Red Attracts Hummers

• Hummingbirds visit red or yellow feeders more often than colorless ones, since the color of the feeder mimics the flowers these birds drink from in the wild. Manufacturers color hummingbird food to make it more attractive. However, according to Operation Ruby Throat and the Hummingbirds website, a colored feeder is enough to attract these small birds.
  
  

Lack of Testing

• No tests currently suggest that red food dyes are toxic to hummingbirds, but little information is available. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration tests only for safety to humans, not for wildlife. The National Wildlife Federation recommends avoiding red hummingbird food since so little data about its safety is available.
  
  

Cost

• Commercial red hummingbird food is comprised primarily of sugar, water and dye. It is significantly more expensive than a homemade sugar solution without the dye, but does not seem to be a better food source for birds. Cost-conscious homeowners can get the same benefit by making their own solution with one part sugar to four or five parts water.