can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

Male ruby throated hummingbird eating at a hummingbird feeder

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  1. Heather @GeminiRed Creations says

    June 13, 2015 at 2:04 pm

    We always have hummingbirds in the yard and at the feeders. We will have to try this. Thanks for sharing on #SmallVictoriesSundayLinkup 5/24/15

    Reply
  2. Theresa @DearCreatives says

    June 04, 2015 at 2:58 pm

    We get a lot of hummingbirds. I love feeding them but, have never tired by hand. Thanks for sharing the recipe and nature post at the party. Pinned & shared.

    Reply
  3. All that's Jas says

    June 02, 2015 at 6:39 pm

    We saw our first one back this year a week ago. We've been making their food just as your recipe. They are so fun to watch! Thank you so much for sharing at Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop!

    Reply
  4. Joy @ Yesterfood says

    June 02, 2015 at 11:36 am

    Oh, this is a great idea- it's one of my features at Treasure Box Tuesday this week! Thank you for linking up with us, Sheryl! 🙂

    Reply
  5. Angela McKinney says

    June 01, 2015 at 7:38 pm

    Love this! I was kissed by a humming bird on my cheek when I was a kid. I really love watching them and we used to go to the mountains here in Colorado to a friends house and watch them. Glad you shared at #HomeMattersParty

    Reply
  6. Tammy says

    June 01, 2015 at 12:16 pm

    I use this same recipe. Never did add the red color. When I lived in Georgia we had so many hummers that came to our feeders and had to fill them every morning. Now here in Florida, I have a couple. But we are the stopping area for them to rest before migrating up north. I am featuring your post on Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop this Wednesday. Thanks for the great post.

    Reply
  7. Cathy says

    June 01, 2015 at 8:53 am

    My hubby has been making his own Hummingbird food for several years. We just love when they come back each year and sit and watch them for hours. Thank you for sharing your lovely post with Share It One More Time. Cathy

    Reply
  8. Evija says

    May 29, 2015 at 8:54 am

    This is such a lovely post, such a lovely video too. Thank you for sharing and joining our Oh My Heartsie Girl Wordless Wednesday Link Party.. Have a great day, co-host Evija @Fromevijawithlove

    Reply
  9. Candy says

    May 28, 2015 at 9:35 pm

    I had no idea it would be so easy to make hummingbird food! My daughter & I will definitely be making this soon. Thanks so much for sharing your recipe with us at Coffee and Conversation. 🙂
    ~Candy

    Reply
  10. Tracy @ Our Simple Homestead says

    May 28, 2015 at 7:00 pm

    This post would be a perfect addition to the new Our Simple Homestead Hop if you would like to share it with us!
    http://oursimplelife-sc.com/our-simple-homestead-hop-1/

    Reply
  11. Stella Lee@ Purfylle says

    May 24, 2015 at 10:22 pm

    I had to pin this too. I bet our honey eaters would love it just as much as the hummingbirds.

    Reply
  12. Brandi Clevinger says

    May 24, 2015 at 7:49 pm

    That's so neat! The video makes it look so easy, but I hope I can do it. taht would be so cool for my kids to try.

    Thanks for sharing! I found your recipe at Small Victories Sunday Link up!

    Reply
  13. JOY says

    June 18, 2013 at 10:55 am

    Thanks for posting this recipe. I've pinned it so I don't have too look it up anymore. I especially enJOYed the hand feeding video.

    Reply
  14. Lori Who Needs A Cape? says

    June 17, 2013 at 11:18 am

    LOVE Hummingbirds, thanks for the great post. Found on Practically Functional 🙂

    Would love to have you link this up at our SUPER SUNDAY Link Party:

    http://whoneedsacape.com/2013/06/super-sunday-party-2/

    Lori
    Whoneedsacape.com
    Not Your Average Super Moms!

    Reply
  15. sue says

    June 16, 2013 at 6:15 pm

    We go through 10 pounds of sugar a week here in TN. They are great entertainment! Thanks for sharen with us at One Sharendipity Pl. this weekend!

    sue @the2women.com

    Reply
  16. Jutta@HungryLittleGirl says

    June 15, 2013 at 6:15 pm

    I love seeing recipes for animals, I had no idea you could make something for Hummingbirds!
    Thank you for sharing this at Wednesday Extravaganza - Hope to see you there again next week 🙂

    Reply
  17. Katherines Corner says

    June 15, 2013 at 5:11 pm

    Awesome! We have a few hummingbirds that love our petunias 🙂

    Reply
  18. Madonna/aka/Ms. Lemon says

    June 14, 2013 at 11:26 pm

    Planting flowers that have tube-like flowers, preferably red will attract them also. I used to put up a feeder, then I had to deal with ants. Although I have heard if you spread Vaseline on the hanger wire will cause them to get stuck and leave the nectar for the birds.

    Reply
  19. DeDe@DesignedDecor says

    June 14, 2013 at 1:17 pm

    I love watching them, except I cant have any type of bird feeders, my outdoor cat is a good hunter! I dont mind when she catches a mouse, but the birds break the heart!

    Reply
  20. Stacy @Stacy Makes Cents says

    June 14, 2013 at 10:56 am

    Visiting from Weekend Wonders at The Thriftiness Miss....this is a great post. I'm passing it along to my Mama who LOVES her hummingbirds. 🙂

    Reply
  21. debra@ HOMESPUN says

    June 14, 2013 at 5:45 am

    So far I have seen a little hummer come about five times ....thanks for the recipe/ I'll use the home made one next time 🙂

    Reply
  22. Jenna says

    June 13, 2013 at 9:10 pm

    I just love hummingbirds! They are so pretty! Thanks for partying with us at Give Me The Goods Monday!
    Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof

    Reply
  23. Amanda says

    June 13, 2013 at 2:12 pm

    Woo hoo, thank you for the recipe! I had one I used a long time ago, but have since misplaced it. Thanks so much!
    Found you through the Favorite Things Blog Hop 🙂

    Reply
    • Sheryl T says

      June 14, 2013 at 4:54 am

      I hope your hummers love it the way mine do!

      Reply
  24. KC @ The Real Thing with the Coake Family says

    June 13, 2013 at 11:42 am

    Gorgeous pictures of the hummingbirds! Love seeing them. For some reason, we only seem to see them in the fall here. We are supposed to see them in spring as well, but we never do. I use the same recipe you do and they eat it up (so do the bees...boo!).
    Take care,
    KC

    Reply
    • Sheryl T says

      June 14, 2013 at 4:55 am

      I get the bees too! But I don't mind. They are very beneficial to my garden and make sure that every blossom gets pollinated.

      Reply
  25. Linda says

    June 13, 2013 at 12:15 am

    I have a few hummers, but nothIng like you. Your pics are awesome. Thanks you for sharing at What'd You Do This Weekend? I hope you will come back often and share.

    Wishes for tasty dishes,
    Linda
    Tumbleweed Contessa

    Reply
  26. Lynn H says

    June 12, 2013 at 4:51 pm

    Wonderful post:) I look forward to the hummingbirds every spring~ Living on a small lake in Northern WI, I love to watch birds and ducks:) Last year we had a pair of Trumpeter Swans, and I love the Loons~ Lynn @ Turnips 2 Tangerines

    Reply
    • Sheryl T says

      June 14, 2013 at 4:58 am

      I love listening to loons call to each other. The variety of vocalizations is amazing. They definitely have their own language! The first time I ever heard a loon was on a camping trip when I was about 10. It was at night and I was huddled in my tent and was so scared because I thought it was some maniac out cackling in the woods!

      Reply
  27. Vickie says

    June 12, 2013 at 3:00 pm

    I love watching the hummingbirds! I don't put out feeders because I wouldn't be able to keep up with them, and I certainly don't want to harm them, so I won't be using the recipe. But thanks for the great pictures and videos anyway!

    Reply
  28. Robin says

    June 12, 2013 at 2:25 pm

    I've always wanted to put hummingbird feeders in the yard, but never really knew how to make the juice. Thanks for coming by and partying with us at Fluster Buster's Creative Muster.

    Robin @ Fluster Buster

    Reply
  29. zentMRS - Love in the Ktchen says

    June 11, 2013 at 10:26 pm

    I love our hummingbirds too (my son called them honey-birds when he was young and that name has stuck for us)! We don't get the Ruby Throated - we get Anna's. Surprisingly, though, they look very similar. I'd love for you to bring this to Tuesday's Table - http://zentmrs.blogspot.com/2013/06/tuesdays-table-for-june-11-2013-and.html

    Reply
  30. QMM says

    June 11, 2013 at 9:14 am

    Our hummers have been slow in coming here in central Ky. I did not know you could have more than one that close together. Great post.
    QMM

    Reply
  31. LydiaF says

    June 10, 2013 at 6:45 pm

    Wow learn something new everyday. I didn't know hummingbirds migrated that far North. I appreciated your emphasis on keeping the feeders clean.

    Reply
    • Sheryl T says

      June 12, 2013 at 11:24 am

      I really stress this because if one does not maintain clean feeders, they will be killing the hummingbirds with kindness.

      Reply
  32. Happy Valley Chow says

    June 10, 2013 at 3:52 pm

    Funny story....when I was little my mom made a thing of hummingbird food and kept it in the fridge, unlabeled (who knows why). So I poured myself a glass thinking it was koolaid...definitely wasn't haha. Thanks for sharing!

    Happy Blogging!
    Happy Valley Chow

    Reply
  33. Robin says

    June 10, 2013 at 3:07 pm

    I'm always happy when I read a recipe that doesn't call for red food coloring, especially when the writer comments that it isn't good for the birds (and kids!). Great blog. I always enjoy reading your stories.

    Reply
    • Sheryl T says

      June 10, 2013 at 4:04 pm

      The hummingbirds are attracted to the color red but if the feeder is already red, there is no need to color the syrup.I think that we should be careful when feeding any wild thing and provide them with the best care if we are so bold as to choose to intervene in the natural world. Another pet peeve of mine is when people feed wild birds seeds and then never bother to clean out the feeder or remove the seed "waste" from the ground. Birds can be susceptible to diseases that lurk in all that waste.

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Treasure Box Tuesday 74 - Memories By The Mile says:
    June 1, 2015 at 8:01 PM

    […] Coffee Stain by Woods of Bell Trees Hummingbird Food Recipe by Wilderness Wife DIY Porch Curtains made with Shower Curtain Liners by Dagmar Bleasdale Tips for […]

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  2. Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop #15 - My Life Abundant says:
    June 1, 2015 at 12:16 PM

    […] going to make my own hummingbird food and stop buying it.  Its so easy to do and much cheaper.  The Wilderness Wife has a great video showing all her hummers and the easy recipe to follow. a Here are the posts that […]

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  3. Weekly Rays of Sunshine #33 | says:
    June 15, 2013 at 1:59 AM

    [...] The Wilderness Wife  Hummingbird Food Recipe [...]

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