Top 5 Reasons to NOT Use Red Hummingbird Nectar

The question never goes away: "Shouldn't hummingbird nectar be red?"  The answer is an unequivocal "NO!"  Here's my Top 5 reasons why.

Reason #1:  It serves NO purpose

The great majority of hummingbird feeders on the market, and certainly the hummingbird feeders at our Wild Birds Unlimited shop, have enough color on them (red or otherwise) to attract hummingbirds without the need for red dye in the nectar.

Reason #2:  The dye is petroleum based

The dye in colored nectars is red dye #40, named Allura Red AC.  Red dye #40 was originally made from coal tar, but it is now made mostly from petroleum.  Read that last sentence again, please.  I don't know about you, but that doesn't sound good for ingestion by me or by hummingbirds.  In Europe, red dye #40 is not recommended for consumption by children. (Source: www.3dchem.com)

Admittedly, there is no scientific proof that red dye #40 definitely harms hummingbirds but knowing its source, why chance it, especially if it has no benefits to the hummingbirds and will not attract hummingbirds any more than clear nectar does.

Reason #3:  Nectar from flowers is clear - not red

Nectar made with water and simple table sugar at a 4-to-1 ratio most closely approximates the naturally clear nectar found in flowers.

Reason #4:  The red dye passes though the hummingbird

The Hilton Pond Center website has an image showing red dye #40 stains on a hummingbird at the site of excretion.  And the dye also stains their excretions red.  Naturalist and author Julie Zickefoose made this interesting observation while rehabbing a female hummingbird.  The bird had been fed red nectar before entering her care, and she was shocked by the red droppings that the hummingbird continued to excrete for over a day after the red nectar was stopped.  You can see pictures of the red-stained droppings and read Julie's blog post, but a more complete account is in the May/June 2010 issue of BirdWatcher's Digest.

These indicators mean the red dye is "not metabolized, but passes through the kidneys, where it might cause problems."  (Source: Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History)

Reason #5:  You can make clear nectar more simply

No more trips to the store to buy nectar.  Make it at home.  A simple 4-to-1 water to table sugar solution will attract and feed all the hummingbirds you can handle!

I have a request of you.  If this material has convinced you to discontinue the use of red nectar, or if you've already sworn off it:

1. Let me know, but more importantly,
   
2. Spread the word to family, friends, enemies, whoever you know that uses red nectar in their hummingbird feeders.  Forward the link.  Share the post link on your website or blog.  Print a copy of the post.  Just do what you can to stop the use of red nectar in hummingbird feeders.  Do it for the birds!

Comments

[b chase]

Not to mention that buying the sugar is a heck of a lot cheaper than buying the packaged stuff with the dye.

Will retweet the tweet that brought me here.

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Good to hear, Linda!

[Linda M Wheeler]

I have never used the red nectar finding it unnecessary. I have always made my own!

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

HummFdrs - good! And we can all help spread the word!

[Hummingbird Feeders]

I stopped using "red" several years ago and the hummers keep on coming. Thanks for getting the message out there.

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Margaret - good suggestion!

[Margaret]

Coloration of the actual nectar is not needed, believe me. I just tie a simple red ribbon around the feeder stand, and the birds find it in no time flat. Try it -- it works.

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Julie - thanks again for the inspiration. I think this "battle" will take constant vigilance and repetition!
Chad - EXCELLENT!
Michael - sucrose is the sugar that most closely approximates flower nectar. That's what we're after, right? So plain table sugar is best.
And pass on the beet juice! Flower nectar is CLEAR! Per #1 item: color - of ANY type - is not needed!! Your feeder provides the color!!!

[Mike Doraby]

Beet juice for me, also, from now on. But is table sugar (sucrose) the best to use? I've heard not to use honey, but what about fructose? Its widely available at 'Homebrew' stores.

[Chad]

I have used the homemade sugar and water mix since day 1. I've seen hummingbirds visit flowers of every color in the rainbow. I don't think they really care what color things are, as long as there is food they will show up.

[Julie Zickefoose]

Thank you, Nancy. I'm delighted to see you take up the healthy nectar banner. I wasn't able to write as freely in my article as I can on my blog, but BWD readers are sharp folks and they filled in the blanks, I'm sure. The one thing I insisted on was that telling photo of hummingbird droppings, dyed shocking red. One look at that would convince anyone!

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

David - Red coloration of any type is not needed to attract hummingbirds to most commercially available feeders. Clear is fine. Clear is easier. Why dye of any type?

[David Sanchez]

I stopped using the red dye early on, mostly due to the reasons that you mentioned. You could add a splash of beet juice to your mix if you wanted a natural red nectar, but that's just too much for me. If I fill the feeders every 3 days it would be much more of a burden if I felt I needed to add beet juice every time. I will admit, beet juice is a STRONG red dye. I drink it myself and it can get pretty messy. Again, not necessary, but if you really want it, beets are a better alternative to the chemical colors.