When it comes to making hummingbird nectar, one of the most common questions is whether regular tap water can be used or if purified bottled water is necessary. The short answer is that tap water is perfectly fine to use in most cases. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when using tap water to make nectar for hummingbirds.
The Benefits of Using Tap Water
The main advantage of using tap water to make hummingbird food is convenience. For most people, tap water is readily available right from the faucet. This makes it easy to mix up fresh nectar anytime without having to make a special trip to buy bottled water. Tap water is also generally less expensive than bottled options. Given that hummingbird feeders need to be cleaned and refilled frequently during peak hummingbird season, the cost savings of tap water can add up over time.
Additionally, plain old tap water is fine for hummingbirds in most circumstances. Hummingbirds have been drinking nectar made from any readily available water sources for thousands of years. As long as the tap water is clean and safe for human consumption, it does not pose any serious risks to hummingbirds in the majority of cases.
When to Use Purified Bottled Water
While tap water is perfectly fine in most situations, there are a couple scenarios when bottled purified water is recommended instead:
- If you have a reverse osmosis or water softening filtration system, the water produced may not have the proper mineral balance and could potentially impact the health of hummingbirds over time. In this case, using store-bought purified water is a safer choice.
- In certain geographical regions, local tap water may have higher mineral content or contaminants present. If your tap water has a strong chlorine taste or smell, seems cloudy, or leaves significant mineral deposits on surfaces, you may want to use bottled water instead.
- During times of drought when water sources are under strain, tap water quality can decline. Using bottled water during drought conditions removes any uncertainties about possible contaminants.
The main signs that your tap water may not be suitable for hummingbirds are strong chemical tastes or smells, visible cloudiness or particles, and significant buildup of mineral deposits on surfaces when the water dries. If in doubt, purified bottled water is the safer way to go.
How Mineral Content Impacts Nectar
One of the main considerations with tap water versus bottled water is the mineral content. Tap water often has higher concentrations of minerals like calcium and magnesium compared to purified water. This mineral content is not harmful to hummingbirds directly. However, it can impact the nectar mixture.
Higher mineral content tends to make the nectar solution thicken and crystallize more rapidly. This can lead to clogged feeders. Additionally, crystallized nectar does not have the same appeal to hummingbirds and they tend to avoid feeders with thick, syrupy nectar.
Purified bottled waters have the minerals filtered out, resulting in a cleaner, thinner nectar mixture. While the trace minerals themselves are not an issue, the impact on the nectar can make purified water a better choice in some cases.
Ways to Reduce Mineral Content in Tap Water
If your tap water has moderate mineral levels, there are a couple tricks you can try to reduce the effects on your nectar:
- Use cold tap water rather than hot. Heating water concentrates the minerals as some water evaporates.
- Let a container of tap water sit open for 24 hours before using. Some of the dissolved minerals may precipitate out as the water re-equilibrates with air.
- Consider attaching a small micron filter to your faucet. This can filter out some of the minerals and chlorine.
- Alternate use of tap and bottled water. The bottled water batches help reset the mineral buildup.
Other Water Quality Considerations
In addition to mineral content, a few other water quality factors come into play when making hummingbird nectar:
Chlorine
Most municipal tap water systems add a low level of chlorine as a disinfectant. At the concentrations used for drinking water, chlorine poses no health hazard to hummingbirds. However, some individuals may prefer to remove the chlorine taste and odor from tap water before using it. This can be achieved by adding a water dechlorinating product, letting the water sit uncovered for a few hours before use, running it through an activated carbon filter, or boiling and cooling the water.
Fluoride
Fluoride is added to many municipal water supplies to help prevent tooth decay in people. The fluoride levels for drinking water do not pose any problems for hummingbirds. In fact, hummingbirds do not have any teeth at all. So there is no need to take any special precautions regarding fluoride in tap water used for nectar.
Lead
Lead contamination is primarily associated with old pipes and plumbing systems. Municipal water supplies are rigorously tested for lead. Unless you have a private well with lead components, lead is unlikely to be an issue. If in doubt, have your tap water tested or use bottled water to be on the safe side when it comes to lead exposure.
Microorganisms
Municipal tap water is disinfected to kill disease-causing microbes like bacteria and protozoans. However, tap water can sometimes contain low levels of opportunistic organisms like yeasts and molds. These microbes are not typically harmful to hummingbirds. But they can cause nectar to ferment or spoil faster. Refrigerating prepared nectar helps slow microbial growth. Bottled water provides a very low microbe starting point. As an extra precaution, the nectar can be boiled for 1-2 minutes after mixing and then cooled before use to kill any organisms present in the tap water originally.
Recommendations for Tap Water Use
Based on all these considerations, below are some best practice recommendations for using tap water to make hummingbird nectar:
- Always start with fresh tap water – do not use old water sitting in machines or pipes
- Avoid using hot water directly from the tap – allow it to cool first
- If possible, allow tap water to sit uncovered for a few hours before mixing nectar
- Consider attaching a filter to your faucet to remove chlorine and some minerals
- Wash feeders more frequently if using tap water to prevent mineral buildup
- Refrigerate unused portions of mixed nectar
- Alternate tap water and bottled water to vary mineral content
- If tap water tastes heavily of chlorine or smells unpleasant, consider switching to bottled
- Boil tap water nectar mixes for 1-2 minutes then cool before use to kill any microbes
Conclusion
Tap water can certainly be used to make homemade hummingbird nectar in most cases. While not quite as pure as bottled distilled or spring water, typical municipal tap water does not contain anything truly harmful to hummingbirds. Taking a few simple precautions like filtering, refrigerating, and frequently changing nectar minimizes any downsides. Alternating tap water and bottled water batches provides a good balance. So the answer is yes – tap water works just fine for hummingbird nectar as long as some basic guidelines are followed.
