Hummingbirds are entertaining feeder birds that love nectar. However, there are risks involved in leaving nectar sitting out too long in the sun.
Hummingbirds can get drunk on nectar if it’s left to sit out in warm weather for too long. This is because nectar can ferment due to bacterial activity. Getting drunk is quite dangerous for hummingbirds, so you should clean your feeders regularly to keep this from happening.
Why Hummingbirds Can Get Drunk on Nectar
Hummingbirds can get drunk on nectar if the nectar is left sitting in the feeder too long.
Sugar and water ferment, producing alcohol, which can be quite dangerous for hummingbirds considering their small size and speed of travel.
Therefore, you should do everything you can to prevent hummingbirds from getting drunk at your feeder.
Why Hummingbird Nectar Ferments
Hummingbird nectar ferments because it is made from sugar.
Fermentation happens because bacteria metabolize sugar or carbohydrates, using the energy and leaving a byproduct in its place, in this case, alcohol.
Sometimes acids like lactic acid are also produced as a result, depending on the type of fermentation.
Why It Is Dangerous for Hummingbirds To Get Drunk
There are several major concerns for hummingbirds when it comes to fermented nectar. One concern is that the hummingbird will sustain injuries to the liver.
In fact, they have been known to die from liver failure after consuming large quantities of fermented nectar.
Drunk hummingbirds are also at risk of being caught by predators or crashing into windows.
Preventing Fermentation in Your Hummingbird Feeder
To prevent fermentation in your hummingbird feeder, the most important thing to do is clean out the feeder and change the nectar regularly.
The longer the nectar sits untouched, the more likely bacteria will take over the feeder and convert the sugars into alcohol, especially in warm weather.
How Often Do You Need To Clean a Hummingbird Feeder?
You need to clean your hummingbird feeder every few days in hot weather and change the nectar daily.
When cleaning, empty the feeder’s reservoir, thoroughly clean each piece, and refill the feeder with fresh nectar rather than reusing old nectar.
This will slow the spread of bacteria.
How To Clean a Hummingbird Feeder
Beyond just replacing the nectar in a feeder, you should wash each feeder element to ensure no bacteria spread into the new batch of nectar.
Follow these steps to ensure that your hummingbirds are as healthy as possible:
- Pour out the old nectar. Once nectar has been sitting in a feeder all day, it’s no longer considered usable. Although this might seem wasteful, you can reduce the amount wasted by noting how much nectar was used in a day and then filling the feeder with just that amount next time.
- Disassemble the feeder. Some feeders are easier to take apart than others, so look for a feeder like the Nature’s Rhythm Hummingbird Feeder (available on Amazon.com). This feeder easily comes apart for simple cleaning.
- Soak in soapy water. While the feeder is taken apart, it’s the perfect time to remove grime from difficult-to-reach places where the feeder parts come together. Nectar can be quite difficult to remove, so letting your feeder pieces soak for an hour or two in a soapy solution may be necessary to ensure that it loosens enough.
- Scrub the pieces. You can use a bottlebrush or a similar tool to brush each feeder piece, scrubbing away any moldy parts or stuck-on residue that didn’t come off in soaking.
- Rinse with water. Rinse away the soap and residue with clean, running water. Ensure that you rinse thoroughly so that there is no trace of soap in the next batch of nectar. Hummingbirds do not appreciate the taste or smell of soap.
- Dry and reassemble. Dry all the pieces of the feeder. The best way to do this is to set the pieces out and give them time to air dry, although you can also towel dry them to speed up the process. Either way, make sure that the pieces are completely dry before you reassemble and refill the feeder.
In some cases, you can skip this process and simply disassemble your feeder, then place the pieces in the dishwasher.
However, some feeders will melt in the dishwasher’s heat, so check the manufacturer’s instructions before choosing this cleaning method.
Another alternative approach is to soak your feeder in a vinegar solution rather than soapy water.
If you choose this approach, just make sure that you distill your vinegar by mixing it with two parts of water before placing your feeder in the solution.
What Should I Put in a Hummingbird Feeder?
You should put sugar water or storebought nectar in a hummingbird feeder.
Some advocates say that storebought nectar is unhealthy because it contains preservatives, but it still provides essential nutrients.
Mixing sugar with boiling water is a simple way to make a healthy solution.
Hummingbirds usually eat a more varied diet consisting of insects and nectar from flowers, but feeder nectar provides basic nutrients that are critical for survival.
If you mix your own sugar water solution for the hummingbirds, make sure that you only use granulated white sugar and freshwater.
Never use honey, as this can kill hummingbirds even if diluted.
How To Make Feeder Nectar for Hummingbirds
Follow these steps to make your own feeder nectar for hummingbirds:
- Boil a large amount of water. Plan on mixing about four parts of water with one part of sugar for your final solution. Remember that the volume will ultimately decrease due to the boiling process.
- Add sugar. You should mix the appropriate amount of sugar according to the 4:1 ratio into the water, then allow it to dissolve completely before moving on to the next step.
- Allow the mixture to cool. Never place hot nectar in a feeder, as this can melt parts of the feeder and be dangerous to birds.
- Store residual nectar in the refrigerator. It’s better to store your nectar inside rather than put too much in the feeder, as excess nectar left in the feeder will spoil. In the refrigerator, nectar can last 7 – 10 days.