Make your own Hummingbird Feeder

Baby-food Jar feeder

MATERIALS NEEDED:

Baby-food jar with a screw-on cap
Hammer and a large nail
1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup beet juice
3 feet of string

Directions

To make your feeder, first clean the baby-food jar. Have a grown-up (if your not) make four holes in the cap with the hammer and nail. Make sure there are no sharp edges on the top of the cap.            With the help of an adult (again if your not), put the water in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Stir in the sugar and the beet juice. This is the nectar for the hummingbird. The beet juice makes it red, which is the hummingbird's favorite color. Note: Do NOT use food coloring, as it may harm the hummingbird.
When you have finished making the nectar, pour it into the baby-food jar until it's about three-fourths full. Screw the cap on tightly and tie a string firmly around the neck of the jar. Fasten the other end of the string to a tree branch.

Don't get discouraged if you don't see any hummingbirds right away -- it sometimes takes several weeks for them to discover your feeder. Just be sure to clean your hummingbird feeder and change the nectar every few days.

Soft Drink Bottle Hummingbird Feeder

MATERIALS NEEDED:

Nonreturnable glass soft drink bottle, 16 or 20 ounce size
Bottle Cap (that came with the bottle)
Wire coat hanger
Wire cutters
Pliers
One-eighth inch drill bit

Directions

Cut the hook and twisted portion from the coat hanger. Bend the remaining wire around the soft drink bottle (see illustration). Bend a hook on one end of the wire to hang the bottle. Bend the other end of the wire next to the bottle cap to form a perch for the hummingbird.

Hold drill bit firmly with pliers. With cap still on bottle, drill one hole by turning the bottle. Drill only one hole into the center of the bottle cap. Now fill the bottle about three-quarters full with sugar water. Hang the feeder in a place where it can be seen from a window.

Sugar Water Recipe

Put one cup sugar in a quart jar. Fill the jar with water. Stir the sugar and water until the sugar is dissolved. The sugar water is now ready to feed to hummingbirds. Store the extra water in the refrigerator.

Found at: Missouri DNR website