If you love watching hummingbirds dart around your yard, hanging a hummingbird feeder and filling it with nectar you’ve made yourself is one of the easiest ways to attract them. And the best part? You only need two ingredients.

While there are plenty of variations out there, experts agree that sticking to a simple, classic recipe is the safest way to support these tiny birds.

Simple 2-Ingredient Hummingbird Food Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 cups water

Instructions:

  1. Bring the water to a boil.
  2. Add the sugar and stir until completely dissolved.
  3. Let the mixture cool completely.
  4. Fill your feeder and refrigerate any extra.

That’s it—nothing fancy.

Why This Simple Recipe Works

The 1:4 sugar-to-water ratio closely matches the natural nectar hummingbirds find in flowers. It gives them the energy they need without overwhelming their systems.

Keeping things simple helps ensure the birds get proper hydration, and it’s easy for them to digest.

Hummingbird Food Mistakes to Avoid

  • DO NOT substitute brown sugar, molasses, or honey, which can promote dangerous microbial growth.
  • DO NOT use red food coloring. It is not necessary and may be harmful to the birds.
  • DO NOT forget to clean your feeder regularly so that it doesn’t grow any bacteria.

Once you have your feeder in place and filled with nectar, there are plenty of other things you can do to attract hummingbirds to your yard, from avoiding pesticides (because bugs are an important food source for them too) to planting a variety of flowers, including bright, tubular, native options.