If I don't make the nectar in my hummingbird feeder sweet enough, will it effect them using it??
Question:I recently purchased a hummingbird feeder, but I don't know it I made the nectar sweet enough. Hummingbirds are not coming to it at all, and I have seen them in the neighborhood in previous times.
What can I do to get them attracted to it?
Answers:
Ok, to the people who say that they have never noticed a problem with putting red dye in their feeders...are you an avian vet? Do you actually capture the birds to inspect them? Then how would you know if there is a problem internally? It's not like they will turn red on the outside because of the dye. Sheesh. Red dye is being shown to cause tumors in humminbirds. Heck, even people are starting to not want Red Dye #40 in their food, so imagine a tiny little animal injesting tons of it. Hummers are attracted to red, but most feeders have it already, so don't bother.
The correct amount is 1 part sugar to 4 parts water. You don't want to add anything else. No honey (very toxic to hummers), no KoolAid, no nothing. Buying packets in the store is a waste of money. Some people are led to believe that hummers need the extra "vitamins" in the packets, but hummers don't use feeders enough to say that they are relying on it to stay alive. Most nourishment that hummers get in their day is from flowers and bugs. Yes, they eat bugs, and lots of them. A feeder is just a nice snack. It is really useful to a hummer in the early morning right before the sun comes up and right after the sun goes down. Hummers have lightening fast metabolisms and when they wake up, they are ravenous. They like having a place that they know there will be food right when they wake up. Same goes for at night. They have to stock up before sleep. There is even a species of hummer in South America that can starve to death in it's sleep.
Once you get the mixture right, play around with where your feeder is. They don't care if it is near a window, so long as there isn't too much movement from right inside the house. Keep it up away from the cats, and preferably in a dappled shade spot (so the mixture doesn't spoil in the sun). Try different places for a few days at a time to see where they like it the most.
Hummingbirds are attracted to the color red. You can try to put a few drops of red food coloring in the feeder. Have patience, it may take some time for them to find your feeder.
Be sure to change the nectar frequently enough. Use a solution that contains one cup of sugar in four cups of water. bring the solution to a boil and then let it cool. Keep extra solution in the refrigerator and replace the solution in the feeder at least every four days. You can attract the birds to the feeder by attaching a red ribbon. Once they find the feeder the ribbon will no longer be necessary. Do not color the solution.
Be persistent in keeping the solution fresh and they WILL come. Good luck, they are a joy to watch.
The coloring of the water is for your pleasure. It also helps you be able to see how much solution is in your feeder.
If you feel that your solution is too weak, then add a little more mix to it. If it is over sweet that is okay because they will just eat a little less. If it isn't sweet enough then I don't think they will come to your feeder.
Hummingbirds are migratory birds and depending on where you are in the US, it might take time for the birds to get to you. When they are first starting their trip home they will send out "hunters" to find the best sources of food. Kind of like a Zagats guide for hummingbirds.
It took a while for birds to come to my feeder so be patient. Also, they can be territorial birds. I had one bird that would rush across the yard and run away any other hummingbirds that were trying to feed (actually pretty funny). If this happens, then put up another feeder 5 or so feet away.
They are incredible birds and keep your feeder clean and your mix changed regulary. Once they have found your feeder, then they will eat all of the food before you have to change the solution. Also, just use hot water to clean the feeder as some soaps will leave a residue.
Best of luck.
I stand corrected (pulled this from the website listed below): Red food coloring is unnecessary, especially after birds have found the feeders; besides, modern hummingbird feeders all have red plastic bases and/or yellow flowers the birds can easily see.
So the answer about color is yes and no. If your feeder has red or yellow it will alllow the birds to see the feeders and you don't need to add coloring to your food.
Hummingbird nectar: Dump 1 cup sugar in 4 cups boiling water; the ratio must be 1:4. Cool the solution before putting it in your feeder. Wash your feeder weekly with warm water to avoid mildew. I have always used red food coloring with no effect on my hummingbirds, but some people advise against it.
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