Hummingbird Feeder Problem
Sugar water in my brand-new hummingbird feeder (plastic red-capped space
craft design) turns yellow after a day or two. Birds will not stay to
drink, and I assume this is the reason. Any solutions for this problem?
Thanks Robley Evans North Stonington CT
You need to change the sugar water in the feeders as soon as it gets
cloudy! Mix it up yourself; 1 part sugar to 4 parts water (e.g., 1/4 C
sugar to 1 C water) put it in the microwave until it comes to a boil and
let it cool. Meanwhile wash out the feeder with a soap and bleach solution
and rinse well. During this hot spell I have changed my hummer food every
other day. They can get ill and even die if they eat moldy food. Their
tongues can swell up from the fungus infection and they starve to death.
Maybe this doesn't happen often but often enough that it's worth the extra
work. I only fill my feeders 1/2 way during hot spells as it get cloudy so
quickly. I have lots of juvies around right now and they may not recognize
that the sugar water has gone by so I am extra careful. If this is too
much work for you, better to bring in the feeder and let them find other
sources. You can put it out again when the weather cools and it stays
fresh longer. Good luck!
Kathy Van Der Aue
Southport, Connecticut
Visit my Blog at http://naturaliststable.wordpress.com
On Sun, Jul 31, 2016 at 5:04 PM, Robley Evans via CTBirds <
ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> wrote:
Sugar water in my brand-new hummingbird feeder (plastic red-capped space
craft design) turns yellow after a day or two. Birds will not stay to
drink, and I assume this is the reason. Any solutions for this problem?
Thanks Robley Evans North Stonington CT
This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological Association (COA)
for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut.
For subscription information visit
http://lists.ctbirding.org/mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org
I would add that the advantages of the saucer-shaped hummingbird feeders that I use (I assume others are similar) are that they are easy to clean - no unreachable corners - and that they don't hold a lot of food in this hot weather. Also, be sure to use cane sugar sold for human consumption rather than anything sold as hummingbird food.
I don't use bleach as Kathy suggests, but I have a spare so the dirty one goes through the dishwasher (top shelf only). Tears when I have gotten too busy I have taken it down as suggested rather than neglect it.
Roy Harvey
Beacon Falls, CT
From: Kathy Van Der Aue via CTBirds <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org>
To: Robley Evans rjeva@conncoll.edu
Cc: Bird List Serve ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org
Sent: Sunday, July 31, 2016 6:49 PM
Subject: Re: [CT Birds] Hummingbird Feeder Problem
You need to change the sugar water in the feeders as soon as it gets
cloudy! Mix it up yourself; 1 part sugar to 4 parts water (e.g., 1/4 C
sugar to 1 C water) put it in the microwave until it comes to a boil and
let it cool. Meanwhile wash out the feeder with a soap and bleach solution
and rinse well. During this hot spell I have changed my hummer food every
other day. They can get ill and even die if they eat moldy food. Their
tongues can swell up from the fungus infection and they starve to death.
Maybe this doesn't happen often but often enough that it's worth the extra
work. I only fill my feeders 1/2 way during hot spells as it get cloudy so
quickly. I have lots of juvies around right now and they may not recognize
that the sugar water has gone by so I am extra careful. If this is too
much work for you, better to bring in the feeder and let them find other
sources. You can put it out again when the weather cools and it stays
fresh longer. Good luck!
Kathy Van Der Aue
Southport, Connecticut
Visit my Blog at http://naturaliststable.wordpress.com
On Sun, Jul 31, 2016 at 5:04 PM, Robley Evans via CTBirds <
ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> wrote:
Sugar water in my brand-new hummingbird feeder (plastic red-capped space
craft design) turns yellow after a day or two. Birds will not stay to
drink, and I assume this is the reason. Any solutions for this problem?
Thanks Robley Evans North Stonington CT
Are you using well water? We always use filtered water from a Britta filter have no problems
Carol Lemmon
From: Robley Evans via CTBirds <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org>
To: Bird List Serve ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org
Sent: Sunday, July 31, 2016 5:04 PM
Subject: [CT Birds] Hummingbird Feeder Problem
Sugar water in my brand-new hummingbird feeder (plastic red-capped space
craft design) turns yellow after a day or two. Birds will not stay to
drink, and I assume this is the reason. Any solutions for this problem?
Thanks Robley Evans North Stonington CT
This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological Association (COA) for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut.
For subscription information visit http://lists.ctbirding.org/mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org
Thanks to everyone who suggested help for my rejected hummingbird feeder.
I will try to re-coup my terrible reputation among apodiforms tomorrow and
bring the feeder in for today. I don't have a place out of the sun to hang
it, so must try something in its place. Robley Evans North Stonington CT
On Sun, Jul 31, 2016 at 6:49 PM, Kathy Van Der Aue kathyvda@gmail.com
wrote:
You need to change the sugar water in the feeders as soon as it gets
cloudy! Mix it up yourself; 1 part sugar to 4 parts water (e.g., 1/4 C
sugar to 1 C water) put it in the microwave until it comes to a boil and
let it cool. Meanwhile wash out the feeder with a soap and bleach solution
and rinse well. During this hot spell I have changed my hummer food every
other day. They can get ill and even die if they eat moldy food. Their
tongues can swell up from the fungus infection and they starve to death.
Maybe this doesn't happen often but often enough that it's worth the extra
work. I only fill my feeders 1/2 way during hot spells as it get cloudy so
quickly. I have lots of juvies around right now and they may not recognize
that the sugar water has gone by so I am extra careful. If this is too
much work for you, better to bring in the feeder and let them find other
sources. You can put it out again when the weather cools and it stays
fresh longer. Good luck!
Kathy Van Der Aue
Southport, Connecticut
Visit my Blog at http://naturaliststable.wordpress.com
On Sun, Jul 31, 2016 at 5:04 PM, Robley Evans via CTBirds <
ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> wrote:
Sugar water in my brand-new hummingbird feeder (plastic red-capped space
craft design) turns yellow after a day or two. Birds will not stay to
drink, and I assume this is the reason. Any solutions for this problem?
Thanks Robley Evans North Stonington CT
This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological Association (COA)
for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut.
For subscription information visit
http://lists.ctbirding.org/mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org