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Humming Birds
The so called nectar in a bird feeder: Isn't that just sugar water? About a
4 to 1 ratio? Should you put red die in it? Is it ok to put it in the sun? Richard |
"Richard Miller" wrote in message news:ImY0f.391$fE5.193@fed1read06... The so called nectar in a bird feeder: Isn't that just sugar water? About a 4 to 1 ratio? Should you put red die in it? Is it ok to put it in the sun? Richard boil the water.....use two cups of fine white sugar to 4 cups of water, no food coloring necessairy. the hummer's will know what it is. yes, you can put it in the sun, but if it's hot, you have to make sure it doesn't turn or ferment. the hummer's get drunk and it's not good for them. (no, they don't pick fights and try to drive home......g) if it is hot, the sugar water will turn, so I'd just put half of the mixture in the feeder and the rest in a container in the fridge until you're ready to change it again. madgardener whose hummers seem to have gone to Mexico.............. |
I live in Maryland my question is when should I take the feed down.
"Richard Miller" wrote in message news:ImY0f.391$fE5.193@fed1read06... The so called nectar in a bird feeder: Isn't that just sugar water? About a 4 to 1 ratio? Should you put red die in it? Is it ok to put it in the sun? Richard |
I live in Philadelphia, PA and mine are gone.
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Richard Miller wrote:
The so called nectar in a bird feeder: Isn't that just sugar water? About a 4 to 1 ratio? Should you put red die in it? Is it ok to put it in the sun? Richard Yes. Water to sugar 4 to 1. No red dye. It is bad for the birds. If the feeder is in the sun it will go bad quicker. -- Travis in Shoreline (just North of Seattle) Washington USDA Zone 8 Sunset Zone 5 |
madgardener wrote:
"Richard Miller" wrote in message news:ImY0f.391$fE5.193@fed1read06... The so called nectar in a bird feeder: Isn't that just sugar water? About a 4 to 1 ratio? Should you put red die in it? Is it ok to put it in the sun? Richard boil the water.....use two cups of fine white sugar to 4 cups of water, no food coloring necessairy. the hummer's will know what it is. yes, you can put it in the sun, but if it's hot, you have to make sure it doesn't turn or ferment. the hummer's get drunk and it's not good for them. (no, they don't pick fights and try to drive home......g) if it is hot, the sugar water will turn, so I'd just put half of the mixture in the feeder and the rest in a container in the fridge until you're ready to change it again. madgardener whose hummers seem to have gone to Mexico.............. The ratio is 4 to 1. -- Travis in Shoreline (just North of Seattle) Washington USDA Zone 8 Sunset Zone 5 |
Keith Corwell wrote:
I live in Maryland my question is when should I take the feed down. "Richard Miller" wrote in message news:ImY0f.391$fE5.193@fed1read06... The so called nectar in a bird feeder: Isn't that just sugar water? About a 4 to 1 ratio? Should you put red die in it? Is it ok to put it in the sun? Richard I leave mine out year round. -- Travis in Shoreline (just North of Seattle) Washington USDA Zone 8 Sunset Zone 5 |
"Travis" wrote in message news:Jo41f.1137$dl.602@trnddc08... Yes. Water to sugar 4 to 1. No red dye. It is bad for the birds. If the feeder is in the sun it will go bad quicker. -- Travis in Shoreline (just North of Seattle) Washington USDA Zone 8 Sunset Zone 5 Travis and I are lucky in that we get hummers year around, I have pictures of Annas feeding from snow covered feeders in February. In the very cold weather I make the 'juice' 3 parts hot water and 1 part sugar, just stir till dissolved. I don't boil it, don't boil it in the summer either, I just don't make up mass quantities. Done it for years with no problems. No red food coloring, totally unnecessary and probably harmful. I also have duplicate feeders. While two are up the other two are running through the dishwasher. I use the Humzingers, easy to clean, fill, etc. In the winter I do take in the feeder about an hour after sundown and set my alarm to get it back outside about an hour before sunrise when it's freezing weather. I got comments about some of my winter hummer pictures that I needed to adjust exposure. It was still o' dark thirty when the first hummers hit the feeders in the morning and I was taking pictures with a flash, the pictures weren't dark, the dark was DARK! Val Lat. 47:42:18N Lon. 122:21:19W Alt. 5ft 2in (when fully vertical) |
Please show us pictures? What are Anna's?
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"Valkyrie" wrote in message
news:1128587018.497741@yasure... "Travis" wrote in message news:Jo41f.1137$dl.602@trnddc08... .In the very cold weather I make the 'juice' 3 parts hot water and 1 part sugar, just stir till dissolved. I don't boil it, don't boil it in the summer either I think the point of boiling it is to sterilize the syrup and retard spoilage. Sugar water, is a an all-you-can-eat buffet for all kinds of microorganisms. -S |
"cardarch" wrote in message oups.com... Please show us pictures? What are Anna's? The Anna hummingbird. http://www.snapfish.com/thumbnailsha...63/t_=34370982 |
"Snooze" wrote in message . .. "Valkyrie" wrote in message news:1128587018.497741@yasure... "Travis" wrote in message news:Jo41f.1137$dl.602@trnddc08... .In the very cold weather I make the 'juice' 3 parts hot water and 1 part sugar, just stir till dissolved. I don't boil it, don't boil it in the summer either I think the point of boiling it is to sterilize the syrup and retard spoilage. Sugar water, is a an all-you-can-eat buffet for all kinds of microorganisms. -S Boiling the water just helps dissolve the sugar. I think mold is the major concern and even boiling it you'll get mold growth if you leave it out long enough. The feeder needs to be cleaned often. |
Valkyrie wrote:
"Travis" wrote in message news:Jo41f.1137$dl.602@trnddc08... Yes. Water to sugar 4 to 1. No red dye. It is bad for the birds. If the feeder is in the sun it will go bad quicker. -- Travis in Shoreline (just North of Seattle) Washington USDA Zone 8 Sunset Zone 5 Travis and I are lucky in that we get hummers year around, I have pictures of Annas feeding from snow covered feeders in February. In the very cold weather I make the 'juice' 3 parts hot water and 1 part sugar, just stir till dissolved. I don't boil it, don't boil it in the summer either, I just don't make up mass quantities. Done it for years with no problems. No red food coloring, totally unnecessary and probably harmful. I also have duplicate feeders. While two are up the other two are running through the dishwasher. I use the Humzingers, easy to clean, fill, etc. In the winter I do take in the feeder about an hour after sundown and set my alarm to get it back outside about an hour before sunrise when it's freezing weather. I got comments about some of my winter hummer pictures that I needed to adjust exposure. It was still o' dark thirty when the first hummers hit the feeders in the morning and I was taking pictures with a flash, the pictures weren't dark, the dark was DARK! It should be 4 to 1. Water to sugar. -- Travis in Shoreline (just North of Seattle) Washington USDA Zone 8 Sunset Zone 5 |
"Valkyrie" wrote in message news:1128614627.712118@yasure... "cardarch" wrote in message oups.com... Please show us pictures? What are Anna's? The Anna hummingbird. http://www.snapfish.com/thumbnailsha...63/t_=34370982 well, that didn't work :o( |
"Travis" wrote in message news:Wq41f.1138$dl.755@trnddc08... The ratio is 4 to 1. it might be, Travis, but for their fall trek to Mexico I make it stronger for them. They appreciate it too! g madgardener Travis in Shoreline (just North of Seattle) Washington USDA Zone 8 Sunset Zone 5 |
Valkyrie wrote:
"Valkyrie" wrote in message news:1128614627.712118@yasure... "cardarch" wrote in message oups.com... Please show us pictures? What are Anna's? The Anna hummingbird. http://www.snapfish.com/thumbnailsha...63/t_=34370982 well, that didn't work :o( Try this http://www.birdinfo.com/AnnasHummingbird.html. -- Travis in Shoreline (just North of Seattle) Washington USDA Zone 8 Sunset Zone 5 |
"Anonny Moose" wrote in message ... "Snooze" wrote in message I think the point of boiling it is to sterilize the syrup and retard spoilage. Sugar water, is a an all-you-can-eat buffet for all kinds of microorganisms. -S Boiling the water just helps dissolve the sugar. I think mold is the major concern and even boiling it you'll get mold growth if you leave it out long enough. The feeder needs to be cleaned often. boiling the water dissolves the sugar, but boiling the water dissipates the chlorine and florides (if there is florides added to the water) which aren't bad but not necessarily good for the birds either..........(hell in the wild they face DDT's and pesticides........) and yes, Travis, 4-1 ratio, but honestly, it doesn't hurt them to make it a bit richer for their flight to their winter homes. g madgardener |
"Travis" wrote in message news:Iaf1f.1457$dl.1259@trnddc08... Valkyrie wrote: "Valkyrie" wrote in message news:1128614627.712118@yasure... "cardarch" wrote in message oups.com... Please show us pictures? What are Anna's? The Anna hummingbird. http://www.snapfish.com/thumbnailsha...63/t_=34370982 well, that didn't work :o( Try this http://www.birdinfo.com/AnnasHummingbird.html. -- Travis in Shoreline (just North of Seattle) Washington USDA Zone 8 Sunset Zone 5 I was trying to get the pictures I had of my annas feeding in the dark and off snow covered feeders, can't seem to get the album link to work properly :( Val |
"madgardener" wrote in message ... and yes, Travis, 4-1 ratio, but honestly, it doesn't hurt them to make it a bit richer for their flight to their winter homes. g madgardener In the summer I use the 4 to 1 ratio, when the fall/winter temps start to dip into the 30s I switch to 3 to 1. We have annas here year around. Val |
Valkyrie wrote:
"madgardener" wrote in message ... and yes, Travis, 4-1 ratio, but honestly, it doesn't hurt them to make it a bit richer for their flight to their winter homes. g madgardener In the summer I use the 4 to 1 ratio, when the fall/winter temps start to dip into the 30s I switch to 3 to 1. We have annas here year around. Val They are here year round also and I always use 4 to 1. They also eat bugs for protein and fat etc. -- Travis in Shoreline (just North of Seattle) Washington USDA Zone 8 Sunset Zone 5 |
In article , "madgardener" wrote:
"Anonny Moose" wrote in message ... "Snooze" wrote in message I think the point of boiling it is to sterilize the syrup and retard spoilage. Sugar water, is a an all-you-can-eat buffet for all kinds of microorganisms. -S Boiling the water just helps dissolve the sugar. I think mold is the major concern and even boiling it you'll get mold growth if you leave it out long enough. The feeder needs to be cleaned often. boiling the water dissolves the sugar, but boiling the water dissipates the chlorine and florides (if there is florides added to the water) which aren't bad but not necessarily good for the birds either..........(hell in the wild they face DDT's and pesticides........) and yes, Travis, 4-1 ratio, but honestly, it doesn't hurt them to make it a bit richer for their flight to their winter homes. g madgardener Cyberforest.net's hummingbird page notes: "Don't make the mix any stronger [than 4:1]. Too much sugar is bad for the hummingbirds." I doubt you're doing great harm since late-season hummers will be transient visitors & won't eat often of the unhealthy concentrate. You'd hurt them more giving them too concentrate a nectar when they are nesting, as they'd be using nearby feeders too regularly during that time. But overly sugared nectars can be harmful at any time if too often encountered, & in no case does increasing the ratio strengthen them for their winter journey. Here's an overview of why it's bad for their health: Sugar water may supplement hummingbird diet but if they are so fond of sugar water that they neglect their NATURAL diet, they will become deficient in scores of minute but essential nutrients. Too much sugar might actually hamper their search for the more appropriate natural nectars. Ideally sugar-water feeders are not the only things the hummers find in a garden which will be full of trumpet-shaped spring & summer flowers, or for summer & autumn sage-blossoms, especially in reds, either planted in the garden or set about in pots. Providing potted plants in autumn bloom would be much more an energy-boost than more concentrated sugarwater for their autumn/winter journey. Some hummers actually reject over-sugared artificial nectars, & good thing they do since it is unhealthy for them. As the Suite101 hummingbird page says, "Do not alter the proportions, as hummers will turn away nectar that has too much sugar." But other hummers will favor feeders with the most sugar in the water & they will come from greater distances from their nests to feed, overlooking more healthful flower-sources along the way, knowing where they can get the bigger but mineral-deficient sugar load. These hummers become sickly & neglect their nests are are away from their nests too long at a stretch. Those hummingbirds fed too much sugar can develop calcium deficiencies, muscular weakness, & bone malformations similar to rickets. Their eggs are apt to be soft-shelled & will not hatch. Some hummingbirds appear to show signs of illness resembling drunkenness when feeders contain too much sugar. Over sugaring their nectar also encourages rapid bacterial growth in the feeders & can also attract bees, wasps, & bee-flies. Too much water is less harmful than too much sugar, though both can be harmful, as too little sugar could cause some hummers to not get their daily caloric requirement. Some hummer fans claim their higher concentrates "fatten" the birds for their winter trip. I doubt that. But it certainly would not help them get to their winter homes if it were true they were getting fat! I have planted for hummingbirds & I do not supplement their diet artificially. I have blooms for them persistently from spring through most of autumn, & in our zone the hummers are usually gone before the autumn-flowering sages & asters & Hibiscus moscheutos are done, so there's never a time when they cannot find something that is a favorite. It might be possible to make the hummers linger a bit longer if I were to hang the garden with feeders too, but I seem to have plenty of visits from the little things just by planting the flowers they like best, assuring them the very finest/ideal/natural nectars with all the required nutrients. -paggers -- Get your Paghat the Ratgirl T-Shirt he http://www.paghat.com/giftshop.html "In every country and in every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot." -Thomas Jefferson |
thanks Paggers! I am always willing to learn and admit when I'm not right.
I appreciate you clearing these facts up. (REALL!Y!! ) maddie "paghat" wrote in message ... In article , "madgardener" wrote: "Anonny Moose" wrote in message ... "Snooze" wrote in message I think the point of boiling it is to sterilize the syrup and retard spoilage. Sugar water, is a an all-you-can-eat buffet for all kinds of microorganisms. -S Boiling the water just helps dissolve the sugar. I think mold is the major concern and even boiling it you'll get mold growth if you leave it out long enough. The feeder needs to be cleaned often. boiling the water dissolves the sugar, but boiling the water dissipates the chlorine and florides (if there is florides added to the water) which aren't bad but not necessarily good for the birds either..........(hell in the wild they face DDT's and pesticides........) and yes, Travis, 4-1 ratio, but honestly, it doesn't hurt them to make it a bit richer for their flight to their winter homes. g madgardener Cyberforest.net's hummingbird page notes: "Don't make the mix any stronger [than 4:1]. Too much sugar is bad for the hummingbirds." I doubt you're doing great harm since late-season hummers will be transient visitors & won't eat often of the unhealthy concentrate. You'd hurt them more giving them too concentrate a nectar when they are nesting, as they'd be using nearby feeders too regularly during that time. But overly sugared nectars can be harmful at any time if too often encountered, & in no case does increasing the ratio strengthen them for their winter journey. Here's an overview of why it's bad for their health: Sugar water may supplement hummingbird diet but if they are so fond of sugar water that they neglect their NATURAL diet, they will become deficient in scores of minute but essential nutrients. Too much sugar might actually hamper their search for the more appropriate natural nectars. Ideally sugar-water feeders are not the only things the hummers find in a garden which will be full of trumpet-shaped spring & summer flowers, or for summer & autumn sage-blossoms, especially in reds, either planted in the garden or set about in pots. Providing potted plants in autumn bloom would be much more an energy-boost than more concentrated sugarwater for their autumn/winter journey. Some hummers actually reject over-sugared artificial nectars, & good thing they do since it is unhealthy for them. As the Suite101 hummingbird page says, "Do not alter the proportions, as hummers will turn away nectar that has too much sugar." But other hummers will favor feeders with the most sugar in the water & they will come from greater distances from their nests to feed, overlooking more healthful flower-sources along the way, knowing where they can get the bigger but mineral-deficient sugar load. These hummers become sickly & neglect their nests are are away from their nests too long at a stretch. Those hummingbirds fed too much sugar can develop calcium deficiencies, muscular weakness, & bone malformations similar to rickets. Their eggs are apt to be soft-shelled & will not hatch. Some hummingbirds appear to show signs of illness resembling drunkenness when feeders contain too much sugar. Over sugaring their nectar also encourages rapid bacterial growth in the feeders & can also attract bees, wasps, & bee-flies. Too much water is less harmful than too much sugar, though both can be harmful, as too little sugar could cause some hummers to not get their daily caloric requirement. Some hummer fans claim their higher concentrates "fatten" the birds for their winter trip. I doubt that. But it certainly would not help them get to their winter homes if it were true they were getting fat! I have planted for hummingbirds & I do not supplement their diet artificially. I have blooms for them persistently from spring through most of autumn, & in our zone the hummers are usually gone before the autumn-flowering sages & asters & Hibiscus moscheutos are done, so there's never a time when they cannot find something that is a favorite. It might be possible to make the hummers linger a bit longer if I were to hang the garden with feeders too, but I seem to have plenty of visits from the little things just by planting the flowers they like best, assuring them the very finest/ideal/natural nectars with all the required nutrients. -paggers -- Get your Paghat the Ratgirl T-Shirt he http://www.paghat.com/giftshop.html "In every country and in every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot." -Thomas Jefferson |
I get hummers in my garden without setting out feeders as well ,besides the
flowers they like they love eating the little bugs that get caught into the spiderwebs on my big window. Lynn "paghat" wrote in message ... Sugar water may supplement hummingbird diet but if they are so fond of sugar water that they neglect their NATURAL diet, they will become deficient in scores of minute but essential nutrients. Too much sugar might actually hamper their search for the more appropriate natural nectars. Ideally sugar-water feeders are not the only things the hummers find in a garden which will be full of trumpet-shaped spring & summer flowers, or for summer & autumn sage-blossoms, especially in reds, either planted in the garden or set about in pots. Providing potted plants in autumn bloom would be much more an energy-boost than more concentrated sugarwater for their autumn/winter journey. Some hummers actually reject over-sugared artificial nectars, & good thing they do since it is unhealthy for them. As the Suite101 hummingbird page says, "Do not alter the proportions, as hummers will turn away nectar that has too much sugar." But other hummers will favor feeders with the most sugar in the water & they will come from greater distances from their nests to feed, overlooking more healthful flower-sources along the way, knowing where they can get the bigger but mineral-deficient sugar load. These hummers become sickly & neglect their nests are are away from their nests too long at a stretch. Those hummingbirds fed too much sugar can develop calcium deficiencies, muscular weakness, & bone malformations similar to rickets. Their eggs are apt to be soft-shelled & will not hatch. Some hummingbirds appear to show signs of illness resembling drunkenness when feeders contain too much sugar. Over sugaring their nectar also encourages rapid bacterial growth in the feeders & can also attract bees, wasps, & bee-flies. Too much water is less harmful than too much sugar, though both can be harmful, as too little sugar could cause some hummers to not get their daily caloric requirement. Some hummer fans claim their higher concentrates "fatten" the birds for their winter trip. I doubt that. But it certainly would not help them get to their winter homes if it were true they were getting fat! I have planted for hummingbirds & I do not supplement their diet artificially. I have blooms for them persistently from spring through most of autumn, & in our zone the hummers are usually gone before the autumn-flowering sages & asters & Hibiscus moscheutos are done, so there's never a time when they cannot find something that is a favorite. It might be possible to make the hummers linger a bit longer if I were to hang the garden with feeders too, but I seem to have plenty of visits from the little things just by planting the flowers they like best, assuring them the very finest/ideal/natural nectars with all the required nutrients. -paggers -- Get your Paghat the Ratgirl T-Shirt he http://www.paghat.com/giftshop.html "In every country and in every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot." -Thomas Jefferson |
"madgardener" wrote in message ... "Anonny Moose" wrote in message ... "Snooze" wrote in message I think the point of boiling it is to sterilize the syrup and retard spoilage. Sugar water, is a an all-you-can-eat buffet for all kinds of microorganisms. -S Boiling the water just helps dissolve the sugar. I think mold is the major concern and even boiling it you'll get mold growth if you leave it out long enough. The feeder needs to be cleaned often. boiling the water dissolves the sugar, but boiling the water dissipates the chlorine and florides (if there is florides added to the water) which aren't bad but not necessarily good for the birds either..........(hell in the wild they face DDT's and pesticides........) Boiling the water long enough might dissipate the chlorine but it would concentrate any flourides. |
thanks Hal! g (no, the hummers didn't tell me anything. I watched them
snapping up teeny little fliers and supping all spring and summer on my flowers. I never put any nectar or sugarwater out for them this year. they gleaned every drop they could from everything around my gardens, and before I could make up any supplimental sugar water for them, they were gone. and this year was the first year I've had so many! I based this on previous year's when I'd only increase the sugar in October just before they left for the South American regions for winter. ) thanks for clearing this up madgardener "Hal" wrote in message ... I'm not Travis, but I'm curious, is there research to prompt such an opinion? Don't tell me a little birdie told you so. http://www.hummingbirds.net/feeders.html Here's the recipe for artificial nectar (syrup): Use one part ordinary white cane sugar to four parts water. It's not necessary to boil the water. The microorganisms that cause fermentation don't come from the water; they are transported to the feeder on hummingbird bills. Store unused syrup in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. This mixture approximates the average sucrose content (about 21%) of the flowers favored by North American hummingbirds, without being so sweet it attracts too many insects. Regards, Hal |
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On Wed, 5 Oct 2005 19:02:54 -0400, "madgardener"
wrote: "Richard Miller" wrote in message news:ImY0f.391$fE5.193@fed1read06... The so called nectar in a bird feeder: Isn't that just sugar water? About a 4 to 1 ratio? Should you put red die in it? Is it ok to put it in the sun? Richard boil the water.....use two cups of fine white sugar to 4 cups of water, no food coloring necessairy. the hummer's will know what it is. yes, you can put it in the sun, but if it's hot, you have to make sure it doesn't turn or ferment. the hummer's get drunk and it's not good for them. (no, they don't pick fights and try to drive home......g) if it is hot, the sugar water will turn, so I'd just put half of the mixture in the feeder and the rest in a container in the fridge until you're ready to change it again. madgardener whose hummers seem to have gone to Mexico.............. Nah, they're all here in Texas! I saw a bunch today at my feeder as they are migrating through right now. I see species I don't ordinarily see here. |
When you stop seeing hummingbirds for at least 10 days.
On Wed, 5 Oct 2005 20:59:50 -0400, "Keith Corwell" wrote: I live in Maryland my question is when should I take the feed down. "Richard Miller" wrote in message news:ImY0f.391$fE5.193@fed1read06... The so called nectar in a bird feeder: Isn't that just sugar water? About a 4 to 1 ratio? Should you put red die in it? Is it ok to put it in the sun? Richard |
On Thu, 6 Oct 2005 15:29:03 -0400, "madgardener"
wrote: "Travis" wrote in message news:Wq41f.1138$dl.755@trnddc08... The ratio is 4 to 1. it might be, Travis, but for their fall trek to Mexico I make it stronger for them. They appreciate it too! g madgardener Travis in Shoreline (just North of Seattle) Washington USDA Zone 8 Sunset Zone 5 Maddy, I know you mean well, but it's harmful to them to have it so strong. They only need the same or equivalent level of sugar which they'd get from flower nectar. |
Maddy, you wouldn't intentionally hurt a fly! People think more sugar
is better for their migration, but what most people don't realize (and paggers many have listed this in her info) that hummingbirds get most of their nurtition from insects, not nectar. On Fri, 7 Oct 2005 01:12:46 -0400, "madgardener" wrote: thanks Paggers! I am always willing to learn and admit when I'm not right. I appreciate you clearing these facts up. (REALL!Y!! ) maddie "paghat" wrote in message ... In article , "madgardener" wrote: "Anonny Moose" wrote in message ... "Snooze" wrote in message I think the point of boiling it is to sterilize the syrup and retard spoilage. Sugar water, is a an all-you-can-eat buffet for all kinds of microorganisms. -S Boiling the water just helps dissolve the sugar. I think mold is the major concern and even boiling it you'll get mold growth if you leave it out long enough. The feeder needs to be cleaned often. boiling the water dissolves the sugar, but boiling the water dissipates the chlorine and florides (if there is florides added to the water) which aren't bad but not necessarily good for the birds either..........(hell in the wild they face DDT's and pesticides........) and yes, Travis, 4-1 ratio, but honestly, it doesn't hurt them to make it a bit richer for their flight to their winter homes. g madgardener Cyberforest.net's hummingbird page notes: "Don't make the mix any stronger [than 4:1]. Too much sugar is bad for the hummingbirds." I doubt you're doing great harm since late-season hummers will be transient visitors & won't eat often of the unhealthy concentrate. You'd hurt them more giving them too concentrate a nectar when they are nesting, as they'd be using nearby feeders too regularly during that time. But overly sugared nectars can be harmful at any time if too often encountered, & in no case does increasing the ratio strengthen them for their winter journey. Here's an overview of why it's bad for their health: Sugar water may supplement hummingbird diet but if they are so fond of sugar water that they neglect their NATURAL diet, they will become deficient in scores of minute but essential nutrients. Too much sugar might actually hamper their search for the more appropriate natural nectars. Ideally sugar-water feeders are not the only things the hummers find in a garden which will be full of trumpet-shaped spring & summer flowers, or for summer & autumn sage-blossoms, especially in reds, either planted in the garden or set about in pots. Providing potted plants in autumn bloom would be much more an energy-boost than more concentrated sugarwater for their autumn/winter journey. Some hummers actually reject over-sugared artificial nectars, & good thing they do since it is unhealthy for them. As the Suite101 hummingbird page says, "Do not alter the proportions, as hummers will turn away nectar that has too much sugar." But other hummers will favor feeders with the most sugar in the water & they will come from greater distances from their nests to feed, overlooking more healthful flower-sources along the way, knowing where they can get the bigger but mineral-deficient sugar load. These hummers become sickly & neglect their nests are are away from their nests too long at a stretch. Those hummingbirds fed too much sugar can develop calcium deficiencies, muscular weakness, & bone malformations similar to rickets. Their eggs are apt to be soft-shelled & will not hatch. Some hummingbirds appear to show signs of illness resembling drunkenness when feeders contain too much sugar. Over sugaring their nectar also encourages rapid bacterial growth in the feeders & can also attract bees, wasps, & bee-flies. Too much water is less harmful than too much sugar, though both can be harmful, as too little sugar could cause some hummers to not get their daily caloric requirement. Some hummer fans claim their higher concentrates "fatten" the birds for their winter trip. I doubt that. But it certainly would not help them get to their winter homes if it were true they were getting fat! I have planted for hummingbirds & I do not supplement their diet artificially. I have blooms for them persistently from spring through most of autumn, & in our zone the hummers are usually gone before the autumn-flowering sages & asters & Hibiscus moscheutos are done, so there's never a time when they cannot find something that is a favorite. It might be possible to make the hummers linger a bit longer if I were to hang the garden with feeders too, but I seem to have plenty of visits from the little things just by planting the flowers they like best, assuring them the very finest/ideal/natural nectars with all the required nutrients. -paggers -- Get your Paghat the Ratgirl T-Shirt he http://www.paghat.com/giftshop.html "In every country and in every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot." -Thomas Jefferson |
booger! say hi to my little family of Rufus who summer in Dandridge, will
ya? maddie "Bourne Identity" wrote in message ... On Wed, 5 Oct 2005 19:02:54 -0400, "madgardener" wrote: "Richard Miller" wrote in message news:ImY0f.391$fE5.193@fed1read06... The so called nectar in a bird feeder: Isn't that just sugar water? About a 4 to 1 ratio? Should you put red die in it? Is it ok to put it in the sun? Richard boil the water.....use two cups of fine white sugar to 4 cups of water, no food coloring necessairy. the hummer's will know what it is. yes, you can put it in the sun, but if it's hot, you have to make sure it doesn't turn or ferment. the hummer's get drunk and it's not good for them. (no, they don't pick fights and try to drive home......g) if it is hot, the sugar water will turn, so I'd just put half of the mixture in the feeder and the rest in a container in the fridge until you're ready to change it again. madgardener whose hummers seem to have gone to Mexico.............. Nah, they're all here in Texas! I saw a bunch today at my feeder as they are migrating through right now. I see species I don't ordinarily see here. |
"Bourne Identity" wrote in message ... Maddy, you wouldn't intentionally hurt a fly! People think more sugar is better for their migration, but what most people don't realize (and paggers many have listed this in her info) that hummingbirds get most of their nurtition from insects, not nectar. nah, there you have me totally wrong. I'm dead aim for flies..........I know they have a place in the web of life, but I take 'em out with an old fashioned swatter any chance I gets. I do capture wasps and bees though. Although........those steroid mamma jamma's I just zap. They're too mean to capture and release back outside. They turn on you and chase you back into the house for just living in their neck of the woods. So I kill those that wander inside upon occaison. I open a door and give them an opportunity before I nuke them. But if you've ever seen a yellow hornet that is a good three inches of fuzzy, pointy butted arrogance that only fears hawks and larger birds.....................I had one trapped in a sconce light in my hallway that leads from the nook to the kitchen on the opposite side of the house and after opening the door to freedom, she proceeded to try and sting her way out of the stained glass sconce. I decided that once she got out, she'd sting someone, many many times. So I put her out. literally. man she was a good 3 inches and had a stinger that gave me nightmares. maddie |
Okay, they told me to trill at you. It's pretty hummingbird loud out
there about now. Thankfully, everything is still in full bloom so they have plenty of stuff to eat. I believe the hummers who migrate through here are from north of us, the guys you have fly down through Louisianna and across the Gulf to Cozumel. They get a tan, then do it all again. veet On Wed, 12 Oct 2005 08:15:05 -0400, "madgardener" wrote: booger! say hi to my little family of Rufus who summer in Dandridge, will ya? maddie "Bourne Identity" wrote in message .. . On Wed, 5 Oct 2005 19:02:54 -0400, "madgardener" wrote: "Richard Miller" wrote in message news:ImY0f.391$fE5.193@fed1read06... The so called nectar in a bird feeder: Isn't that just sugar water? About a 4 to 1 ratio? Should you put red die in it? Is it ok to put it in the sun? Richard boil the water.....use two cups of fine white sugar to 4 cups of water, no food coloring necessairy. the hummer's will know what it is. yes, you can put it in the sun, but if it's hot, you have to make sure it doesn't turn or ferment. the hummer's get drunk and it's not good for them. (no, they don't pick fights and try to drive home......g) if it is hot, the sugar water will turn, so I'd just put half of the mixture in the feeder and the rest in a container in the fridge until you're ready to change it again. madgardener whose hummers seem to have gone to Mexico.............. Nah, they're all here in Texas! I saw a bunch today at my feeder as they are migrating through right now. I see species I don't ordinarily see here. |
On Wed, 12 Oct 2005 08:20:25 -0400, "madgardener"
wrote: "Bourne Identity" wrote in message .. . Maddy, you wouldn't intentionally hurt a fly! People think more sugar is better for their migration, but what most people don't realize (and paggers many have listed this in her info) that hummingbirds get most of their nurtition from insects, not nectar. nah, there you have me totally wrong. I'm dead aim for flies..........I know they have a place in the web of life, but I take 'em out with an old fashioned swatter any chance I gets. I do capture wasps and bees though. Although........those steroid mamma jamma's I just zap. They're too mean to capture and release back outside. They turn on you and chase you back into the house for just living in their neck of the woods. So I kill those that wander inside upon occaison. I open a door and give them an opportunity before I nuke them. But if you've ever seen a yellow hornet that is a good three inches of fuzzy, pointy butted arrogance that only fears hawks and larger birds.....................I had one trapped in a sconce light in my hallway that leads from the nook to the kitchen on the opposite side of the house and after opening the door to freedom, she proceeded to try and sting her way out of the stained glass sconce. I decided that once she got out, she'd sting someone, many many times. So I put her out. literally. man she was a good 3 inches and had a stinger that gave me nightmares. maddie Yeek. However, you obviously never had an infestation of cicada killers! Now that's a huge buzzer. |
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