How to Make Homemade Hummingbird Feeders

Hummingbirds require nectar from flowers to fuel their rapidly beating wings, and sugar water from hummingbird feeders provides extra sustenance. Instead of buying an expensive feeder from a store, you can make your own feeder using easy-to-find household items. Making your own also gives you the chance to decorate it to your liking. While hummingbirds tend to flock to flowers in summertime, hanging your feeder year-round will allow you attract some hummingbirds at all times of the year.

Bottle with small cap
Large, deep bottle cap
Drill
Napkin
Hot glue gun
1 cup sugar
Red pipe cleaner
Red ribbon (optional)
Red silk flower (optional)

Instructions

- 1
  Drill several holes close together in the center of the small, shallow bottle cap, which should fit the bottle you plan to use as a feeder. Pry the holes open to form one large hole in the middle.
- 2
  Squish a napkin through the cap hole then grab the napkin on both sides of the cap. This will keep it off the bottom of the other cap when you glue them together, but it is only temporary.
- 3
  Place the small cap with the napkin in it on top of the bigger, deeper cap. The napkin laced through the small cap will keep the two caps from touching. The bottom of the small cap should be slightly lower than the rim of the large cap.
- 4
  Squeeze hot glue between the outside of the small cap and the inside of the large cap to attach them together. The website World of Hummingbirds recommends making four bridges of glue. Leave gaps in between for the nectar to rest, then let the glue dry for several hours.
- 5
  Decorate the bottle with a red ribbon or a red craft foam or silk flower. Hummingbirds flock to the color red.
- 6
  Boil four cups of water and stir in one cup of sugar. This four to one ratio mimics natural flower nectar. Boil it for five minutes, then pour the nectar into the bottle. Store the extra nectar in the refrigerator, where it should keep for up to three weeks.
- 7
  Remove the napkin from the bottle cap -- which is now two caps glued together -- and screw it onto the bottle.
- 8
  Turn the feeder upside-down and tie it to an overhang or bush with red pipe cleaner.

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