What To Do When Your Hummingbird Nectar Turns Cloudy

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

If you want to attract hummingbirds to your yard, odds are you've put out a hummingbird feeder. While fresh, sweet nectar is certainly an enticement for these acrobatic avians, cloudy nectar is not. So, what do you do when your hummingbird nectar turns cloudy? Dumping it and starting over with fresh nectar is the obvious answer. However, there are also steps you can take to prevent this from happening over and over, such as changing where you hang your hummingbird feeder, and regularly cleaning and refilling your feeder. 

Hummingbird nectar, whether it is store-bought or homemade, is really nothing more than sugar water. Your nectar should be clear, assuming it doesn't have any colored-dye added. If you notice the liquid within the nectar reservoir of your feeder becoming cloudy, it is being overtaken by microorganisms, bacteria, mold, or some other sort of contaminant. This process can be accelerated when temperatures rise during the summer months. 

While the temptation may be to just let the cloudy nectar remain until the feeder is empty, this spoiled sugar water solution not only loses its appeal to hummingbirds, it actually poses a health risk to those who deign to sip it. This is why frequently refilling and cleaning feeders will attract more hummingbirds, and ensure the safety of those that visit your feeder.

The best way to ensure your hummingbird nectar doesn't become spoiled and cloudy is to change it frequently. It is generally recommended to change the nectar in your feeders at least once every five days. When temperatures climb during late spring and summer, this should be done every couple of days – which is one reason larger feeders are not necessarily better and can lead to more waste if the birds aren't emptying the nectar within a few days during summer.

Each time you refresh the nectar you should also thoroughly clean your feeder. While this may sound time consuming, it is relatively quick and easy to clean a hummingbird feeder with a mix of warm soapy water, utilizing small bottle brushes to clean crevices and openings. A good rinse with freshwater followed by a quick air dry, and your feeder is ready to be refilled. If you've noticed a bit more mold or bacterial growth, you can also utilize a bit of vinegar as a natural disinfectant.

Beyond frequently changing and cleaning your feeder, consider the location in which it is hung. If your nectar is stewing in direct sunlight all day, it will likely spoil faster, so try to hang your feeders in a shaded location. You can also utilize a baffle such as the Birds' Choice Red Dome, which will not only provide shade, but also offer some protection from pests, and prevent heavy rain from affecting feeders. One other consideration is the material from which your feeder is made. While both glass and plastic hummingbird feeders have pros and cons, glass models tend to be less prone to spoilage as they heat more slowly than plastic models on hot days.