Humming Birds

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

Reply to
paghat
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Reply to
madgardener

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

Reply to
Lynn

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.

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'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

Reply to
Hal

Boiling the water long enough might dissipate the chlorine but it would concentrate any flourides.

Reply to
Anonny Moose

Reply to
madgardener

Hi Maddy. Sounds like it might be an early winter. How're your wooly bears looking?

Bill

Reply to
Bill

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.

Reply to
Bourne Identity

Reply to
Bourne Identity

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.

Reply to
Bourne Identity

Reply to
Bourne Identity

haven't seen the wooly bears yet. Last year they were one color........brown. Been watching for them, though. With the early snow in Colorado makes me wonder if we'll HAVE a winter this year, or if it will rain all season. I'd actually welcome some snows! When I spot the woolies, I'll let ya' know. maddie

Reply to
madgardener

Reply to
madgardener

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

Reply to
madgardener

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

Reply to
Bourne Identity

Yeek. However, you obviously never had an infestation of cicada killers! Now that's a huge buzzer.

Reply to
Bourne Identity

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