Interesting blog post from Julie Zickefoose

I've always hated that red-dye goo but this drives my point home that it's not only unnecessary for the hummers but dangerous for them as well.

http://www.juliezickefoose.com/blog/2009/07/bunny-named-blaze.html

This message was edited Jul 23, 2009 2:48 PM

EXCELLENT article!!!!!

Thanks so much for posting it Judy!!!

Red 40 is used in all sorts of human food and is approved by FDA. We eat it in candy, preserved fruits, drinks, pastries and all sorts of things. While I don't use prepared nectar nor put food coloring in it, neither to I buy this lady's simplistic anecdotal drivel. There is a lot of bad info out there on the net. If this lady can cite some scientific research that shows some validity to her comments, I'll listen. Until then, I'll call bull on her. :)

Regardless it would not affect a large human like it would a tiny hummingbird.

It is banned in Denmark, Belgium, France, Switzerland, and Sweden, and voluntarily withdrawn from use in Britain.

Resin

Thank you so very much Resin for that information. I think that speaks volumes.
Reddirtretiree, I don't know what, if anything you know about Julie Zickefoose, but quite frankly the lady has forgotten more than you'll ever know about birds, humming or otherwise.
But I am glad you don't use the crap in your feeders. Happy birding.

I was using the store bought food but they would never drink it, I switched to sugar water and it made a big difference,will never go back, glad I did and I do not add food coloring and I boil the water also.

Burd.. same here.. When I first started feeding them, I tried the red goo. They wouldn't touch the stuff. When I switched to sugar water, they couldn't get enough of it. And it seems senseless to buy the mix stuff when all you have to do is mix sugar and water. I don't add food coloring either. I've always been told the red on the feeder itself is enough to draw them. And it must be... I have about 20 hummers a night at my three feeders in by backyard.

This message was edited Jul 27, 2009 11:40 AM

heyitsmejudy and Burd, that was my experience, too. Now, I mix up my own clear sugar water solution.

Hack

My feeder is old and the red has faded to pink, yet they still zip right up to it in spring time and defend it for all of their worth for the rest of the season.
I did not have any takers for the red stuff that was sold to DH and I set out a feeder with plain sugar water next to it to prove to him that we still had hummers and they prefer the plain. Worked like a charm. ^_^

Interesting article Judy thanks for posting the link. I have never used the dye stuff...always make my own. I have heard that the dye is bad for the birds and try to discourage others from using it (sometimes in the aisle at Wal-Mart)!!

Very interesting and informative article! Thanks! I always make my own sugar water for my feeders.

It makes me wonder. If we all know the disadvantages of the dyed stuff, why is it still sold in stores?

I reckon for the novices or the folks who know no better yet.

I remember when I got my first hummer feeder I got suckered in, bought me a box of the red dye stuff.. Since then It has been my experience that the red dye solution doesn't draw anywhere near the number of hummers that clear water does. In fact, I never did see a hummer at the red dye solution - maybe they were there when I wasn't looking.

I poured it all out and started over with homemade clear sugar water - what a difference.

Hack

For as long as we've been feeding our hummingbirds we always have mixed up our own sugar + water/nectar. I also do the 1 part sugar to 3 parts water.
As small as those birds are, I couldn't risk feeding them anything unnatural such as dye in that mix. Our hummingbirds always flock to a mound of blue iris in our yard for feeding, so we knew that they weren't drawn exclusively to the color red.

Jill, you do 1 part sugar and THREE parts water? Humm, I've been doing 1 sugar to 4 waters. Maybe I should sweeten the mix.

Hack

I do 1/3 also.

Thanks for posting the link to that blog, Judy.
Regarding the ratio of cane sugar to water, I read that a 1:4 provides what they need. I found this:

Here's the recipe for artificial nectar (syrup):
Use one part ordinary white cane sugar to four parts water.
It's not necessary to boil the water. The microorganisms that cause fermentation don't come from the water; they are transported to the feeder on hummingbird bills.
Store unused syrup in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
This mixture approximates the average sucrose content (about 21%) of the flowers favored by North American hummingbirds, without being so sweet it attracts too many insects.
http://www.hummingbirds.net/feeders.html

Barb



This message was edited Jul 29, 2009 12:28 PM

Humm, reckon I stick to 4:1.

Hack