10 can you put too much sugar in a hummingbird feeder Ideas

stronger solutions help mama hummingbird
Posted by carolreese z7 TN (My Page) on Tue, Apr 21, 09 at 14:44

I meet with lots of resistance on this topic, but let me stress that I have read many scientific papers on hummingbird feeding and metabolism before I began making my solution 1 part sugar to 2 parts water. I will mention the scientific studies throughout, so that you may do your own investigations.
First of all, make it easy on yourself, you do not need to boil the water. The sugar will melt with a little extra stirring, and the solution will not be prevented from spoiling by boiling it. The first hummer to stick his tongue in it introduces microbes. Of course, the feeders should be cleaned and refilled anytime you see cloudiness, usually every few days.

If you read the studies, you will find that many of the flowers that hummingbirds prefer have nectar concentrations anywhere from thirty percent sugar to an astounding forty-three percent (jewelweed). Some of the desert salvias have even higher concentrations. Here is a link that will list a number of studies on this topic. http://www.springerlink.com/content/r12612v82625n115/

Researchers found that some of the “hummingbird flowers” that have lower sugar concentrations, are that way in order to discourage bees, which on certain floral structures are NOT good pollinators. Apparently the flower needs hummingbird business but not bees. If you average the sugar concentrations of the flowers a hummingbird visits, it runs around 31-33%.

For starters, I recommend reading a report by two scientists, Hainsworth and Wolf, biologists with Syracuse University. They studied the feeding habits of hummingbirds presented with different sugar solutions. They found that a hummingbird takes in about the same amount of calories per hour. If the solution is strong, they visit the feeder just a few times an hour. If the solution is weak, the birds visit much more often to take in the same number of calories. Here is the link. http://www.hummingbirds.net/hainsworth.html

Hummingbirds are actually insectivores, but require a lot of sugar to fuel their search, and fuel is the operative word. A hummingbird must take in an enormous amount of nectar, several times its body its body weight each day. The feeding day is a balance between energy expended for the calories gained. Thats one reason hummingbirds prefer feeders with perches. In fact, hummingbirds spend as much as 80% of the day perched, conserving their energy.

After learning this, I began making my solutions stronger, two parts water to one part sugar, or about 33%. Those who insist a solution this strong is dangerous, must be unaware of this study, or arent thinking it through. The little birds are eating the SAME AMOUNT of sugar per hour, they just dont have to work so hard to get it. I feel entirely comfortable making my sugar solutions stronger after reading that hummingbirds take in about the same amount of calories per hour regardless of the strength of the sugar solution. Weaker solutions just make the hummingbird visit the feeder more often, making it work harder, burn more fuel…and no, a thicker syrup is NOT hard for the hummers to lap up, this is another of those silly unfounded claims.

I want to make the case for a stronger solution helping out the mama hummer. She is a single mom, getting absolutely no help from the male. She alone incubates the eggs, and has only a few minutes away from them each hour to feed. Once the eggs hatch, she must struggle to keep the hatchlings fed as well, regurgitating nectar and small insects, as well as meet her own needs. A stronger solution means she has to work a little less hard.

Also realize that all hummingbirds actually need to put on weight later in the summer to bulk up for the coming migratory flight. Hummingbirds drop about 40% of their body weight during the flight south to Central America.

Speaking at a conference in Pennsylvania a few years ago, I made my case for stronger sugar solutions to an audience that apparently did not take it well.

A few days after returning home, I received a scolding email stating that my recommendations were dangerous for hummingbirds. One of the claims made in the email was that the hummingbirds might become diabetic. Apparently this person did not know about the study done by Dr. James Hargrove in Georgia that explored the reasons hummingbirds were able to take in so much sugar without becoming diabetic. You can read about it here. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1325055

Another claim made in the email was that the hummingbirds would need straight water after drinking such a rich mixture and would sip from puddles that might contain pesticides or radiator fluid, poisoning the thirsty little birds. Apparently they did not know about the studies by Drs. Hiebert and Calder, among others, that discussed the problems created by too much water intake. It seems that maintaining a balance of necessary minerals and salts is difficult for a bird that must drink so much fluid throughout the feeding day. Dilute nectar results in more frequent urination which results in loss of minerals and salts, just as you would lose electrolytes if you drank excessive amounts of water. Hummingbirds have occasionally been observed (Adams and Des Lauriers) licking soil, that was later tested and found to have high levels of phosphorous, potassium and calcium. Hmm, seems like a weaker solution is more likely to have birds licking up dangerous compounds, rather than the opposite – though that claim was ludicrous from the start.

I was also scolded for using more sugar since that might cause more land to go into sugar production. This is where I realize this person did not even understand the first study I recommended she read – where Hainsworth’s research showed that the hummingbird will take in the same amount, I repeat, the same amount of sugar each hour, it is just that it takes fewer visits if the sugar mixture is richer. Maybe she can’t understand that means that I am not using more sugar, I am just making the hummers caloric needs easier to satisfy. Of course the amount of sugar I use in my feeders compared to the sugar in the soft drinks, candy and cookies in this country is miniscule, so that objection was laughable to start with.

Its astonishing how some people react to new information, especially information that may question long held beliefs. When I asked the person who wrote the email for references to back her claims, she quoted several “hummingbird experts”, people who had written books, for example. When I pressed her for the science that supported their recommendations, there was no response. I supplied her with my references, and hoped to hear that shed learned from their research. Im still holding my breath.

• Author: houzz.com

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• Sumary: Hi, my question is…Can u give a Hummingbird too much sugar in the mix? I have an 8oz Hummingbird feeder and i mix 6oz of sugar to about 3oz of water….

• Matching Result: It is NOT possible to give a hummer “too much sugar”. Hummers only consume the necessary calories to survive – if you give higher concentration nectar (like 2:1 …

• Intro: Can u give a Hummer too much sugar??stronger solutions help mama hummingbirdPosted by carolreese z7 TN (My Page) on Tue, Apr 21, 09 at 14:44 I meet with lots of resistance on this topic, but let me stress that I have read many scientific papers on hummingbird feeding and metabolism…

• Source: https://www.houzz.com/discussions/1978736/can-u-give-a-hummer-too-much-sugar

• Author: bondwithyourbird.com

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• Sumary: Sugar is an essential ingredient in a hummingbird’s diet. They rely too much on sugar to get the required energy to maintain their rapid metabolism. You might think of giving them…

• Matching Result: The hummingbirds cannot consume too much sugar. If you are a new hummingbird feeder, you might risk creating either over-strong or over-weak sugar water. In …

• Intro: Can You Put Too Much Sugar in a Hummingbird Feeder?Sugar is an essential ingredient in a hummingbird’s diet. They rely too much on sugar to get the required energy to maintain their rapid metabolism. You might think of giving them high sugar doses to satiate their appetite at once. But,…

• Source: https://bondwithyourbird.com/too-much-sugar-in-hummingbird-feeder/

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• Sumary: ..Advertisements.. CONTINUE READING BELOW The mixture must always be four parts boiled water to one part sugar. … Too little sugar will not provide the necessary calories, too much sugar can harm…

• Matching Result: A: No, only use refined white sugar. Other sweetening agents have additional ingredients that can prove detrimental to the hummingbirds. Never use artificial …

• Intro: Can you put too much sugar in a hummingbird feeder? ..Advertisements.. CONTINUE READING BELOW The mixture must always be four parts boiled water to one part sugar. … Too little sugar will not provide the necessary calories, too much sugar can harm the liver and kidneys of hummingbirds. Use only…

• Source: https://dailydelish.us/faq/can-you-put-too-much-sugar-in-a-hummingbird-feeder/

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• Sumary: The Healthy Journal is a lifestyle website with gluten, dairy, sugar free recipes, interviews , health articles, natural remedies, food stores and vegetarian restaurants worldwide.

• Matching Result: The classic hummingbird nectar recipe is easy to make and can be adjusted slightly, but using grossly incorrect sugar-to-water proportions be problematic.

• Intro: The Healthy Journal – Gluten, Dairy, Sugar Free Recipes, Interviews and Health Articles Can you put too much sugar in hummingbird feeder? Sweeter nectar may also crystalize more easily, clogging feeder ports. Nectar with higher sugar levels can also ferment more quickly, becoming dangerous to hungry birds. Can you make…

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• Sumary: The Healthy Journal is a lifestyle website with gluten, dairy, sugar free recipes, interviews , health articles, natural remedies, food stores and vegetarian restaurants worldwide.

• Matching Result: Sweeter nectar may also crystalize more easily, clogging feeder ports. Nectar with higher sugar levels can also ferment more quickly, becoming dangerous to.

• Intro: The Healthy Journal – Gluten, Dairy, Sugar Free Recipes, Interviews and Health Articles What happens if you put too much sugar in a hummingbird feeder? Sweeter nectar may also crystalize more easily, clogging feeder ports. Nectar with higher sugar levels can also ferment more quickly, becoming dangerous to hungry birds….

• Source: https://www.thehealthyjournal.com/faq/what-happens-if-you-put-too-much-sugar-in-a-hummingbird-feeder

• Author: ecosystemgardening.com

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• Sumary: Is Sugar Bad for Hummingbirds?

• Matching Result: STOP IT! Like humans, too much sugar is bad for them. If you want to give them some protein, cut up a watermelon, cantaloupe or banana and set …

• Intro: Is Sugar Bad for Hummingbirds? We’ve talked about hummingbird feeders before in discussing how long to leave your feeders up during the fall migration, but this new question came from Stacey: Carole, is it really okay to feed hummingbirds sugar water? I avoid refined sugar like the plague, so I’m…

• Source: https://www.ecosystemgardening.com/is-sugar-bad-for-hummingbirds.html

• Author: theconversation.com

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• Sumary: How do hummingbirds drink sugary nectar and not get sick? Don’t they need a balanced diet to stay healthy? Do they eat anything else?

• Matching Result: Don’t ever use brown sugar, honey, or any other type of sweetener, which can harm a hummingbird. For example, brown sugar has too much iron in …

• Intro: Why don’t hummingbirds get fat or sick from drinking sugary nectar? Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com. Why don’t hummingbirds get fat or sick from drinking sugary nectar? – Dhruv, age…

• Source: https://theconversation.com/why-dont-hummingbirds-get-fat-or-sick-from-drinking-sugary-nectar-122178

• Author: thespruce.com

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• Sumary: These top hummingbird nectar mistakes can discourage or even hurt hummingbirds. Correct these problems and feed hummingbirds safely!

• Matching Result: The classic hummingbird nectar recipe is easy to make and can be adjusted slightly, but using grossly incorrect sugar-to-water proportions be …

• Intro: Top 10 Hummingbird Nectar Mistakes—and How to Avoid Them! It is easy to provide nectar for hungry hummingbirds, but it is equally easy to make mistakes with that nectar that can jeopardize the birds. At the very least, a minor mistake might discourage hummingbirds from visiting, but major errors could…

• Source: https://www.thespruce.com/top-hummingbird-nectar-mistakes-385961