Let's talk hummers!
There are more than 300 different species of hummingbirds in the world, 23 of which have been documented in North America. In Ohio, we are fortunate to have a beautiful little hummingbird species, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris. Attracting these flashy flying whizbangs requires only some sugar-water, (ratio 1/4 cup table sugar to 1 cup hot water), and a suitable feeder. It is not necessary to add food coloring to the water. Acquiring that "perfect feeder" can be difficult. The main consideration is ease of cleaning. Hummingbird feeders should be cleaned once or twice per week to prevent mold and fermentation in the hot humid summer months. See the link below for a breakdown of decent hummingbird feeders, (our family owns the top-choice on the list, the "Aspects" feeder, which we found on eBay, since Amazon was out). Please keep feeders up until well past fall migration. It is a cruel myth that hummingbirds will stick around too long if feeders are left out. Hummingbirds, like many other migratory animals, do not sick around just because a food source is still present. Their instinct to survive is much stronger than that - they know that cold weather will kill them, with or without available sugar water. Leaving the sugar-water up until the hummingbirds fly south on their own will ensure that they have access to extra calories right up until they leave on their incredibly long and difficult journey. A good rule of thumb is to leave the feeder up until no hummingbirds have been sighted for 7-10 days, then you may take the feeder down and clean, disinfect, and store for the winter.
Here is a link to Cornell's informational page about Ruby-throated Hummingbirds:
