1/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. water
red food coloring or beet juice

Dissolve sugar and enough water (approximately 3/4 cup) to equal 1 cup of solution. Add a few drops of food coloring (just enough to color water).

Cooks Note: Some questions exist as to whether red food coloring may be safe for hummingbirds. If you have beet juice (saved from canned beets) available, add a few tablespoons to the water to color it naturally. Otherwise, you can also choose to omit the coloring altogether.