GC.SUL@forsythe.stanford.edu (MIKE SULLIVAN) (04/09/89)
I just found an old box of Perky Pet Hummingbird Nectar. After re-reading the box I am again advising people with hummingbird feeders to use ONLY sugar and water in their feeders. The correct proportion is 1 cup sugar to 4 cups water. I bring to the point of boiling, and cool off and store in the refrigerator. This concentration most closely approximated natural flower nectar. Do not add red food color! Most feeders have enough red on them to attract the hummingbirds. Getting back to the Perky pet formula-it is mostly sugar anyway, with red artificial coloring added. The box also MISADVISES that it is okay to double their powder concentration as "the birds won't need to feed as often". This is both untrue and dangerous advise. A higher sugar concentration will cause liver damage and reproductive problems. These people are causing much more harm that good. Also, another word on feeders-keep them out of the sun. keep CLEAN and change nectar at least once a week. NEVER let them run out-If you have attrated lots of hummingbirds to the yard, and the feeder goes dry without additional plantings of hummingbird plants, you can cause serious problems. Having a feeder up is a serouis committment. Karen Sullivan HUMMINGBIRD GARDENS NURSERY
nobody@tekecs.GWD.TEK.COM (-for inetd server command) (04/12/89)
In article <2652@lindy.Stanford.EDU> GC.SUL@forsythe.stanford.edu (Karen SULLIVAN) writes: > Also, another word on feeders-keep them out of the sun. keep CLEAN > and change nectar at least once a week. NEVER let them run out-If You should change the nectar DAILY or at least every 2 days, and clean the inside of the feeder thoroughly with soap and hot water. Otherwise it ferments and you have drunken, sick birds. It's the same principle as moldy seed - the birds don't know enough to stay away from the stuff, and the microorganisms make them ill. I seem to remember reading something about damage to internal organs (liver?) from fermented nectar, as well. My husband and I are currently debating whether to put up a hummingbird feeder because of the effort required to keep the feeder clean and full. Barbara Zanzig barbaraz@orca.WV.TEK.COM {major backbone sites}!tektronix!orca!barbaraz
GC.SUL@forsythe.stanford.edu (MIKE SULLIVAN) (04/24/89)
All right, everybody, according to Louise G. Blakey of Los Altos who has written a book called "Our Hummingbirds", the use of red food color is NOT RECCOMENDED for the sugar-water solution. She writes, "The safety of red food coloring dye is in question." Hummingbirds have extremely high metabolisms and even small amounts of certain substances (including pestcide sprays on plants) can be toxic. Mrs. Blakey is a local authority of hummingbirds in the Bay Area, and was one of the first people years ago to successfully rehabilitate injured hummingbirds. Also, the Droll Yankee feeder IS good, but it can be difficult to keep clean. I ended up buying several narrow, wire brushes, but they have to be bent to reach into the feeder. I had problems keeping it clean even with the vinegar-water soak suggested by the manufacturers. Hummingbirds would rather feed from a feedeer with a tube-type arrangement-the Perkey Pet Four fountains is good but you have to be sure to pop out the inner disk to clean it properly. Karen Sullivan HUMMINGBIRD GARDENS nursery
alonso@maxwell.mmwb.ucsf.edu (Darwin Alonso) (07/13/89)
Does anyone have any instructions for homemade humming bird feeders? Can you use those small animal water bottles; you know bottle, rubber stopper and small metal or glass tube? I recall someone saying that humming birds will even feed from a saucer, but I want something I can hang up. I know we also talked about feeder formulae in this group, but I didn't save the postings, so I would appreciate any recipes you have. Been pretty dead in this group recently, I hope you're all out somewhere exotic looking at quetzales or aracaris. Darwin O.V. Alonso alonso@boltz.ucsf.edu U.C. San Francisco, or wk. (415) 476-8910; home 564-8601 alonso@cgl.ucsf.edu
barr@frog.UUCP (Chris Barr) (07/20/89)
In article <11688@cgl.ucsf.EDU> alonso@maxwell.mmwb.ucsf.edu (Darwin Alonso) writes: >Does anyone have any instructions for homemade humming bird feeders? I've succeeded with a test tube, wrapped around the top with reasonably strong wire, attached horizontally to a branch. Fill the tube with sugar water & watch them hover. Works best in flowering bushes that they come to.