Nectar Defender Hummingbird Nectar Extender, Bird-Safe, Natural, 2-Pack

This stuff really works! Had my doubts about buying this stuff at first. So many gimmicks out there. With this horrible hot weather we've been having though, I was getting really tired of mixing sugar water every few days. What I noticed right away after the first use, was that the nectar was staying perfectly clear in the feeder! I couldn't believe that the birds were hitting the nectar after 5 days. I actually felt a bit weird about it, having been used to changing nectar out every 2 or 3 days. I actually felt guilty at first. I think the longest I've gone between nectar changes so far, is 6 days. I'm not sure how long I could let it go, because I start to feel guilty at that point. I know. Silly. Bottom line, it this stuff makes the nectar last a long time, is safe for the birds, and you only need a small cap-full for a whole quart of nectar!

I absolutely love this product. I first heard about it at my local bird store, and now I won’t make hummingbird nectar without it. It truly extends the life of homemade nectar, especially during our hot Minneapolis summers when sugar water can spoil in just a few days. Before using this, I had to change the feeder every two or three days. Now, with Sapphire Labs Nectar Defender, the nectar stays fresh for about a week — and the difference in hummingbird activity has been amazing. We used to get just an occasional visitor, but this year we’ve had hummingbirds every morning, afternoon, and evening. It’s magical. We only get ruby-throated hummingbirds here, but they’ve become daily guests in our yard. I even attached a short video of one in our garden right after enjoying a snack at the feeder that had this product in it — proof that it works and that the birds keep coming back. It’s completely natural and safe for the hummingbirds. I make my own nectar (just sugar and distilled water boiled and cooled), and once it’s cool, I simply stir this in before filling the feeder. If you care about keeping your feeders clean and your nectar fresh — or you live somewhere with warm weather — this is a must-have. It’s made our yard feel alive and full of joy.

This really works! I was scepticle but live in the south and have to replace the water in my feeders daily. I have had no black mold and the water/sugar stays clear. In the spring I did leave it up for 2 weeks as the birds were arriving and had no mold at all! I am definetly purchasing this again it is saving so much on Sugar for my daily water changes now I only need to do it when empty in about a week. I love this product!

This is a ridiculously easy and cost effective product to use. It's NOT a substitute for regularly and diligently cleaning the feeders and making fresh nectar. But that being said, this product does offer observable benefits and keeps the nectar from quickly fermenting. I only partially fill my feeders for about 3 to 4 days of consumption. I install my feeders in shaded areas and under domes to keep them out of direct sun, but that won't help against ambient 90+*f temperatures and oppressive humidity. But, to my surprise, this product does exactly what it says it will do. It kept the nectar clear and fresh for over a week. It eventually clouded and I could see evidence of fermentation, but it certainly inhibited and slowed the process. You should not offer spoiled nectar and you should regularly service the feeders, but there is no doubt it extended the viability of the nectar. And, it was noteably easier to clean the feeders. It also keeps my homemade nectar fresh in the fridge for a much longer time, which was a huge and unexpected bonus. Now I can make up a bigger batch and store it, which makes maintenance and refilling even easier. I've noticed that the hummingbirds do not seem to notice any off-flavors or reject the nectar, as I offered one treated and an identical untreated feeder right next to each other. Within a few days, they clearly preferred the treated nectar and did not visit the untreated, which then started to show signs of spoilage. The hummingbirds have convinced me that this is a beneficial product.

Like others have said, this product is REALLY expensive. One tablespoon is half an ounce so with one four ounce bottle you can get eight tablespoons which is enough to make two gallons of nectar. That's pretty pricey when you mix up a gallon at a time like I do. Despite that, my house is in a desert climate and the nectar can spoil really quickly. This stuff does a really good job of preventing that. It's not perfect, but the difference is noticeable. I can generally only change the feeders out once every two weeks because of my schedule and before using this I would almost always have fermented or spoiled nectar IF the hummers hadn't finished it all by then. That doesn't happen anymore. I think that makes for healthier hummers. That said, despite the claims that the hummingbirds can't tell the difference they definitely can and they consume less from feeders treated with this product in the same way they tend to avoid the ready-to-use nectar products - which is that they will consume it, but with not nearly as much gusto as just plain water and sugar. I am sometimes surprised to find that even though the nectar hasn't spoiled not as much of it has been consumed either so it's a trade-off. However, hummers DO drink nectar made with this and don't think it causes them any harm. It's essentially just copper and not only do hummingbirds need copper in their diet, but if they get too much of it their bodies can excrete it. Four stars because I wish it was a lot cheaper and I do wonder why the hummers don't like it as well. It does what it claims to do, though.

This is an amazing product for homes who do not have a ton of hummingbirds around yet. I always had my sugar water go bad before the birds got to it. Super easy to use. It has nutrients the birds generally need and cannot get from their environment, total of 3 ingredients and is clear like water. You need a tablespoon per quart. Made in USA is always a nice notion as well.

Keeps nectar fresh!

I have been using this product for the past few years and it really works. It couldn't be easier to use-- just follow the label directions. Without it, the nectar in our hummingbird feeder would spoil in a few days. Our campsite gets full sun, which accentuates the heat and speeds up the degradation of the nectar we put out. Ever since we started using the defender, the hummers are happy and so are we.

A great product! No reduction in hummer costumers. I don't think I'd go two weeks in hot weather as the nectar will evaporate increasing the sugar and Nectar Defender to become stronger. In hot weather, a week max if you want your hummers around. Works great with a reduction of mold on feeders.

If hummingbirds are not using your feeders, check for hidden mold which is highly toxic and difficult to eliminate. We have multiple feeders all around the house that stay up all year to feed summer and winter hummingbird species. This nectar works great to keep my feeders in top shape. The trace amount of copper sulfate has never harmed our hummingbirds. They are active, healthy, radiant little birds and seem to choose my feeders over my neighbours.