What you will need:

• White granulated sugar
• Tap Water

“Do not add red dye” it is not necessary and is harmful to hummingbirds. Red dye 40 is associated with hyperactivity and various types of cancer and Red 3 is associated with causing thyroid cancer and chromosomal damage. If these are the potential risks is causes in consumption in humans than I don’t want to feed that to my lovely hummers. Although hummingbird associate red with food, it is safer to buy a feeder with red coloring. Red glass feeders are recommended because it reduces the risk of BPA toxins getting into their food source.

Nectar Batch Sizes (4:1 ratio):

Small 8oz. Batch: 1 cup water; ¼ cup sugar

Medium 16 oz. Batch: 2 cups water; ½ cup sugar

Large 32oz. Batch: 4 cups water; 1 cup sugar

Recipe:

1. Boil water on medium to high heat
2. Add sugar to boiling water
3. Boil for an additional 2 minutes (to create a syrup); stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar crystals
4. Once the sugar is dissolved; remove from the heat and let cool
5. You are ready to fill your feeder once the nectar mixture reaches room temperature. You can speed this process up by placing it in the refrigerator
6. Store the additional nectar in a airtight container in the refrigerator; recommend to store no longer than 10 days, checking the quality before using is always a safe rule of thumb

Here are some guidelines to help determine how often to change your nectar in your feeder, to avoid spoiling:

• 60-70 degrees change weekly
• 71-80 degrees change every 3-4 days
• 81-85 degrees change every 2-3 days
• 86 degrees & up change everyday to every other day

Feeders should be placed in a shaded area, cleaned often with water and vinegar or a mild soap, and rinsed thoroughly. Be cautious cleaning your feeder with bleach, if not washed properly it can leave a film on feeder and be harmful to hummers. 

Want to print the recipe? Just click here.