Make your own hummingbird feeder using small mason jars. These feeders are simple to make, loved by hummingbirds, and easy to clean.
The recipe for how to make sugar water for hummingbirds is here.
DIY Hummingbird Feeder
I like to try a lot of different bird feeders to see which ones work best both for the birds and to clean.
This project starts with a simple jar feeder.
If you just get one hummingbird at a time in your garden, the simple single feeder may be all you need.
I get several—and they like to guard their territory—so I like to have a few small feeders spread out throughout the garden to minimize territorial battles.
If you live somewhere where they feed in flocks, provide a bunch of jars together for a communal feeding station.
Along with feeders, it’s important to provide nectar flowers, trees, and shrubs, so they have places to nest and rest. And never use harmful sprays—they rely on insects as their main food source.
Why Mason Jar Feeders Are Recommended
- Very easy to clean
- Inexpensive
- Use a low volume of sugar water (to avoid spoilage)
- The hummingbirds like them
- But it’s not so easy for other critters like squirrels to drink from them
On the downside, because they have larger openings on the lids than regular hummingbird feeders, some flying insects including bees may get in the sugar water.
I still use them because it doesn’t happen too often here, but keep this in mind if your garden is buggier.
How to Make a Mason Jar Hummingbird Feeder
Supplies and Materials
The three main supplies are small mason jars, red daisy lids, and something to hang the feeder.
Before getting the red daisy lids, I tried drilling holes in plain mason jar canning lids but that created sharp edges that would be unsafe for the birds, so it’s worthwhile to order the red daisy lids instead.
Hummingbirds find food sources by sight. The color red is attractive to them so be sure to use red lids but never use red sugar water as food coloring is not good for them.
I’ve listed the specific supplies below for each type of feeder.
1Single Hanging Mason Jar Hummingbird Feeder
For each feeder you will need:
4-Ounce Mason Jars | Amazon
Red Daisy Lids | Amazon
- One mason jar
- One daisy lid
- One (or more) chains with hook latch
- If you have a dollar store nearby, check the garden section for hooks and chains used to suspend small hanging baskets.
Assembly
- Attach the chain using existing holes in the daisy lid.
- You could also suspend several single jars from a piece of pipe or a small branch to form a nice row of feeders.
2Multi-Feeder with Eye Bolt
- Several mason jars with daisy lids
- Eye bolt with two nuts | 5/16 x 8-inch
- Thick plastic plate (red) with drainage holes
Red Daisy Lids | Amazon
Assembly
- If plate isn’t really sturdy, use two or more
- Drill drainage holes in plate(s)
- Drill 5/16-inch hole in middle of plate for eye bolt
- Secure eye bolt in place using one nut on either side of plate(s)
3Multi-Feeder with Chains
- Several mason jars with daisy lids
- Thick plastic plate (red)
- Chains with hooks (3) for hanging
Assembly
- Drill drainage holes in plate plus 3 holes in lip (equal distance apart) for attaching chain latches.
- Use more than one plate if one alone is not very sturdy.
Once the hummingbirds are using your feeder after arriving in spring, be sure to wash out the containers regularly and replenish the sugar water. You may need to do this once or twice a day as the weather warms. When it’s hot, you should remove the feeders to prevent mold. This has tips on washing your feeder.
For more budget-friendly garden ideas see 10 Surprisingly Good Dollar Store Finds for Gardeners.
~Melissa the Empress of Dirt â™›
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How to Make a Mason Jar Hummingbird Feeder
Equipment
Supplies & Materials
- 5 4-ounce Mason jars wide mouth jars
- 5 Red daisy lids to fit 4-ounce jars
- 1 5/16×8-inch Eye bolt with two nuts
- 1 Plastic plate thick, strong
- 1 Chain with snap hooks or similar fasteners to hang feeder
Instructions
Drill Plate and Install Eye Bolt
- Drill several drainage holes in plate.
- Drill 5/16-inch hole in middle of plate for eye bolt.
- Secure eye bolt in place using one nut on either side of plate(s).
- Drill three or four holes in lip of plate to attach snap hooks.
Set Up Feeder
- Fill five mason jars with sugar water, attach daisy lids and place on hanging plate.
Notes
- Get the right sugar water recipe here.
- Clean your feeder frequently: this may be twice a day in hot weather.Â
Beth says
My daughter found me a hummingbird feeder that is made from a Mason Jar. It’s red! I believe she purchased it at a hardware store.
I have sat on my porch a lot this summer and have had the pleasure of watching God’s beautiful creatures eat out of that feeder and chase each other away!
I was sitting on my step one day-quite aways away from my feeder. I was reading and heard that familiar “buzzing” but I thought it was a bee. I looked up and less then 3 feet away from my face a hummingbird was looking right at me!! It stayed there for at 15 seconds!!!
Melissa J. Will says
Wonderful! I’ve experienced that as well. It’s magical. I don’t know if they are simply curious or seeking something. I’ve also had them sit on my shoulder and hat while pausing in the garden. And what a sound those wings make when they’re by your ear.
Jenny says
Any ideas on how to turn a quart size mason jar into a hummingbird feeder
Melissa J. Will says
I don’t think there’s a really good way of doing it.
The jar would need to be used upside-down to work, otherwise you would always be wasting a lot of sugar water because the birds could only get the top inch or so.
There are chicken waterers that use mason jars: https://amzn.to/3gwbmal
but this would leave the sugar water very accessible to insects.
If you find a good idea, let me know!