Expert: Roger Lederer - 5/19/2008

Question
My elderly mom lives in San Diego area, California. She gets the Anna's Hummingbirds. Last month she put some sugar water dyed with red food coloring out in the garden.At first the birds were coming around but have stopped. She said the feeder is clean and maybe she dyed the sugar water a bit too red. I told her the color of the water shouldn't matter. I live in Michigan and the Ruby Throated Hummers are happy with either sugar water or commmercial hummer nectar and I get plenty of birds. What could be up with those Anna's?  I told her I would ask an expert.

Answer
You are correct, you don't need red food coloring. Sugar water provides food energy but no protein. Hummers need to feed on insects for protein. When they are breeding and raising young, which is happening now, they are feeding themselves and their young only insects  for the protein for growth. In addition there are lots of natural sources (flowers) of sugar water, so they are not particularly interested in hummingbird feeders this time of year. They will be interested again in the fall and winter.