Sugar Water

Red dye is unnecessary in hummingbird nectar. Clear 4:1 sugar water and red feeder parts are enough to help hummingbirds notice a feeder.

Homemade 4:1 hummingbird nectar lasts up to about one week in the fridge when stored covered and clean, but it should be discarded sooner if it turns cloudy, smells sour, looks stringy, or shows mold.

Use this temperature-based schedule for fresh hummingbird nectar, plus the signs that mean the feeder should be emptied and cleaned right away.

The safe sugar for hummingbird food is plain white table sugar. Keep the 4:1 ratio, skip dyes and alternative sweeteners, and refresh nectar before it spoils.