Enter the amount of water and choose a mix. The calculator gives the amount of refined white sugar to dissolve in it, plus a feeder-change reminder based on today's temperature.
The formula
Sugar = water ÷ N, where N is the number of water parts in the ratio:
| Mix | Ratio (sugar : water, by volume) | N | Who recommends it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard hummingbird nectar | 1 : 4 | 4 | Audubon, Smithsonian's National Zoo, Cornell Lab |
| Cold, rainy spell | about 1 : 3 | 3 | Cornell Lab ("up to about a third cup of sugar per cup of water") |
| Oriole nectar | 1 : 6 | 6 | Project FeederWatch (Cornell Lab and Birds Canada) |
All three are volume ratios. Use the same cup or measuring jug for sugar and water. The Smithsonian notes that any unit works as long as you use it for both. The milliliter option also shows an approximate weight, using about 0.85 g per ml for granulated sugar. That's a rough kitchen conversion for scales, not a figure from the sources above. Measuring by volume is what the recipes actually specify.
Why 1:4?
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology explains that the sugar content of flower nectar is "roughly comparable" to sugar water mixed at a quarter to a third cup of sugar per cup of water. The 1:4 recipe sits at the dilute end of that range. Cornell recommends staying there in hot, dry weather, "no stronger than a quarter cup of sugar per cup of water," because hummingbirds risk dehydration. In cold, rainy spells, a mix of up to about a third cup per cup "won't hurt your birds and may help them." The calculator's cold-snap option uses that upper value (1:3).
Orioles take a weaker mix. Project FeederWatch gives 1 part sugar to 6 parts water for oriole feeders, and suggests halved oranges for orioles too. It lists grapes and raisins (without preservatives) for other fruit-eating birds.
Worked examples
- 1 cup of water, standard mix: ¼ cup sugar (Audubon's exact recipe).
- 4 cups of water, standard mix: 1 cup sugar (the Smithsonian's example).
- 2 cups of water, cold snap: about ⅔ cup sugar.
- 3 cups of water, oriole mix: ½ cup sugar.
Things the calculator can't fix
- Freshness beats strength. A perfect ratio spoils fast in heat. Follow the change schedule in our hummingbird feeder guide. Cornell says never to leave sugar water out more than two or three days, and to change it daily in very hot weather.
- Skip the red dye. Audubon says it "is not necessary and could also prove harmful," and the Smithsonian agrees. Red feeder parts attract the birds on their own (Project FeederWatch).
- Skip honey. Audubon warns honey "can promote dangerous fungal growth."
- Store leftovers cold. The Smithsonian says refrigerated sugar water should be used within a week.
- Timing matters too. A fresh batch only helps if the feeder is up when the birds arrive. See when to put out hummingbird feeders for arrival dates by region.
Sources
- How to Make Hummingbird Nectar — National Audubon Society
- Hummingbird Nectar Recipe — Smithsonian's National Zoo
- What's the Best Recipe for Hummingbird Nectar? — All About Birds
- Feeding Hummingbirds — All About Birds
- Food Types — Project FeederWatch
- How to Clean Hummingbird Feeders and When to Change the Nectar — The Hummingbird Society