Fill your hummingbird feeder with this recipe from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute.

Ingredients

• Refined white sugar
• Water

Directions for making safe hummingbird food:

1. Mix 1 part sugar with 4 parts water (for example, 1 cup of sugar with 4 cups of water) until the sugar is dissolved
2. Do not add red dye
3. Fill your hummingbird feeders with the sugar water and place outside
4. Extra sugar water can be stored in a refrigerator
5. Change feeders every other day and thoroughly clean them each time to prevent harmful mold growth

Some tips on hummingbird feeders:

• Hummingbirds prefer red feeders because most of the flowers they feed on have red in them.
• Pick a spot in your backyard with vegetation no more than 10 to 15 feet away: Hummingbirds feel most comfortable where there’s cover nearby
• What else attracts hummingbirds to a feeder? Fresh nectar

Source: Good Housekeeping