More About Hummingbirds

Food for the Hummers:

In case I neglected to mention this, the best sugar solution for the birds is
home made, but on the down side, it has 0 preservatives in it, so it lasts
only 48 hours.  So if you live in a place where the temperature gets above
60 degrees, and you are up to your ears in work, it might be kinder to use
the prepared solutions with red dye in it.  No one wants to kill these lovely
birds--but 48 hours is the max in the summertime and part of the fall for this
solution.  After 48 hours, it becomes dangerous for the birds to consume!

Here is the recipe for a more healthy nectar:

1 part sugar (table sugar)
4 parts water
Boil for 1-2 minutes
Cool.
Store extra in refrigerator.

Boiling the solution helps retard fermentation.  Never substitute honey for
table sugar.  Honey ferments easily and can cause a fungus that can be
fatal to hummingbirds.

I am not in favor of the use of red dye, but the prepared solutions are handy
for busy people.  I am a realist.  If you cannot commit to changing the liquid
every 48 hours, then it would be kinder to use a prepared solution.  The
research results are still out on the matter of the red dye--but over 48 hous
in hot weather can cause death to the hummingbirds.  So, please, if you
make your own nectar, change it every 48 hours.

Also clean feeders every 2-3 days.  Vinegar is a good cleanser to use.  If
you see mold, you may want to use a tiny amount of Clorox--this MUST
be rinsed out thoroughly as Clorox is poison.  For small hard to reach areas,
pipe cleaners and small bottle brushes.

Use an ant guard with your feeder to keep out unwanted visitors.  These are
sold at Lowes and are very self explanatory.  The ants crawl down the rope
and end up in a moat of water.  Oops, drowned ants! If you have problem
with bees or wasps, rub a tiny bit of vaseline or salad or mineral to the feeding
ports with a Q-tip.

Hang feeders in the shade and away from the wind.  Mine hang on my porches.
If you have never had hummingbirds in your area, plant the flowers they are
attracted to.  They are especially fond of red flowers, so when you choose
your first flowers, pick red!  They are fond of  butterfly bushes--and mine
was white and they still frequented it.  This year I plan to have some red ones.
They are attracted to the following:  Cross Vine, Red Trumpet Vine, Cardinal
Flower, Wild Columbine, Fireweed, Trumpet Honeysuckle, Red Iris, Canada
Lily and the Wood Lily, Bee Balm, Purple Bergamot, Red Morning Glory (this
one I plant NOT to plant.), Texas Plume, Smooth Phlox, Wild Sweet William,
Fire Pinks, Scarlet Lychnis, Snapdragons, in particular, the Indian Paintbrush,
and the Red Turtlehead, and Pale Jewelweed and Spotted Jewelweed.

Interesting Facts for today--"If an average man had the metabolism of a
hummingbird, he would have to eat 285 pounds of hamburger every day
to maintain his weight."

A hummingbird's heart beats 1,260 times a minute.

A resting hummingbird takes 250 breath a minute.

And that is all on these lovely birds for today.

The source for this information is The Hummingbird Book co-authored by
Donald and Lillian Stokes.  It is a wonderful book and I highly recommend
it.

All for today.