Homemade Hummingbird Feeders Made Out of Pretty Glass Bottles

Although hummingbirds feed on insects, they primarily eat nectar from flowers. The sugar in the nectar provides the energy they need for their rapid wing movements and acrobatic flying maneuvers. In a single day, one hummingbird can feed on nectar from hundreds if not thousands of flowers to maintain its body weight. Hummingbirds like man-made feeders because each feeder can provide the same amount of nectar as 2,000 to 5,000 flowers. A glass bottle makes a durable, attractive feeder that costs less than commercial plastic feeders.

Glass bottle
5 feet of 4-gauge untreated copper wire
Hummingbird feeding tube
File
Wire cutter
Sugar solution
Glass paint (optional)

Instructions

- 1
  File the ends of the copper wire to dull the edges and prevent injuries to you or to hummingbirds.
- 2
  Hold one end of the wire near the mouth of the bottle, then bend it and wrap it around the neck of the bottle twice. Bring the wire down the height of the bottle, bending it along the way to create any design you want. Use the last 18 inches to make a large hook over the bottom of the bottle, looping the end around the part of the wire going around the side of the bottle to secure it.
- 3
  Fill the bottle with sugar solution, which is available from pet stores.
- 4
  Fit a hummingbird feeding tube on the mouth of the bottle, twisting it to get a snug fit and prevent leaking. The sugar solution should create a vacuum in the bottle, preventing the rest of the liquid from draining out.
- 5
  Hold the bottle upside down and hang it by the hook in a location that is protected from wind and direct sunlight. According to North Carolina State University, sunlight spoils the sugar solution quickly.

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