Hummingbird Nectar: The Recipe, and Why You Should Skip the Red Dye

Hummingbird nectar is sugar and water. That is the whole recipe, and every commercial red nectar on the shelf is a more expensive version of it with dye added.

The ratio

One part white granulated sugar to four parts water. A quarter cup of sugar to a cup of water. This approximates the sucrose concentration of the flowers hummingbirds feed from naturally.

You do not need to boil it. Boiling was traditional advice for extending shelf life, but if you are changing the nectar as often as you should be, it makes no practical difference. Warm tap water dissolves the sugar fine. If you do boil, let it cool completely before filling the feeder.

Do not add red dye

This is the part worth being firm about. Hummingbirds are drawn to the colour red, which is why feeders are made red \u2014 the plastic does the job. The bird does not need the liquid to be red, and there is no nutritional benefit to it whatsoever.

Red dye is not proven safe for hummingbirds at the volumes they consume. A hummingbird drinks roughly its own body weight in nectar every day. Whatever is in it, they are getting a great deal of it relative to their size. There is no upside to including something whose only purpose is to look appealing to the person filling the feeder.

The serious birding community settled this a long time ago. Dye-free is the standard.

What else to leave out

Honey. It ferments quickly and promotes a fungal infection that is fatal to hummingbirds. Never use it.

Brown sugar, raw sugar, molasses. These contain iron, which hummingbirds cannot process well.

Artificial sweeteners. These provide no calories. A hummingbird burns energy at an extraordinary rate and needs the sugar itself.

Plain white granulated sugar, and nothing else.

Change it often

This matters more than most people realise. Sugar water ferments and grows mould, and both are dangerous.

In cool weather, every four to five days. Around 80\u00b0F, every two days. Above 90\u00b0F, daily. If the nectar looks cloudy or you can see anything growing, it is already too late \u2014 empty it, wash the feeder, start again.

Fill less than you think you need. A feeder that is a third full and changed constantly is far better than a full one you feel obliged to use up.

Cleaning

Hot water and a bottle brush every time you refill. No soap residue, and no bleach unless you rinse extremely thoroughly. Pay particular attention to the feeding ports, where mould starts.

Ants and bees

An ant moat \u2014 a small water-filled cup above the feeder \u2014 solves ants entirely and without insecticide. For bees and wasps, avoid feeders with yellow parts and make sure nothing is leaking; a dripping feeder attracts insects far more than an intact one.

When to put it out and take it down

Two weeks before hummingbirds are expected in your area, so it is waiting when they arrive.

Leaving it up in autumn does not prevent migration \u2014 that is a persistent myth. Migration is triggered by day length, not food supply. Leaving a feeder out late actually helps stragglers and late-migrating birds. Take it down a couple of weeks after your last sighting.