Hummingbird and Oriole Nectar

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Instructions

1. Boil water, then stir in sugar. Return to boiling, then cool, uncovered.
2. Store in the refrigerator.

Notes

WARNING: Stick to the 4 parts water to 1 part sugar proportion, as more sugar may be harmful to the birds. Use white table sugar only. Honey can encourage a lethal fungus. Artificial sweeteners have no nutrients and cause tumors.

DO NOT add red food coloring. All feeders have red on them somewhere to attract birds. Hang feeders in the shade. Wash your feeder every time you replace the syrup. A bottle brush is handy. Unused sugar water will ferment and get cloudy. It will stay fresh in an outdoor feeder about 1 1/2 weeks in the winter, but will ferment much faster in summer.