How to Fill a Hummingbird Feeder Co-authored by Jeff Jones
Last Updated: September 1, 2025 References
Creating Hummingbird Nectar
|
Pouring Nectar into Your Feeder
|
Cleaning Your Feeder
|
Video
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Q&A
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This article was co-authored by Jeff Jones. Jeff Jones is a Bird Specialist based in Nashville, Tennessee. He is the writer of BirdOculars, a website dedicated to helping people become better birders. He has over 18 years of experience and specializes in feeding birds and wildlife. Jeff experiments to find ways to encourage birds he wants to study and his website helps others to do the same. This article has been viewed 19,184 times.
Hummingbird feeders have been a part of American gardens since their popularization in 1950 by the Audubon Novelty Company.[1]XResearch source They are incredibly simple to set up and, if you keep them clean and use the right kind of nectar, will bring lots of hummingbirds to your yard. Keep reading to learn how to make your own hummingbird nectar and fill your feeder with it.
Steps
Method 1 Method 1 of 3:
Creating Hummingbird Nectar
1 Boil 1 cup (8.0 fl oz) of water in a pot. Place a small cooking pot on a stovetop burner and fill it with water. Set the temperature to high and wait for the water to boil.[2]X Trustworthy Source National Audubon SocietyNonprofit environmental organization focused on conservation, citizen science, and public science education Go to source
2 Add .25 cups (2.0 fl oz) of refined white sugar to the water. Fill a measuring cup a quarter of the way up with refined white sugar. Then, pour the sugar into the cooking pot and begin mixing the solution together with a cooking spoon. Do not use other forms of sugar, including raw, organic, and natural, as they can harm hummingbirds.[3]X Trustworthy Source National Audubon SocietyNonprofit environmental organization focused on conservation, citizen science, and public science education Go to source
To avoid hurting the hummingbirds, do not add red dye, honey, or sweeteners to your nectar.
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3 Stir the mixture until the sugar is fully dissolved. Using your cooking spoon, keep stirring the nectar until no grains of sugar remain. For small batches, this should take between 1 and 2 minutes. Then, remove the sugar from the stove and let it cool.[4]XResearch source
4 Store extra nectar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. If you have leftover nectar, you can store it in your refrigerator to keep it from degrading. As a general rule, hummingbird nectar will remain good for up to 2 weeks as long as it remains cool. If your nectar develops black mold or begins to look milky, throw it out.[5]XResearch source
Change the nectar in your feeder every 3-5 days.[6]XResearch source
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Method 2 Method 2 of 3:
Pouring Nectar into Your Feeder
1 Separate your feeder’s nectar chamber and lid. For most feeders, this means unscrewing a traditional lid or combination lid/feeding dish from a large, hollow bottle. If you’re changing out the liquid in a used feeder, make sure to hold the nectar chamber so that the opening faces up. For instructions on taking apart complex or abnormally shaped feeders, check your user manual.
2 Rinse your feeder with warm water. Before filling your feeder with nectar, rinse it under a stream of hot water. If your feeder is brand new, do this for about 30 seconds to remove any built-up bacteria. If your feeder is not new, rinse it until all the old nectar is gone. Do not rinse it with soap because the taste repels hummingbirds.
If the nectar chamber has patches of black mold inside, remove them using a bottle brush.
3 Pour hummingbird nectar into the nectar chamber. Feel free to make the nectar yourself or purchase a specialty mix at your local pet store. If you have a large hummingbird feeder, do not fill the chamber up all the way since there’s a good chance it will go bad.[7]XResearch source
If you want, use a clean funnel to make the pouring process easier.
4 Reconnect your nectar chamber and lid. Hold your nectar chamber so that the opening is facing up. Screw on the lid and, if necessary, reconnect it to the feeding dish. Your hummingbird feeder is now ready for use. Advertisement
Method 3 Method 3 of 3:
Cleaning Your Feeder
1 Take your feeder apart. Unscrew the lid covering your feeder’s nectar chamber and set it aside. If there is any old nectar inside the chamber, rinse it out out using hot water. If your feeder comes with any additional attachments, such as a feeding dish or hanging hook, separate them now. If necessary, consult the feeder’s instruction manual for advice on breaking down your specific model.
To keep your hummingbirds healthy, you should clean the feeder about once a month.
2 Combine 1 gallon (130 fl oz) of water with 4 cups (32 fl oz) of vinegar. Grab a tub large enough to hold your feeder parts and fill it with water and standard white vinegar. Using a stirring spoon or gloved hand, mix the solution thoroughly.[8]X Trustworthy Source National Audubon SocietyNonprofit environmental organization focused on conservation, citizen science, and public science education Go to source
You can also use 10:1 solution of water and bleach.[9]XResearch source
3 Soak your feeder for 1 hour. Submerge each part of your hummingbird feeder in the water and vinegar solution. Make sure that each area, especially the inside of the nectar chamber, is covered with liquid. Then, let everything soak for about 1 hour.[10]XResearch source
4 Use a bottle brush to scrub your nectar chamber. Scrub thoroughly to remove any remaining bacteria, dirt, and mold residue. If the other parts of your feeder are also dirty, scrub them using a normal cleaning brush.[11]XResearch source
If your nectar chamber is particularly dirty, try adding grains of dry rice to the solution. Then, cover the chamber and shake it vigorously.
5 Rinse your feeder with warm water before using it again. To get all the vinegar off, rinse each part of your feeder under a stream of warm or hot water. Since vinegar is a strong acidic substance, expect to rinse each part 2 or 3 times to get all the residue off. Once clean, you can reassemble and use your feeder.[12]X Trustworthy Source National Audubon SocietyNonprofit environmental organization focused on conservation, citizen science, and public science education Go to source Advertisement
Community Q&A
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Question How do I clean a hummingbird feeder with bleach? Community Answer You should NEVER clean a hummingbird feeder with bleach! It is best to wash it with water and soap, or you could place it in you dishwasher (if the feeder is dishwasher safe). Let it fully dry and then refill. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 3 Helpful 2
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Co-authored by: Jeff Jones Bird Specialist This article was co-authored by Jeff Jones. Jeff Jones is a Bird Specialist based in Nashville, Tennessee. He is the writer of BirdOculars, a website dedicated to helping people become better birders. He has over 18 years of experience and specializes in feeding birds and wildlife. Jeff experiments to find ways to encourage birds he wants to study and his website helps others to do the same. This article has been viewed 19,184 times. 5 votes - 40% Co-authors: 7Updated: September 1, 2025 Views: 19,184Article SummaryX
To properly fill a hummingbird feeder, start by unscrewing the lid from the bottle or chamber that holds the nectar. Even if it’s brand new, rinse the chamber with warm water and make sure the inside is clean. Then, hold your nectar chamber so the opening hole faces up and pour in homemade or store-bought nectar. Once you screw the lid back on, you’re ready to go. To learn how to create hummingbird nectar and clean your hummingbird feeder, scroll down!Did this summary help you?YesNo
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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Jeff Jones Bird Specialist 5 votes - 40% Click a star to vote 40% of people told us that this article helped them. Co-authors: 7Updated: September 1, 2025 Views: 19,184
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Co-authored by: Jeff Jones Bird Specialist This article was co-authored by Jeff Jones. Jeff Jones is a Bird Specialist based in Nashville, Tennessee. He is the writer of BirdOculars, a website dedicated to helping people become better birders. He has over 18 years of experience and specializes in feeding birds and wildlife. Jeff experiments to find ways to encourage birds he wants to study and his website helps others to do the same. This article has been viewed 19,184 times. 5 votes - 40% Co-authors: 7 Updated: September 1, 2025 Views: 19,184 Article SummaryX
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562 
1 Boil 1 cup (8.0 fl oz) of water in a pot. Place a small cooking pot on a stovetop burner and fill it with water. Set the temperature to high and wait for the water to boil.[2] 
2 Add .25 cups (2.0 fl oz) of refined white sugar to the water. Fill a measuring cup a quarter of the way up with refined white sugar. Then, pour the sugar into the cooking pot and begin mixing the solution together with a cooking spoon. Do not use other forms of sugar, including raw, organic, and natural, as they can harm hummingbirds.[3] 
3 Stir the mixture until the sugar is fully dissolved. Using your cooking spoon, keep stirring the nectar until no grains of sugar remain. For small batches, this should take between 1 and 2 minutes. Then, remove the sugar from the stove and let it cool.[4] 
4 Store extra nectar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. If you have leftover nectar, you can store it in your refrigerator to keep it from degrading. As a general rule, hummingbird nectar will remain good for up to 2 weeks as long as it remains cool. If your nectar develops black mold or begins to look milky, throw it out.[5] 
1 Separate your feeder’s nectar chamber and lid. For most feeders, this means unscrewing a traditional lid or combination lid/feeding dish from a large, hollow bottle. If you’re changing out the liquid in a used feeder, make sure to hold the nectar chamber so that the opening faces up. For instructions on taking apart complex or abnormally shaped feeders, check your user manual. 
2 Rinse your feeder with warm water. Before filling your feeder with nectar, rinse it under a stream of hot water. If your feeder is brand new, do this for about 30 seconds to remove any built-up bacteria. If your feeder is not new, rinse it until all the old nectar is gone. Do not rinse it with soap because the taste repels hummingbirds. 
3 Pour hummingbird nectar into the nectar chamber. Feel free to make the nectar yourself or purchase a specialty mix at your local pet store. If you have a large hummingbird feeder, do not fill the chamber up all the way since there’s a good chance it will go bad.[7] 
4 Reconnect your nectar chamber and lid. Hold your nectar chamber so that the opening is facing up. Screw on the lid and, if necessary, reconnect it to the feeding dish. Your hummingbird feeder is now ready for use. Advertisement 
1 Take your feeder apart. Unscrew the lid covering your feeder’s nectar chamber and set it aside. If there is any old nectar inside the chamber, rinse it out out using hot water. If your feeder comes with any additional attachments, such as a feeding dish or hanging hook, separate them now. If necessary, consult the feeder’s instruction manual for advice on breaking down your specific model. 
2 Combine 1 gallon (130 fl oz) of water with 4 cups (32 fl oz) of vinegar. Grab a tub large enough to hold your feeder parts and fill it with water and standard white vinegar. Using a stirring spoon or gloved hand, mix the solution thoroughly.[8] 
3 Soak your feeder for 1 hour. Submerge each part of your hummingbird feeder in the water and vinegar solution. Make sure that each area, especially the inside of the nectar chamber, is covered with liquid. Then, let everything soak for about 1 hour.[10] 
4 Use a bottle brush to scrub your nectar chamber. Scrub thoroughly to remove any remaining bacteria, dirt, and mold residue. If the other parts of your feeder are also dirty, scrub them using a normal cleaning brush.[11] 
5 Rinse your feeder with warm water before using it again. To get all the vinegar off, rinse each part of your feeder under a stream of warm or hot water. Since vinegar is a strong acidic substance, expect to rinse each part 2 or 3 times to get all the residue off. Once clean, you can reassemble and use your feeder.[12] Advertisement 
Community Answer You should NEVER clean a hummingbird feeder with bleach! It is best to wash it with water and soap, or you could place it in you dishwasher (if the feeder is dishwasher safe). Let it fully dry and then refill. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 3 Helpful 2 
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