Hummingbird nectar calculator
Stir until the sugar dissolves. Boiling is optional; it slows fermentation slightly. Cool before filling.
Extra nectar keeps in the fridge for up to a week.
Cloudy nectar, black specks or mould mean empty, scrub and refill now.
The 1:4 ratio approximates the sucrose content of the flowers hummingbirds feed on. No red dye, honey, brown sugar or sweeteners. Change schedule is the widely reproduced temperature chart used by Audubon chapters and feeder makers.
Feeders that are easy to clean on this schedule
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Used only to send the checklist.Frequently asked questions
What is the ratio for hummingbird nectar?
One part plain white table sugar to four parts water by volume, for example 1/4 cup of sugar in 1 cup of water. That approximates the sugar content of the flowers hummingbirds naturally feed from. Stronger mixes are not better, and weaker mixes give birds less energy per visit. Use no red dye, honey, brown sugar, raw sugar or artificial sweetener.
How often should I change hummingbird nectar?
Change it on a temperature schedule. With daily highs below about 75 F, every 6 days is fine. In the upper 70s every 5 days, low 80s every 4, mid 80s every 3, around 90 every 2, and above 92 F change it every day. Clean the feeder at every change, and change it sooner if it looks cloudy.
Do you need to boil water for hummingbird nectar?
No. Boiling is optional. Clean tap water with fully dissolved sugar is fine, and warm water dissolves the sugar faster. Some people boil to drive off chlorine or slow fermentation slightly, which does no harm as long as the nectar cools before it goes in the feeder. What matters far more is cleaning the feeder and changing nectar on schedule.
Is red dye bad for hummingbirds?
Red dye adds nothing the birds need, and many bird groups advise against it as an unnecessary additive. Hummingbirds are drawn by the red parts of the feeder, not the colour of the liquid. Plain, clear sugar water at a 1:4 ratio is the recommended recipe. Many commercial nectars are dyed, which is one reason homemade nectar is preferred.
How much nectar should I put in a hummingbird feeder?
Only as much as the birds drink before it needs changing. Early in the season and in hot weather, fill feeders a quarter or halfway so you are not throwing out spoiled nectar every day or two. Increase the fill as visits rise in late summer, when young birds and migrants arrive and one feeder may be emptied daily.