next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
previous message in thread
Index of Subjects
Index of Subjects --Apple-Mail-7--1031058529 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi Annabelle, Below is part of a lengthy post I wrote on hummingbird food a couple of years ago. Cheers, Chris 1) Sugar Concentration and Taste Hummingbirds clearly favor more concentrated solutions (up to a 60% solution) over less concentrated ones (down to 10%). The sweeter it is, the more they will be attracted to it. Two separate studies based on different metabolic, environmental and biomechanical criteria have predicted that optimal solutions for hummingbirds would be 22-26% (in one case) or 35-40% (in the second case). Note that natural sugar concentrations in flower nectar tend to be in the 20% region (i.e. a 4:1 solution of water to sugar). Hummingbirds seem to like both sucrose and glucose equally but greatly prefer either to fructose, which they are distinctly not fond of. This is consistent with the sugars which naturally occur in flowers frequented by hummingbirds. They show no interest at all in artificial sweeteners (saccharin, aspartame, Equal). There is some question as to whether they can even taste these substances since they way in which they stimulate sweet receptors in humans is not even universal in mammals, let alone birds. There is some evidence that very high concentrations (50-60%) may be metabolized sub-optimally by hummingbirds and that at such high concentrations the birds may require supplementary drinking water to maintain osmotic homeostasis of body fluids. As to whether it actually causes them any harm seems to be (as yet) a moot point. On 3-Aug-08, at 4:04 PM, annabelle wrote: > I would be careful with that syrup as I have read that stronger then > 1:4 is not good for them. > > Margaret E.Millard wrote: >> Hello there. I too have more hummingbirds than I have ever had >> before. I have strange males coming in now and still one family to >> come away from the nest I think. I upped my sugar syrup this past >> Friday to a mix between 1:3 and 1:4. I wanted to see if it would >> cut down on the friction at the feeders. Things are getting really >> excited. The first day there were up to four birds and a couple >> waiting at the ports but now today we are back to shrieking and >> stabbing. >> Things might be a bit upset as our big apple tree out back decided >> to break apart this morning and I know there were birds using that >> branch for shelter........maybe as we clean up, I will find >> remnants of a nest. >> Marg in White Point, Queens. >> http://margmillard.ca >> ----- Original Message ----- From: "win&Ina" <win@eastlink.ca> >> To: "naturens" <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca> >> Sent: Sunday, August 03, 2008 2:21 PM >> Subject: [NatureNS] hummers >> >> >>> We have been feeders hummers for more than 20 years, have never >>> seen so many as are here this year. Other people have said that >>> same thing. >>> We are filling two feeders twice a day- never have done that >>> before. They seem to be all females, have the males gone so soon? >>> Anyone have any thoughts on the numbers of hummers this year? >>> W. Kettleson (truro) >>> >> >> >> Christopher Majka Nova Scotia Museum, 1747 Summer St., Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 3A6 c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca --Apple-Mail-7--1031058529 Content-Type: text/html; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; = -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Hi = Annabelle,<div><br></div><div>Below is part of a lengthy post I wrote on = hummingbird food a couple of years = ago.</div><div><br></div><div>Cheers,</div><div><br></div><div>Chris</div>= <div><br></div><div><div align=3D""><b>1) Sugar Concentration and = Taste</b></div> <div align=3D""> </div> <div align=3D"">Hummingbirds = clearly favor more concentrated solutions (up to a 60% solution) over less concentrated ones (down to 10%). The sweeter it is, the more they will be attracted to it. Two separate studies based on different metabolic, environmental = and biomechanical criteria have predicted that optimal solutions for hummingbirds would be 22-26% (in one case) or 35-40% = (in the second case). Note that natural sugar concentrations in flower nectar tend to be in the 20% region (i.e. a 4:1 solution of water to sugar).</div> <div align=3D""> </div> <div = align=3D"">Hummingbirds seem to like both sucrose and glucose equally but greatly prefer either to fructose, which they are distinctly not fond of. This is consistent with the sugars which = naturally occur in flowers frequented by hummingbirds.</div> <div = align=3D""> </div> <div align=3D"">They show no interest at all in = artificial sweeteners (saccharin, aspartame, Equal). There is some question as to whether they can even taste these substances since they way in which they stimulate sweet receptors in humans is not even universal in mammals, let alone birds.</div><div align=3D""><br></div><div align=3D""><!--StartFragment-->= <div class=3D"MsoPlainText">There is some evidence that very high = concentrations (50-60%) may be metabolized sub-optimally by hummingbirds and that = at such high concentrations the birds may require supplementary drinking water to maintain osmotic homeostasis of body fluids. As = to whether it actually causes them any harm seems to be (as yet) a = moot point.</div><div class=3D"MsoPlainText"><o:p></o:p></div> <!--EndFragment--> </div></div><div><br><div><div>On 3-Aug-08, at 4:04 PM, annabelle = wrote:</div><br class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote = type=3D"cite"><div>I would be careful with that syrup as I have read = that stronger then 1:4 is not good for them.<br><br>Margaret E.Millard = wrote:<br><blockquote type=3D"cite">Hello there. I too have more = hummingbirds than I have ever had before. I have strange males coming in = now and still one family to come away from the nest I think. I upped my = sugar syrup this past Friday to a mix between 1:3 and 1:4. I wanted to = see if it would