Having hummingbirds in your garden is a delightful and lovely sight. They not only add vibrant life to your yard but are excellent pollinators as well. To maintain the presence of these summertime characters, a lot of home gardeners will install feeders.
Your favorite pollinators may contract deadly infections if you neglect to provide clean feeders and healthy nectar.
A serious and potentially fatal fungal infection could strike your tiny friend if hummingbird feeders are not kept clean and clear of mold and fungus. The swelling of the tongue brought on by this infection prevents the bird from eating. When the adorable little bird loses its ability to drink nectar, it will starve to death.
A mother hummingbird can pass a fungal infection to her babies who, in turn, could also face the possibility of dying from starvation due to swelling tongues.
Not changing out the nectar enough could create fermentation within the nectar. Fermented nectar can cause liver damage, which usually will lead to death.
To clean your feeder, flush it with hot tap water and use a bottle brush to scrub the sides of the glass jar. DO NOT use soap because it will leave residue behind. If you do use soap, use a bleach or vinegar and water solution to rinse and remove soap residue.
Inspect the feeder carefully for black mold. If you see any mold growth, soak the feeder in a solution of 1/4 cup bleach to one gallon water for one hour.
To make the nectar, mix one part ordinary white cane sugar to four parts water. Do not use store bought mixtures, or honey, or any other kind of sugar — just ordinary white cane sugar will work. Bring solution to a boil, stir to dissolve the sugar, then allow the mixture to come to room temperature before filling the feeder.
Boiling the water will help slow the fermentation process of the nectar, but as soon as a hummingbird beak dips and drinks, healthy microorganisms carried on the beak will be transferred into the nectar.
If the nectar becomes cloudy, it has gone bad and needs to be replaced. A sugar solution can spoil in as little as two days. If your feeder is hanging in the sun or outside where the temperatures are high, the nectar may start to ferment in only one day.
To avoid wasting nectar, only put out enough for the birds will consume in two or three days. If you mix up a large batch, you can keep it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Your favorite pollinators may contract deadly infections if you neglect to provide clean feeders and healthy nectar.
A serious and potentially fatal fungal infection could strike your tiny friend if hummingbird feeders are not kept clean and clear of mold and fungus. The swelling of the tongue brought on by this infection prevents the bird from eating. When the adorable little bird loses its ability to drink nectar, it will starve to death.
A mother hummingbird can pass a fungal infection to her babies who, in turn, could also face the possibility of dying from starvation due to swelling tongues.
Not changing out the nectar enough could create fermentation within the nectar. Fermented nectar can cause liver damage, which usually will lead to death.
The Basics of Hummingbird Care
When looking to purchase a feeder, find one that is easy to clean.To clean your feeder, flush it with hot tap water and use a bottle brush to scrub the sides of the glass jar. DO NOT use soap because it will leave residue behind. If you do use soap, use a bleach or vinegar and water solution to rinse and remove soap residue.
Inspect the feeder carefully for black mold. If you see any mold growth, soak the feeder in a solution of 1/4 cup bleach to one gallon water for one hour.
To make the nectar, mix one part ordinary white cane sugar to four parts water. Do not use store bought mixtures, or honey, or any other kind of sugar — just ordinary white cane sugar will work. Bring solution to a boil, stir to dissolve the sugar, then allow the mixture to come to room temperature before filling the feeder.
Boiling the water will help slow the fermentation process of the nectar, but as soon as a hummingbird beak dips and drinks, healthy microorganisms carried on the beak will be transferred into the nectar.
If the nectar becomes cloudy, it has gone bad and needs to be replaced. A sugar solution can spoil in as little as two days. If your feeder is hanging in the sun or outside where the temperatures are high, the nectar may start to ferment in only one day.
To avoid wasting nectar, only put out enough for the birds will consume in two or three days. If you mix up a large batch, you can keep it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.