There are many great reasons to make your own nectar, however. Since this critical hummingbird food is easy to make by mixing the right proportions of plain white granulated table sugar and tap water, there’s never an excuse not to make it from scratch. Homemade nectar is better for hummingbirds, and once you learn how to make it, you’ll never rely on commercial mixes again. While there have not been extensive studies to determine whether these chemicals are positively harmful, they are not needed to nourish the birds or attract them to feeders. A simple homemade nectar solution will not introduce any unknown or potentially harmful substances into hummingbirds’ diets. There is typically no need to boil the nectar while making it, as hummingbirds contaminate the nectar as soon as they sip it anyway. Just cool the nectar and fill the feeders. A slightly stronger nectar solution can provide greater energy during migration when birds need to build up their reserves, or it can be useful for overwintering hummingbirds that require more energy to stay warm in poor weather. Instead, if you make the nectar yourself, you can always have it on hand for early spring migrants or late fall stragglers, without taking the chance of running out or being forced to use old nectar that is leftover after a long summer.
