DIY Garden/ Outdoor Kids. February 1st, 2024

Buy or make DIY hummingbird feeder for your home garden

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My bird feeder and birdhouse are all set for the beautiful birds. However, this got me thinking of making something for the hummingbirds. Hummingbird house? They don’t need a nest like other birds. However, DIY hummingbird feeder is just the right thing. These small birds need nectar. The hummingbird food is just sugar water.

You can consider adding lights to help them feeder a night with these DIY outdoor lights simple and easy ideas for homes. Make a green environment to make them feel home with 35 Vertical plant walls and gardens with design instructions.

Buy or Make DIY Hummingbird Feeder For Your Home Garden

Let’s start with fun facts about hummingbirds just to know them better. Followed by hummingbird feeders you can buy, DIY hummingbird feeders and FAQs about hummingbird feeder. This guide is intended to help you decide whether buying or making hummingbird feeder is best for you.

But before we get to this there are a few questions on top of my head. Can I DIY hummingbird feeder? Is it better to buy hummingbird feeder or make a homemade hummingbird feeder? What do hummingbirds need? What is the best hummingbird nectar? Can I make hummingbird food at home? How can I attract hummingbirds to my backyard? And so much more.

Here are the top 5 questions answered followed by 6 more FAQs at the end of the article.

1. How to make hummingbird nectar?

Hummingbird nectar is simple sugar water. Our fast-moving friends need sweet water to get the instant energy.

Homemade Hummingbird Nectar Recipe:

Mix 1 cup of granulated white cane sugar with 4 cups of fresh water (1:4 ratio of sugar and water) until the sugar dissolves. Heat the water and stir the mixture to make sure sugar has dissolved properly. Do not add color or dye to make it red.

Let it cool, fill your hummingbird feeder and place outside. You can store the remaining mixture in the refrigerator.

2. Which hummingbird feeder is the best?

There is no one best hummingbird feeder out there. The options available are many and in various varieties. You can find them on Amazon, Etsy, Home Depot, Canadian Tire, Lowes and more.

When making or buying a hummingbird feeder there are a few things to consider:

The size of the feeder: This depends on the space you want to display the feeder. You can choose from the amount of hummingbird nectar it can hold (usually in ounces) to the feeding spots (usually from 1-10 feeding ports).
Easy to wash and clean: It is very important that you can easily open the parts and clean the hummingbird feeder. It is advisable to clean it at least once a week to keep hummingbirds safe from disease.
Structure is sturdy: You have the option of plastic and glass. Both have their own characteristics and benefits.
Easy to fill and hang
Good price

Based on these, one may decide which one to go with. A few known brands that make good quality hummingbird feeders include Nature’s Rhythm, Juegoal, Sewanta, Aspects, First Nature, Perky-Pet, Woodlink and Nature’s Way.

The Five BEST Hummingbird Feeders

(by birdwatchingHQ and the spruce)

Overall: Perky-Pet Hummingbird Pinchwaist Feeder

Saucer: Aspects HummZinger HighView 12 oz Hummingbird Feeder

Budget: First Nature Hummingbird Feeder, 32-Ounce

Window-mounted: Aspects Jewel Box Window Hummingbird Feeder

Glass: Ruby Glass Hummingbird Feeder.

Plastic: Sewanta Plastic Hummingbird Feeders

Do glass hummingbird feeders get hot?

Unless the feeder is hung in an enclosed space like greenhouse it won’t get too hot. The liquid will stay at the surrounding air temperature because the feeder is not insulated. It will lose heat into the air faster than it gains it.

Is glass or plastic better for hummingbird feeders?

Many people prefer glass hummingbird feeders due to their long-term durability. Plastic can warp, fade and crack over time, however, it depends on the exposure to sun and use. Glass is easier to clean sometimes and refilling is also efficient compared to plastic.

On the other hand, plastic hummingbird feeders are lighter with less chance of breakage. They may contain BPA but the newest manufactured ones are BPA free.

3. Where to hang a hummingbird feeder?

When hanging a feeder consider the following factors for placement:

Safety: Hummingbirds are very delicate, and an unsafe feeder can hurt birds. Consider placing the feeder high so that cats and other predators cannot jump at feeding birds. Hang the hummingbird feeder approximately 5 feet above the ground. Also keep it in an open space away from windows to avoid risk of injury from collision into glass.

Convenience: Do not hang a hummingbird feeder in hard-to-reach places like too high or deep in a dense flowerbed. You will need to clean and refill it frequently.

Sunlight or shade: A perfect spot is partially sunny area. The hummingbird nectar will stay fresh for longer period in a shaded area, but it will be hard to locate for the birds if it’s completely shaded. Position your feeder such that it receives sunlight during the day but remains shaded during the peak heat of the afternoon. If you put the feeder in full sunlight you will have to change the nectar more frequently.

Other things: Hang it in a flowerbed filled with nectar-rich flowers to attract it to your feeder. You can also hang it near a safe window. Use suitable decals or other distractions to minimize bird collisions. Hang it from an overhead gutter, awning or roofline. Deck railing with an extendable arm is also a great location to hang the hummingbird feeder within 10 to 15 feet of safety.

4. How often to clean hummingbird feeder?

Keeping the feeder clean is very important to avoid bird disease. Use hot tap water to clean the feeder, or use a diluted vinegar and water solution to soak. Use a long bottle brush to remove any excess black mold from the feeder. Avoid using soap as soap residue annoys a hummingbird.

In hot weather and sunlight, empty and clean the feeder twice per week. However, in cool weather and shade, clean it once per week. Once, the hummingbirds start loving your garden they will become frequent visitors, if you find the feeder empty with greater frequency, clean it more often.

5. How to Attract Hummingbirds to your feeder?

Hummingbirds are attracted to the bright colors. That is why you will find mostly hummingbird feeders are red. There are many ways to attract them:

Display your feeder in bright red flowers
Cover the feeder with red colored artificial flowers cutout from foam
Paint your feeder red.
Hang red ribbons on your feeders, nearby bushes, and trees.
Keep your feeders clean.
Change nectar often.
Do not add red dyes or food coloring to homemade hummingbird nectar.
Add a water source.
Hang a insect feeder or insect hotel as a source of protein.
It is easy to attract hummingbirds with light shower of water or bird baths that helps them clean their tiny feathers.
Make space for the birds to perch.
Plant trees or tall shrubs as perches.
Add a mister to your yard.
Consider hanging more than one feeder at a distance to establish territory.
Deter ants with an ant moat.
Use bee resistant feeders.

15 Fun Facts about hummingbirds

Here are some facts about hummingbirds just for fun:

The average life span for hummingbirds is 3 to 5 years. But they are known to live for more than 10 years.
Hummingbirds cannot walk or hop, their tiny legs are for perching.
They have flawless memory and can remember every feeder and flower they have visited.
Hummingbirds cannot smell but they have sharp eyesight.
Hummingbirds are one of the most aggressive species of bird. They like to build territories.
They are attracted to bright colors with a high sensitivity to the yellow and red end of the color spectrum. Blue may appear dull to them.
Hummingbirds consumes half of their body mass in sugar daily. They have a very high metabolism and feed about 5 to 8 times every hour.
They can lick while they feed about 10 to 15 times per second.
Hummingbirds can fly 25 to 30 miles per hour on average.
A hummingbird’s heart beats about 1,260 beats per minute. In comparison to human heart which beats 60-100 beats per minute.
Hummingbirds do not have mates.
They are the smallest migrating bird. They migrate alone.
Hummingbirds lay the smallest eggs about 1/2 inch long.
Hummingbirds are the only bird that can fly backwards.

BUY HUMMINGBIRD FEEDER

Consider the following when buying a hummingbird feeder. Read and understand whether it is easy to clean, and easy to use. Read reviews and do some research based on your location for hummingbird’s pattern and sighting.

This will help you decide where to hang your feeder such that it attracts hummingbirds. Based on your preference choose plastic or glass material. More on these topics in the end of the post.

What size hummingbird feeder to buy?

The size of a hummingbird feeder that meets your needs can be determined based two factors:

The number of birds
The amount of nectar it can hold

A small size hummingbird feeder can accommodate 1 to 2 birds and hold 8-ounce of hummingbird nectar. While a large feeder can easily feed several hummingbirds and hold more than 40 ounces of nectar.

It is important to note that while it might sound favorable to buy a large one as it can accommodate more nectar. If you don’t clean it frequently it can harm hummingbirds. More details on this can be found at the end of the post.

Now let’s get started with some great options to buy hummingbird feeders.

What are some types of hummingbird feeder?

There are a variety of hummingbird feeders. These include:

Top fill hummingbird feeder
Tabletop hummingbird feeder
Window-mount hummingbird feeder
Glass feeder
Plastic feeder

Some most loved brands and hummingbird feeders are shared below. Please note the links are not affiliate but just shared for your convenience. You can find most of these in Home Depot, Lowes, Walmart, and Amazon.

1. More Birds Impatiens Hummingbird Feeder

4 feed ports, 8 oz. nectar, and made with glass/plastic.

Buy here

2. LeeValley Glass Hummingbird Feeder

1 feed port, 2.5 oz. nectar and made with glass.

Buy here

3. CJJCCF Hummingbird Feeder for Outdoors

4 feeding ports, 32 oz and made with glass.

Buy here

4. Perky-Pet Diamond Wine Top-Fill Glass Hummingbird Feeder

5 feeding ports, 24 oz nectar capacity and made with glass.

Buy here

5. Nature’s Way Illuminated Top Fill Hummingbird Feeder

3 feeder ports, 16 oz nectar capacity and made with glass.

Buy here

6. First Nature Hummingbird Feeder

10 feeder ports, 16-Ounce hummingbird feed capacity and made with plastic.

Buy here

7. Backyard Bird Centre Hummer Hearth Hummingbird Feeder Heater

Use this to keep the space warm and hummingbird nectar drinkable during cold early spring.

Buy here

8. Perky-Pet Window Mount Hummingbird Feeder

2 feeding ports, 8 ounces nectar capacity and made with shatterproof plastic. Attaches to window with suction cup.

Buy here

9. Apsects HummZinger Excel 16-Ounce Hanging Hummingbird Feeder

6 ports for feeding, 16 ounces nectar capacity and made of plastic.

Buy here

10. Nature Anywhere Window Hummingbird Feeder

For outdoor use comes with 3 colors of interchangeable flowers. Enjoy hummingbirds food, sugar water and nectar in feeders from your window view.

2 hummingbird feeders, 16 oz nectar and made with plastic.

Buy here

11. ORIENTOOLS Hummingbird Feeder

A pack of two mini hanging flower hummingbird feeders for outdoor use. It comes with window mount suction cup accessory and connector, giving you options to hang them as you like.

1 feeder port, 2.2 oz nectar and made with plastic.

Buy here

12. Perky-Pet Red Square Antique Bottle Glass Hummingbird Feeder

4 decorative feeding ports, 24 ounces capacity for hummingbird food and made with plastic and brushed copper base.

Buy here

MAKE DIY HUMMINGBIRD FEEDER

What can I use to make homemade hummingbird feeder?

There are a variety of ways you can recycle items at home to make a hummingbird feeder to attract birds. Let’s look at a few of them:

1. Homemade hummingbird feeder

Make this one out of a plastic bottle, juice bottle or any liquid bottle. Video tutorial by Animal Pet Fans.

2. Mason Jar Hummingbird feeder

To make hummingbird feeders out of mason jars, start by filling the jar with hummingbird nectar. Place the plastic insert in the lid along with the hanging chain. Use red plastic insert to attract them. Now screw the lid onto the jar. You are done!

You can hang these in three different ways. 1) Stick the jars in a tray and hang the tray. 2) Stick or display them in a two-tier tray for tabletop. 3) Hang the mason jar with chain alone. Hang the feeder outside on a strong branch. You can also hook it up with shepherd’s hook. Enjoy sighting hummingbirds.

You can substitute mason jars with recyclable materials like spice jars, baby food jars, jam bottles, coffee jars and more.

3. Make hummingbird feeder from water bottle

Use a plastic bottle or juice bottle to make hanging hummer feeder with plastic straw.

Drill a hole that is the size of your straw in the bottle cap. Now punch a hole in the center of each plastic flower. Thread or pass through the straw and arrange it at the end of the straw. Bend the straw to 45 degrees angle and glue it to the bottle cap. Now fill the bottle with sugar water or nectar. Do not add dye or food color. Hang it by coiling a wire around the body of the bottle and you are done.

4. Easy juice bottle DIY hummingbird feeder

Make an upside down juice bottle feeder with burlap by substituting mason jar. This one is great for attracting butterflies instead.

5. Ant stopper for hummingbird feeders

Stop ants from getting to hummingbird nectar by creating a distraction with mason jar lid. You can also distract them with a plastic lid, a opaque object and more. Place some food for them to take instead.

6. Ant moat tutorial

Ant moat is an accessory that many hummingbird feeder owners might need to keep ants away from sugar water. This DIY ant moat sits above the hummingbird feeder and stops ants. Basically it acts as a distraction for them instead of getting down to the feeder. They enjoy a snack in ant moat instead. It not only adds to the charm but is practical as well.

7. Wine bottle/liquor bottle or beer bottle hummingbird feeder

You can use old wine bottles to make decorative hummingbird feeder. Simply decorate the bottle anyway you like, hummingbirds love red and bright colors. You can skip the decorating part and continue by filling it with hummingbird nectar. You can buy online or make sugar water at home. Add a feeder tip at the neck of the bottle and hang it upside down in your garden.

To hang the bottle, secure the wire around the neck of the bottle by coiling it around. File the end of the copper wire to ensure edge is not sharp. Now wind the rest of the wire around the bottle. A 12-gauge copper wire is ideal for this project.

Liquor bottle, beer bottle and any other glass bottle can be used the same way.

8. Homemade hummingbird feeder

Use a juice bottle or green bottle to make hanging hummer feeder with feeder tube. Make a flower with red plastic spoons melted and fused to the bottle cap with hot glue. Hang it with a chain.

9. Recycled Glass bottle feeder

Use a transparent or clear bottle and DIY hummingbird feeder tube with stopper for this project. Hang a hummingbird’s feeder with macrame or knitted hanger. Use red or bright colors in your hanging yarn or thread to attracts these birds.

10. How to Make DIY Hummingbird Feeder Tube

A super simple project made with plastic lunch box and see through water bottle. Cut a hole in the lunch box lid by measuring the size of the bottle opening. Now insert the bottle mouth into the lid and glue it in place. Insert some holes into the plastic lid for hummers to sip the nectar. Now put it all together, fill the feeder and hang it. Wait for the hummingbirds to come and sip on the nectar.

11. Cool Large Chandelier Hummingbird feeder

Spray paint an old chandelier bright red and hang feeders to make this awesome territory that hummingbirds are sure to love. Add it to a flower pot with bright flowers to attract the birds.

12. Small food jar homemade hummingbird feeder

Make a simple hanging feeder with baby food jars.

13. Cheap Cup Hummingbird feeder

Use a plastic disposable cup to make one. A red colored solo cup would attract these birds most.

14. Test tube DIY hummingbird feeder

Drill a small hole in the test tube cap and hang with with a wire. Similarly, you can make a PVC pipe hummingbirds feeder. Cut a small piece of PVC pipe and add stoppers to each end. Drill holes almost an inch apart in the top portion of the pipe. Add foam cut flowers in bright colors over the holes and paint the pipe red. Fill it with hummingbird food, and hang it outside with copper wire.

15. Window Handheld feeder

This idea is very versatile. You can use this hummingbird feeder in two ways. You can attach it to the window with copper wire and plastic suction cup for window sighting of hummingbirds. Or you can remove the test tube from the holder and use it as handheld hummingbird feeder.

16. Soya sauce bottle

Make an instant use of soya sauce bottle with this genius idea. Make sure to clean it thoroughly.

17. Soda bottle

Repurpose soda bottle, old bedspring, and feeder tube with stopper into DIY hummingbird feeder.

18. Coca cola hummingbirds feeder

Instead you can also use a coca cola bottle to make one with copper wire and thread to give it a luxurious touch via hgtv.

19. Hanging basket hummingbird feeder

This beautiful idea from popsugar has my eyes glaring. Add hummingbird feeders to a hanging basket and make them feel native to the natural environment around them. The use of colorful bright hanging basket, red flowers and red paint on the top of the feeders are all great ways to seek their attention.

20. Modern hummer feeder

Make a modern and vibrant DIY hummer feeder with colorful paper, ribbons, lunch box and plastic bottle. Hang it with a keychain holder. This instant feeder can do wonders in the wilderness, camp site or national parks.

21. Garden Pagoda Feeder with roof for hummingbirds

You can buy this beautiful pagoda from amazon and the stakes from the link below. But the purpose of sharing this idea is to enlighten the possibility of making this beautiful feeder home for hummingbirds.

This tin-roof pagoda feeder not only serves the purpose but also adds to the decor of your garden and a comforting shelter for them. Add a hummingbird house and see if they love it enough to live there forever.

22. Blossom hummingbird feeder Stakes

You might have notices these staked mini blossoms in the last few ideas. Buy these mini blossom hummingbird feeder stakes to make a bouquet of colorful blossoms in your hanging planter.

23. Shaker Feeder with Flower

Make a portable DIY hummingbird feeder for your campsite or trailer with spice jar, thread and foam flower. Do not use paper to make the flower shape because it’s sharp sides can cut and hurt the tiny bird.

I hope you enjoyed these ideas to DIY hummingbird feeder. Let me know down in the comments. But first here are some frequently asked questions that might be of concern for you as well.

FAQs about hummingbird feeder

6. What is the best time to sight hummingbirds on feeders?

For most of the places in North America hummingbird feeder should be hung out after the last frost in early Spring or late April to May.

Like most birds, hummingbird likes to feed on nectar usually at dawn and dusk. They will be likely sighted early in the morning and late in the afternoon before sunset. Apart from their favorite time to eat, hummingbirds can be seen feeding at different times throughout the day.

7. Do hummingbirds return to the same feeders every year?

Hummingbirds have a fantastic memory. They will return to the same feeder every year. If these feeders are not hanging, the hummingbirds may leave to look elsewhere and never return. Hummingbirds cannot live more than hours without nectar.

8. Why hummingbirds don’t drink from my feeder?

The common cause is either the feeder is dirty, or the nectar has spoiled. The sugar in the hummingbird food can easily spoil if left out in the sun too long. Some people buy one large feeder so that they don’t have to refill it as often.

Can you put a hummingbird feeder next to a bird feeder? You can, but you shouldn’t. Hummingbirds are small and nervous little birds that like privacy and their own space, so give them some room to buzz around away from other bird feeders.

9. How to keep bees away from hummingbird feeder?

Use a Red Hummingbird Feeder.
Get Nectar Guards.
Use Plug Leaks.
Stay in the Shade.
Change Location Frequently.
Grow a Pollinator Garden.

10. What are hummingbird’s favorite flowers?

You can attract hummingbird’s by hanging the feeder near it’s favorite flowers. Brightly-colored flowers that are tubular hold the most nectar, and are particularly attractive to hummingbirds. These include:

Perennials such as bee balms, columbines, daylilies, and lupines.
Biennials such as foxgloves and hollyhocks
Annuals such as cleomes, impatiens, and petunias.

11. Can I put hummingbird feeder on a table?

You can put a hummingbird feeder on a tabletop outside but you have to be extra cautious of wind blowing the feeder away or predators preying on the bird when they are feeding. You best option is a saucer style hummingbird feeder.

12. How to keep hummingbirds safe?

There are many things that can kill hummingbirds. Precaution should be taken for the following:

Cats.
Cleaning the hummingbird feeders.
Obstacles: Hummingbirds have quick reflexes and a great sense of spatial awareness which helps them to avoid collisions. The most common objects with which hummingbirds collide are clean windows, moving cars, fences, trees, and predators. Keep the feeder away from these objects.
Other birds: Provide them a secluded space to feed.
Bees, wasps and other insects: They bother the hummingbird by hanging around the hummingbird feeders, making it hard for them to feed on nectar.
Spiders: A spider’s web can trap the tiny bird or a spider might want to wrap it in it’s web for long lasting meal.
Praying Mantis: Praying mantis can capture, kill and eat a hummingbird.
Extreme weather.
Snakes and frogs.
Pesticides.

13. How to keep wasps away from hummingbird feeders?

Try these tips to remove swarm of wasps around a hummingbird feeder:

Set up a wasp trap to capture them or divert their attention away from the feeder.
Limit wasp, hornet and yellow jackets by cleaning it frequently.
Change the location of the hummingbirds feeder.

14. Spread Vaseline on the hummingbird feeder to keep ants away?

It may keep the ants at bay but the oil, grease or petroleum jelly can stick to the bird’s feather making it hard for them to fly or preen feathers. Instead put some essential oil in a cup or saucer nearby to deter ants.

15. How much time hummingbirds take to find new feeder?

These are wild birds and they usually stick to their trails and natural calls. Depending on many factors it can take days, weeks or even months before hummingbirds locate your yard and start to visit it regularly.

16. Do hummingbird feeders need to have a perch?

Perch allows the bird to take a moment and you can have a better sighting. They are not a necessity but allow hummingbirds to rest and other non-hovering birds like woodpecker, sparrows and more to sip from the feeder as well.