The One Thing You Should Never Put In Your Hummingbird Feeder

Hanging up a hummingbird feeder is a great way to attract these handsome feathered creatures to your backyard. It’s well-known that hummingbirds are attracted to the color red, which is why many hummingbird feeders are red, too. Some hummingbird feeders show photos of red liquid, which is problematic and commercial pre-made nectar solutions often contain red dye. Food coloring or color additives isn’t needed to attract hummers and can potentially harm hummingbirds.  

We spoke to two hummingbird experts on why you should never put red food dye in the feeder or buy pre-made solution with color additives, what could happen to the hummingbirds, and why hummingbirds will still come to the feeder without red coloring. 

• Gail Karr is the curator of special animal exhibits at the Memphis Zoo.
• Barbara Smith is a Consumer Horticulturist with the Clemson Extension Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC). 

Why You Shouldn’t Put Red Dye In Your Hummingbird Feeder

The goal of a hummingbird feeder is to attract them to your back or front yard by providing them with supplemental nectar and in exchange, delight in watching their wings flutter at high speed while they feed. Harming these winged animals is likely the last thing on your mind. If you have red food dye or food coloring in your pantry and you’re thinking it’s another way to attract hummers to the feeder, don’t.

Food coloring shouldn’t be added to the supplemental nectar.  “Many hummingbird feeders incorporate the color red in the feeder itself,” says Gail Karr, curator of special animal exhibits at the Memphis Zoo. “This will serve as an attractant, so using red dye in the nectar just isn’t necessary.”

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Red No. 3 and Red No. 40 are color additives to give a dazzling red color to foods and drinks, such as cereals, confections, dairy products, puddings, beverages, and more. Red dye is made of petroleum, per the FDA— obviously, it’s not part of a hummingbird’s diet and is not safe and sound for birds. “Adding harmful red dye to the nectar solution is not only dangerous for the health of the hummer but is not necessary,” says Barbara Smith, Consumer Horticulturist with the Clemson Extension Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC). 

However, Red dye No. 40 is common in commercial hummingbird sugar solutions or supplemental nectar. “While the effects of red dye have not been studied in hummingbirds specifically, researchers have studied the effects of Red Dye 40 in rats and mice, [which] caused reproductive issues and was found to be a carcinogen,” says Karr. Shortly after, the FDA prohibited red dye No. 3 from being used in cosmetics and medications in 1990 but continues to allow it in food products. “It is best to try and steer clear of red-dyed hummingbird nectar,” says Karr. 

What Can Happen If Hummingbirds Ingest Red Dye

Consuming artificial coloring is harmful to hummingbirds and could be fatal. An adult weighs around 0.1 to 0.2 ounces, says Smith. Hummingbirds can drink a lot of nectar each day. If they feed on sugary nectar from a feeder with food coloring, instead of flowers, they can consume a significant amount of red dye. “A hummer will consume about 10 grams or more of nectar solution per day,” Smith says. “If red dye is added, they will ingest 17 times the recommended dose recommended for an adult human [and] can cause major health issues or death.” 

Whether hummingbirds rely on hummingbird feeders as their main source of nectar or as a supplement, any amount of red dye isn’t good for them. “The important thing to remember is that hummingbirds are so small that ingesting any amount of Red Dye 40 could pose a risk,” says Karr.  

Read the label before you purchase a pre-made nectar for hummingbirds and avoid any products that have red dye. Save your money, minimize unintentional harm to these handsome birds, and make your own sugary nectar without any food coloring or color additives. 

Make Your Own Supplemental Nectar

Making sugary nectar is straightforward, uncomplicated. and cost-effective. You only need two ingredients—sugar and water.  Plus, when you make your own supplemental nectar you can feel confident giving it to hummingbirds and you don’t have to worry about any safety concerns. “It is better to make your own hummingbird nectar by mixing one part sugar to four parts boiled water,” says Karr. The sugar should be dissolved before adding to the feeder. 

A Hummingbird Feeder Is All You Need 

Hummingbird feeders are carefully designed to attract hummers. Adding food coloring as an extra measure isn’t necessary. “A hummer’s eyesight has evolved to where the red-to-yellow color range is highly developed,” says Smith. “This is why good hummer feeders are red with yellow feeder ports.”  Karr adds, “Once the hummers find your feeder they will be repeat visitors.”

Keep it uncomplicated when you’re thinking about enticing hummingbirds to your yard. “Using a red feeder is all that you need to do as hummingbirds are naturally drawn to the color red,” says Smith.

Clean Hummingbird Feeders Regularly

A hummingbird feeder needs to be regularly cleaned to ensure the hummingbirds continue to visit. A neat feeder is also necessary to their health as the sugary nectar can mold and harm the birds. “Keeping the feeders clean and filled with fresh nectar solution is extremely important,” says Smith. Sugary nectar can ferment and occurs quicker in sultry and heated weather. “If the hummers feed on a moldy or cloudy nectar solution, this will cause a fungal infection on their tongues,” says Smith. The tongue will swell and the birds can’t feed leaving hummingbirds to die a sluggish and painful death from starvation, she adds.  

Clean the feeder every 2-3 days, says Smith and check periodically that the solution hasn’t become overcast. Clean feeders daily in heated weather—temperatures above 90 F degrees—since the sugary nectar will ferment faster. Avoid using soap to neat as this can leave a film that not only tastes bad but might be harmful to hummingbirds. Opt for 1-part vinegar and 2-part water to neat using a bottle brush to reach all the nooks and crannies.