11 Homemade Hummingbird Food Recipes

Sheri Dorn is a versatile homesteader and culinary artist with a strong focus on organic and heirloom gardening. Holding a Master's degree in Culinary Arts, she combines her love for cooking and gardening in a unique way. Sheri is an active contributor to online gardening communities and enjoys quality outdoor time with her family and pets.
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Here are a few Homemade Hummingbird Food Recipes that will attract these beautiful birds to your home and garden!

As these beautiful birds are attracted to the sweet nectar produced by flowers, some homemade recipes can mimic the natural nectar and can be a good substitute for their natural food.  Read this article that lists some of the best and easiest Homemade Hummingbird Food Recipes.

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Homemade Hummingbird Food Recipes

1. Basic Hummingbird Nectar Recipe

Recipes for Homemade Hummingbird Food

This is a basic recipe for hummingbird food and can be made with 1 part white granulated sugar and four parts water. Just heat the water until boiling, then stir in the sugar until it dissolves completely.

Allow the mixture to cool before filling your hummingbird feeder.

2. Agave Nectar Hummingbird Food Recipe

Use 1 part agave nectar and three parts water to make this another recipe. Ensure that you mix the agave nectar and water together really well.

Allow the mixture to cool before filling your hummingbird feeder. You can buy agave nectar from the market or an online store.

3. Honey Hummingbird Food Recipe

Recipes for Homemade Hummingbird Food

In this method, use 1 part honey and four parts water. Mix the honey and water together until the honey dissolves completely. Allow this hummingbird food to cool before filling your feeder.

4. Natural Color and Sugar Water

Recipes for Homemade Hummingbird Food 2

Hummingbirds love the color red, and the color is something that they are most attracted to. Use some edible red color in the sugar water so that more birds will be attracted.

Note: Artificial colors or sweeteners are harmful to birds, so avoid them at any cost. 

5. Ripe banana Recipe

Although hummingbirds mostly feed on nectar, you can also use fruits. Mash ripe bananas and mix them with water to make sweet, fruit-based nectar.

6. Orange Juice

Homemade Recipes for Hummingbird Food

Get some fresh oranges and squeeze juice from them to make this hummingbird food. Mix the juice with sugar water in a ratio of 1:4, and you will have citrus-flavored nectar.

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7. Berries

Homemade Recipes for Hummingbird Food 2

Mashed fresh berries, such as strawberries or raspberries, can be used to make homemade hummingbird food. After choosing the ripe berries, mix them with water in a ratio of 1:4 to make berry-flavored nectar.

8. Apples

Inventive Recipes for Hummingbird Cuisine

Apple is another fruit in the list that can be used as a substitute to make some fresh food for hummingbirds.

Cut fresh apples into small pieces and blend them with water to make fruity nectar. Make sure you strain the mixture properly before adding it to the feeder.

9. Hibiscus Hummingbird Nectar

Recipes for Handmade Hummingbird Food

Flower nectar is the natural food for hummingbirds, and you can use some flowers to make homemade food recipes for these birds.

  • Use half a cup of each water, sugar, and hibiscus flower to make this recipe.
  • Boil the water and sugar in a saucepan and add the hibiscus flowers to it.
  • Simmer it for 5 minutes and remove the solution from the heat, and you are done.
  • Ensure that you put the mixture through a fine mesh sieve before using it.

10. Lilac Hummingbird Nectar

  • You will need 1 cup of each water, lilac flowers, and granulated sugar.
  • Boil the water and sugar in a saucepan, add the lilac flowers, and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve before using it.

11. Rose Petal Hummingbird Nectar

Recipes for Handmade Hummingbird Food 2

  • Take 1 cup of each water, rose petals, and granulated sugar to make this easy recipe.
  • Boil the water and sugar in a saucepan.
  • Add the rose petals and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and let cool.
  • Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve.

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