Re: hummingbird wants in

[backlash]

I would bet he/she sees their reflection and thinks it's another hummingbird.
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[OzarkMtnDaredevil]

Don't worry, Guest. We still like you even if hummingbirds aren't attracted to you. ;D

[flatwater]

Recipe for the hummers food---One cup sugar to three cups water and boil for 10 minutes while stirring. we cook up about four batches at a time (one gal. ) be sure to let cool before serving.

[tufhelp]

Remember, no red dye in the hummer food... The need for making the sugar water red is a myth and as I remember, not good for the hummers either...

[Anon001]

you can buy a cheap plastic hummingbird feeder.

[backlash]

Here you go.
Homemade hummingbird feeder.

http://www.worldofhummingbirds.com/feedersmake.php (http://LINKADDRESS)

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[MooseToo]

i doubt if a LITTLE bit of food coloring will affect the bird - but it does help you see the level from a distance when deciding to refill -
we usually start the season with a 4:1 mix to give the new arrivals a boost (flowers are sparse this early) - by the end of the year we're down to an 8:1 mix to keep the sugar cost down and the birds don't seem to mind a bit -

[tufhelp]

"i doubt if a LITTLE bit of food coloring will affect the bird..."

It of course would depend on the amount used, but if you take into consideration the length of the season, the amount of dye per batch, the probable repeat visitors to the feeder, the cumulative effect on a given individual, a little could turn into an amount sufficient to possibly do damage... It certainly isn't or hasn't been definitively studied, but anecdotal and expert opinion are what is out there.

Here are some remarks on using red dye...

* Several experienced, licensed wildlife rehabilitators have told me that they see disturbing damage in hummers that were known to use dyed syrup, including tumors of the bill and liver. As far as I know, their observations have not been published in a refereed journal. If you're compulsive about "scientific" proof, you don't have to believe them. But I do.

* P-P (Perky-Pet Products) claims that its dye is USDA (actually FDA) approved. It's apparently red dye #40, also known as Allura Red AC, an azo dye made form coal tar. The FDA appoves things that humans eat, and does no testing on the effects of food additives upon wildlife. It is a mistake to assume that hummingbirds are affected by chemicals in the same way as humans; in fact, our physiologies are quite different.

But what if it were approved? Tylenol is FDA approved, but feed it to your cat and it will die (acetaminophen is highly toxic to cats). Some humans are sufficiently allergic to red dye #40 that mere contact will send them into shock. Further, the FDA recommends that humans do not ingest large quantities of a single dye product, but this is exactly what happens to hummingbirds at feeders with red syrup: a steady diet of one dye.

* Despite the FDA approval of red dye #40, enough scientific evidence has accumulated that it has been banned in a number of countries. See these links:
o Developmental toxicity and psychotoxicity of FD and C red dye No. 40 (allura red AC) in rats
o DNA damage induced by red food dyes orally administered to pregnant and male mice
o Structural basis of the mutagenicity of 1-amino-2-naphthol-based azo dyes
o Legal status of food additives

* Red dye is TOTALLY UNNECESSARY to attract hummingbirds. Reports of informal experiments using side by side feeders, one with red syrup and one with plain, suggested that the birds do not like the taste of red dye.

* Natural flower nectar is clear, not red. Hummingbirds don't look at nectar anyway, they look for flowers of the right shape and color, and nearly all hummingbird feeders are red plastic. For the ones that aren't, tie on some red ribbon or surveyor's tape if the birds need help finding them.

* The only constituents found in all flower nectars are water and sugar. There are trace amounts of electrolyte salts and other chemicals, but they are different for each plant, they may come from dust and bugs that contaminate the nectar, and there is no proof that hummingbirds use or need them for good health. In any event, none of the hummingbird food mixes seem to make an attempt to duplicate flower nectar accurately.

I challenge any manufacturer to show that the preservatives and other ingredients in their commercial mixes (except water and sugar) have been scientifically tested for safety as a hummingbird food supplement. I won't, however, insult them by pretending to offer $100.

The bottom line: red dye is unnecessary, and contributes absolutely nothing to the good health of a hummingbird. In fact, its effects on hummingbirds are unproven. It is at best useless. Why take the chance?

Our good stewardship of hummingbirds demands conservatism in how we impact their lives. If you see the logic in my position, let the manufacturers and the stores that sell their products know how you feel. LINK (http://www.hummingbirds.net/dye.html)

[MooseToo]

"i doubt if a LITTLE bit of food coloring will affect the bird..."

It of course would depend on the amount used, but if you take into consideration the length of the season, the amount of dye per batch, the probable repeat visitors to the feeder, the cumulative effect on a given individual, a little could turn into an amount sufficient to possibly do damage...

.........or not -

makes one wonder if the hummers overload with micro-toxins from the insects they consume -