DIY Hummingbird Feeders (4 Awesome Ideas)

Creating your own hummingbird feeder is a simple, rewarding project you can work on solo, as a group crafting project, or fun rainy day kids activity. We’ve chosen some very simple designs that can be put together with a few household items or minimal purchases, to keep the budget low. In most cases the budget it so low that you can make several of these to fill your yard, give as gifts, or just keep tweaking and improving. 

Let’s jump into our four DIY hummingbird feeder ideas, plus a DIY ant-moat at the end as the finishing touch. I’ve done my best to describe the steps involved but if you’re like me, visuals really help bring the written instructions to life. I’ve included a youtube video that demonstrates the process for each project.

1. Wine Bottle Hummingbird Feeder

Materials:

• Wine bottle (or any glass bottle you want, provided the opening will work with the stopper which is 1″ long and tapered – measuring 15/16″ diameter at the top and 5/8″ diameter at the bottom)
• Hummingbird feeding tube: Flower tube option, red-tip option
• Wire: Our pick is this plastic coated steel clothesline, but a wire coat-hanger will also work, or copper crafting wire.
• Needle nose pliers

Instructions: 

1. Wash the bottle out well. We recommend removing the labels so you can better see the level of nectar in the bottle, and because they will eventually look bad after being exposed to weather.
2. Add some red (optional): to better attract hummingbirds try and add a pop of red. Maybe paint a red stripe on it, glue some red glass beads to it, add some red ribbon – get creative!
3. Figure out how you want to hang it. If you have your own method in mind for how to hang this, great. If not – try a simple wire-wrap.
   • Spiral Curl: we recommend the thicker coated clothesline wire for this. Starting with the cut end, use the pliers to curl the wire tip back on itself to hide the sharp end. Leave a 2-3 inch straight section sticking out parallel to the ground as a hummingbird perch, then begin to wrap the wire snugly around the upside-down bottle. Go around the skinny part of the neck at least once, then work your way up. Leave 12-14 inches at the top to curl over and create the hook. (make sure you curl the wire tip at the top also to avoid getting scratched in the future.) 
   • Hanging Basket: cut 2 lengths of copper wire and straighten them out. Fold each section of wire in half, and loop the end around the bottle neck. Have the loops facing opposite directions and twist off a few times to secure, and fold them down along the body of the bottle. Now you should have two long copper wires on either side of the bottle body that you can start weaving into a “basket”. Every few inches, cross-cross wires from opposite sides of the bottle and twist. (if you’re extra crafty, you can string some colored beads in) Once you get to the end of the bottle, twist each set of wires together to create a long strand on each side, then twist the two strands together to create the hanging loop. 
4. Make your hummingbird nectar (4 cups water: 1 cup sugar) and fill, leaving about a half inch of air. 
5. While the bottle is still facing up, push the feeder tube stopper into the opening as snug as you can. 
6. Now it’s ready to hang!

Tip: Cut wire is very sharp. As soon as you cut it, grasp the end with the pliers and curl it back on itself to create a smooth p-shape. Labels can be removed by soaking in vinegar and scrubbing, or using a product like Goo-Gone. 

After sitting out in the sun, the liquid/air inside the jar will heat up and expand, and may cause a small drip. Choose where you will hang this with that in mind (not over a nice outdoor rug or patio chair).

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2. Soy Sauce Bottle Hummingbird Feeder

A play on the bottle feeder idea, this uses a simple soy sauce jar that has pour spouts already built in to the lid!

Materials:

• Glass soy sauce jar with red lid that has pour spouts built-in. Kikkoman and Yamasa brands make these, but brand doesn’t matter as long as you have the red lid with dispensing holes.
• Coated Wire (optional): Our pick is this plastic coated steel clothesline, but a wire coat-hanger will also work, or coated copper wire.
• Needle nose pliers (if using the wire)

Instructions: 

1. Wash the bottle out well. We recommend removing paper labels if there are any.
2. If the lid has a foam gasket piece on the inside you can remove it.
3. Figure out how you want to hang it. If you have your own method in mind for how to hang this, great. If not – try a simple wire-wrap with a flexible plastic coated wire. Curl the wire about 3-4 times around the bottle from top to bottom, then leave a minimum of 12 straight inches at the top you can curl into a hook shape.
   • Tip: to create a hummingbird perch, leave 2-3 inches of straight wire parallel to the ground before you start wrapping.
4. Make your hummingbird nectar (4 cups water: 1 cup sugar) and fill, leaving about a half inch of air. 
5. Screw the cap on tight and hold upside down to check holes. It shouldn’t be leaking, at least not significantly.
6. Now it’s ready to hang!

Tip: Cut wire is very sharp. As soon as you cut it, grasp the end with the pliers and curl it back on itself to create a smooth p-shape. labels can be removed by soaking in vinegar and scrubbing, or using a product like Goo-Gone. 

The trapped air inside the jar has a lower pressure than the outside atmosphere, creating a vacuum effect that holds the liquid inside the container. However, after sitting out in the sun, the liquid/air inside the jar will heat up and expand, eventually causing a small drip. Choose where you will hang this with that in mind (not over a nice outdoor rug or patio chair).

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3. Tupperware Hummingbird Feeder

This simple feeder uses something most of us already have (or can grab from the dollar store) – plastic tupperware containers with the clear bottom and red lid. By adding some plastic flower feeding ports to the lid, you have an instant table top or hanging feeder. 

Materials:

• Tupperware containers (any shape, with the clear bottom and red lid)
• Hummingbird feeder replacement flower kit
• String
• Soldering Iron or drill with small bit for making the holes

Instructions:

1. Take the lid off and decide where you want to place the feeding holes. 3-4 holes would probably work best. Use a marker to make a dot on the lid where you will poke the hole. 
2. Use whatever you have to make a small hole in the lid. I like to use the small soldering irons because they melt through plastic so easily. 
3. Start with the smallest hole you can make, and test to see if the stem of the port flower will snugly push through. If not, widen just a little and try again. You want the flower to pop into the hole and be snug. If you overshoot and the flower wiggles a bit in the hole you can use a very small amount of glue to secure it – just be careful the glue doesn’t obstruct the port. 
4. If you want a table-top feeder – you’re done! Just add nectar and set outside. 
   1. Did your tupperware come in a pack? Take a second lid, flip it upside down and set it on the table first. Fill the rim with water, then place the feeder on top. Now you have an ant-moat!
5. For a hanging feeder, cut 4 lengths of string (you can choose the length depending on your needs). Knot all four strands together at the bottom and the top. Place one knot under the bottom of the feeder, and the other on your hanging hook. 
   • By choosing 12 strands of string to start (3 for each side), you can braid each side for a slightly fancier look, and sturdier support.

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4. Spice Container Hummingbird Feeder

If you do any cooking or grocery shopping you are surely familiar with the red-lid McCormick spice jars. These are actually tiny hummingbird feeders already made for you. They’ve got the color red and the holes are already drilled in the lid! 

All you have to do is wash it out, remove the label (optional) and it’s ready to fill. Because of it’s small size you can really get creative with where you place this. 

Tip: Look for one that has small sized holes. You don’t want the holes to be large enough for bees or wasps to crawl in, because they will!

• Set on a table top
• Nestle it into a hanging plant that the hummingbirds may already be visiting
• Tie a string or wire around the lid to hang
• Drill a hole in the lid to place on a hook or below an ant moat
• Use it as a hand-feeder
• Get a flower pot and fill with soil or gravel and nestle a few of these for a multi-station, portable feeder for the table top or deck.
• Get creative with a spice jar holder

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DIY Ant Moat for Hummingbird Feeders

Ants love sugar as much as hummingbirds do, and if they find your feeder it can really be a nuisance. That’s where “ant moats” come in. Ants don’t like to risk submerging themselves in water. So by placing a water barrier between the ant and your feeder, you can do a pretty effective job at keeping them away. 

Materials:

• Laundry Detergent Bottle Lid 
• Coat-hanger or stiff wire
• Pliers
• Drill or Soldering Iron
• Waterproof Silicon sealant or Hot Glue
• Small brush or popsicle stick to spread the glue
• Paint (optional)

Instructions:

1. Wash your detergent lid
2. Using your pliers or wire snippers, cut the bottom straight section out of a wire coat-hanger. (You can also use clothesline wire or any type of wire for this as long as it is thick enough to remain rigid.)
3. Using a drill or soldering iron, create a small hole in the center of the detergent lid. Start small and adjust as necessary until the wire piece will fit through. It doesn’t need to be super snug, but you don’t want a hole larger than it needs to be either.
4. With the detergent lid on the wire, use the pliers to bend both ends and create a hook above and below the lid. If the wire looks much longer than you want, snip one of the ends and adjust as needed.
5. Now we need to secure the detergent lid in place and make sure water will not drip out of the hole. Using the silicon sealant or hot glue, make a thin layer that coats the inside bottom of the cap, with emphasis on making sure the area around the hole and wire are well coated. Before gluing make sure you are holding the cap in the center of the wire – you may want to use something to prop the lid up while working on this and allowing it to dry.    
6. Once dry, fill with a bit of water to make sure it is not leaking. Add more sealant if necessary.
7. Your moat is complete! However – if you prefer that it looked a little nicer, you can paint the outside of the cap and the wire. Just make sure to coat your paint job in some type of glossy sealant for the outdoors to help protect it in the rain. 

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Important DIY Hummingbird Feeder Tips

Keep the feeding holes small: Most hummingbird feeders use a hole size between 1/8 to 3/16 inch (3mm to 5 mm) to keep out insects. You want to keep the holes small enough so bees, wasps, and other insects seeking a sip of the sugar can’t crawl in.

Don’t overfill: Hummingbird’s beaks are about 1-4 inches long, and their tongue can stick out another 2-3 inches past that. When it comes to nectar level you don’t want to fill your container up all the way to the brim. If the nectar is right at the level of the feeding holes, insects will swarm to it because they can easily reach the sugary goodness. The nectar should be 2-5 inches below the opening where hummingbirds can reach but insects can’t.

Use Red: you probably know this already but incorporate the color red on any feeder you make to attract hummingbirds. Just don’t use red dye in your nectar.

Make Your Own Nectar: Making your own nectar is simple, and you can find our recipe here. Always use a 1:4 sugar to water ratio, which most closely mimics natural nectar.

Keep Your Feeders Clean: Unfortunately nectar goes bad quickly, especially in the heat. Make sure to wash and refill feeders at minimum once per week, and 2-3 times per week if it is hot outside. Learn more about how & when to clean your feeders here. 

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Seem Like Too Much Work?

While crafting a DIY hummingbird feeder can be a fun and rewarding project, it might not be everyone’s cup of tea. If the thought of gathering materials, assembling, and then maintaining a homemade feeder seems daunting, you’re not alone. Fortunately, buying a hummingbird feeder is a straightforward and usually affordable alternative. Here are some of our favorites: 5 Great Hummingbird Feeders For Your Yard.

You can also attract hummingbird by choosing flowers with natural sources of nectar. Having blooming flowers all through spring and summer will keep them coming back for more. Colorful, tubular flowers are the most attractive. You can discover some of their favorite blooms here: 20 Plants and Flowers for Hummingbirds.

Remember, whether you decide to DIY or buy, the goal is to enjoy the company of these remarkable birds. By providing a reliable source of nectar in your garden, you can enjoy the vibrant sight of hummingbirds close to home.