Hummingbird Nectar
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Hummingbird Nectar Recipe
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup sugar
Bring the water to a rolling boil. Stir in sugar until completely dissolved. Let mixture cool to room temperature before filling feeders. Any extra nectar can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
Cleaning Feeders
The feeders should be cleaned every 3 to 5 days to prevent mold from contaminating the nectar. However, if the nectar becomes cloudy sooner than 3 to 5 days, immediately remove the empty feeder and replace it with a clean feeder filled with new sugar water.
Black Mold
When feeders aren't cleaned thoroughly and regularly, black mold can occur. Use a solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water to kill the mold. Leave the solution in the feeder for a few hours or overnight. Make sure the feeder is thoroughly cleaned and rinsed before refilling with nectar.
Best Hummingbird Feeders
Perky Pet 209 Hummingbird Feeders
As you can see from picture at the top of the page, hummingbirds love the Perky Pet 209 Hummingbird Feeders. The glass bottles becomes a visual barrier allowing less aggressive hummingbirds to feed. Also the angle of the feeding port allows them to perch for longer periods. During the migration and summer months, the 30-ounce size is especially important when the hummingbirds are going through 9 cups of sugar water every day.
The Perky Pet feeders are harder to clean than saucer-type feeders. We use a small amount of Bio-Kleen dishwashing liquid and warm water to clean the feeders. Use a bottle brush to clean the bottle and base. You can purchase a small hummingbird feeder port brush to clean the ports. After rinsing the feeder 3 or 4 times with cold water, pour 1/4 cup of vinegar into the glass bottle and add more water. Shake the vinegar and water mixture, empty and rinse several more times to ensure that all soap residue is gone. Then place the glass bottles over an electric baseboard heater until the jars are completely dry. Place the red base near the heater, not on it, until it is thoroughly dry. The heater helps sterilize the jars and base.
Aspects Hummingbird Feeders
When we are not having a hummingbird frenzy, we use the Aspects Hummzinger Hummingbird Feeders. They are very easy to clean. However, our hummingbirds don't share these feeders as easily as the Perky Pet. This feeder is perfect during the winter when we only have Anna's hummingbirds. We also use these feeders to place in remote locations throughout the property when both the Rufous and Anna's hummingbirds are here.