homemade hummingbird nectar recipe organic sugar

This is far more than the sugar necessary for the proper nectar recipe. Assuming you are making one cup of nectar, you will then use one-quarter cup of sugar.Īt typical room temperature (68-72 degrees Fahrenheit or 20-22 degrees Celsius), one cup of water will dissolve roughly 76 grams of sugar (see “ An Introduction to Chemistry: Supersaturation“). The preferred hummingbird nectar recipe is one part sugar to four parts water. Yet we must consider the saturation of the sugar water solution to determine if this has any benefit for making hummingbird nectar. Warm liquids dissolve crystals more quickly, and boiling water will more quickly dissolve sugar to make hummingbird nectar. Therefore, boiling the nectar before filling a feeder is unnecessary, as the nectar will be contaminated immediately when a hummingbird visits.

Take note of that again – as soon as a hummingbird sips from a feeder, bacteria and microbes are introduced, and any benefit from boiling the nectar is lost. When a hummingbird then dips its bill into a hummingbird feeder and licks at the nectar, some of those microbes and bacteria wash off, and the nectar is now contaminated. All of these actions put microbes and bacteria on their bills and tongues. They wipe their bills on branches, twigs, and leaves, preen through their own feathers, collect nesting material, and eat insects. Hummingbirds visit a wide variety of flowers and feeders throughout the day. Anna’s Hummingbird With a Dirty Bill – Photo by Becky Matsubara A hummingbird’s bill, however, is a contaminated object. This sounds ideal, but it is critical to remember that the nectar will only remain fresh and sterile so long as it is not touched by any contaminated objects. Because boiling water will kill microbes and bacteria, it will inhibit fermentation and the nectar will stay fresh for longer. If there are no microbes or bacteria in the nectar, there will be no organisms to consume the sugar and cause fermentation. As those organisms digest, the sugar is converted into different byproducts, such as lactic acid and alcohol. Boiling to Reduce Fermentationįermentation occurs when the sugar in hummingbird nectar is consumed by microbes or bacteria. Therefore, boiling to remove impurities is not necessary. It is important to recognize that the levels of impurities in tap water are so very miniscule that they do not generally present a significant risk for hummingbird nectar, boiled or not. If the water is heavily boiled for a long period, these remaining impurities may even be further concentrated and could present a greater risk when the water is consumed (though this is unlikely). Other impurities, however, will remain in the water. When water reaches a rolling boil (212 degrees Fahrenheit, or 100 degrees Celsius), dissolved gasses will be removed, and living organic contaminants – bacteria, parasites, and microbes – will be killed. Running Faucet – Photo by Gabriel Rochaīoiling, however, will not remove most impurities from water. In general, however, wildlife rehabilitators, including those who work closely with hummingbirds, agree that tap water is typically safe for hummers. Hummingbirds are not humans, of course, and their tolerances and sensitivities to different water contaminants may be far different than ours (though very little authoritative research has been done in this area). That does not mean the water is 100 percent pure, but only that the levels of potential impurities are not considered dangerous for human consumption. Municipal tap water is treated and filtered before being used, and a myriad of tests are frequently run to ensure the water is safe to drink. Boiling Water – Photo by Zeev Barkan Does Boiling Remove Water Impurities?ĭifferent water sources can have a wide range of contaminants and impurities, from bacteria, parasites, and microbes to heavy metals, chemicals, dirt, chlorine, lead, pesticides, herbicides, dissolved gasses, and other compounds.

Boiling makes it easier for sugar to dissolve so that nectar can be made more quickly.Įach of these ideas has some merit, but perhaps not as much as many birders may realize.Boiling sterilizes the water and minimizes contamination so it will not ferment as quickly.

Boiling removes impurities from the water, thus making it safer for hummingbirds.There are three main ideas behind boiling nectar for hummingbirds. But is it really easy after all? There’s great debate over whether or not sugar water for hummingbirds needs to be boiled. Making hummingbird nectar is easy – it’s a simple ratio of sugar to water, and refill the feeder.

Homemade hummingbird nectar recipe organic sugar