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:
- Mix 1 part sugar with 4 parts water (for example, 1 cup of sugar with 4 cups of water) until the sugar is dissolved
- Do not add red dye
- Fill your hummingbird feeders with the sugar water and place outside
- Extra sugar water can be stored in a refrigerator
- 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