Should Hummingbird food be red
In an effort to attract hummingbirds to a feeder, its a common misconception believing nectar must be red, when in fact hummers can happily come to any color or clear food.
Certainly can help if hummingbird food is red as it can get the attention of hummers; only red food means artificial food dye would of been used which can be unsafe to hummingbirds. Rely on a tinted red bottle on a hummingbird feeder while keeping the homemade nectar as it was original made, clear.
What color hummingbird feeder is best is red with a priority on a red tinted bottle, this will then be used to give the illusion of red nectar in use with no sign of food coloring.
If you were to put red food coloring in your homemade hummingbird nectar mix, I can assure you it will make hummers unwell.
Hummingbird food shouldn't be red nor does it have to be red to attract hummingbirds to your feeder - your sugar water mix can be just as successful in attracting hummingbirds in the yard, if it was left clear.
With that in mind the ingredients of food coloring or dye is unknown because it depends on the brand. I would never use food coloring in a hummingbird feeder as it can also damage the internal feeder itself, by staining it in a faded red.
Glass or plastic hummingbird feeders are safe but they won't be if used with food dye or coloring.
What you can put in a hummingbird feeder is water and sugar only which makes up the prime ingredients to make nectar at home.
Hummingbird food shouldn't be red because it means artificial food coloring or dye is used - in which can make hummers unwell which can lead to death.
Success is in red food
While not really necessary, homemade nectar to put in a hummingbird feeder can see an uptake in more hummingbirds arriving to the feeder.
Its vital you don't color the nectar while relying more on the red tint on the hummingbird feeder glass or plastic bottle - to give hummers the illusion of red food.
Hummingbird food is mostly made at home thus the only way for it to be red is if you add something to it, which isn't recommended as it can be dangerous to hummingbirds.
Which doesn't matter as you are sure to see success on the hummingbird feeder if the food is red or actually clear. Nectar in the wild is found to be yellow, amber, brown, green, blue and black - and of course red.
Its therefore safe to say hummingbirds don't have a problem feeding on nectar that is any one color - because its the nutritious nectar that hummers crave regardless of the color it may be.
Hummingbird food can be red with an uptake in the food possible, only that can be caused by hummers associating red as hummingbird feeders.
Food coloring NOT an option
To think about changing the homemade nectar you make at home into a red color is not an option to you.
I must tell you red food coloring - also referred to food dye - made for cake icing or general baking use, is unlikely to be safe for hummers to ingest.
Of the ingredients that usually reside in food coloring is anything but natural, thus the sweeteners and added preservatives can be hiding something more toxic.
Food coloring can also contain a certain amount of salt, in which a high amount of salt can cause kidney damage in hummingbirds. And that goes for Chickadees, Orioles or even squirrels who will feed on a hummingbird feeder.
With that in mind never change the color of homemade nectar by adding your own food coloring.
If the nectar so happens to be red if bought in-store from a reliable source, then its possible the ingredient used to change the nectar to red would be safe, although there's no guarantee.
Feeders should be red
Rather than pursue turning your hummingbird feeder food red, why not begin with a red in color hummingbird feeder.
What you must realize is hummingbirds know a specialty hummingbird feeder to contain the nectar what they feed on - as its ingrained in the behavior of many centuries of use on a feeder.
However you can go one better by not only using a hummingbird feeder that has a red body, perches or trimming - its the color of the glass or plastic bottle that counts.
With that you can of course buy a top rated hummingbird feeder with red features; yet the bottle must be tinted red to give hummingbirds, and therefore you the illusion the food inside the feeder is red.
Feeders don't have to use a red bottle that holds the nectar in but it is a far safer option that using red food dye.
Personally I like a clear glass hummingbird feeder bottle because I can get a better understanding of the quality of my homemade nectar. I'll know if it needs replacing any time soon or indeed if it contains anything dangerous.
Conclusion
I'll admit you can possibly see more success in red food inside a hummingbird feeder, because its what hummingbirds have come to rely on.
Homemade nectar on the other hand shouldn't be red because it means you've added red food coloring into the sugar water mix.
Food coloring can be dangerous to hummingbirds in many ways, with unknown ingredients that can be toxic. In addition to that food coloring can contain a certain amount of salt that can be deadly to hummingbirds.
And its not just hummers either as any hummingbird food eating bird who comes to eat off the feeder could very well get ill.
Never use red food coloring when the red tint on a plastic or glass bottle that holds the nectar, is what gives the illusion of red nectar only.
Hummingbird feeders should be red if you want to attract more hummers, while prioritizing the body, perches and any trim being in red. With the bottle in a red tint it will stand out the most, with no use of red food coloring at all.
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