![]() ![]() Hummingbird feeder recipe full#I use about 50% vinegar (either white or apple cider vinegar) and 50% HOT water.Rinse the feeder well before refilling.In HOT climates -don't fill the feeders full as the nectar ferments and should be changed every other day. Use good old vinegar-which is natural and easily washes away. Bleach can leave a residue that will kill a hummer. Keep refrigerated.IMPORTANT: the original recipe says to clean the feeders with BLEACH. Close the lid on the container and shake shake shake for about 30 seconds till all the sugar dissolves. It is NOT neccesary to boil the water.First fill your refrigerator container with the dry sugar and then add the HOTTEST tap water you can get. The recipe of One cup sugar to 4 cups water is correct. * If the sugar water in your feeder "turns black" within three days, you likely have a problem with contamination of the feeder and/or the sugar. Soaps and detergents can be a problem if the feeder has nooks and crannies that you can't reach to scrub and rinse, but some well-designed feeders can be washed on the top rack of a dishwasher. ![]() As long as you rinse the feeder well, any residual chlorine will be neutralized by the sugar in the solution. ![]() * Both vinegar (full-strength) and bleach (diluted) are perfectly okay for cleaning feeders, but bleach is a more powerful disinfectant. The CDC warns against drinking or cooking with ordinary hot tap water because it can contain elevated levels of lead, so it doesn't belong in hummingbird feeders, either. Microwaving is also okay, but don't use hot tap water unless you have a special instant hot water dispenser at your kitchen sink. Pure white sugar is safest.* Boiling isn't strictly necessary, but it does help the sugar dissolve and the solution stay fresh a little longer. If you can't resist coloring your sugar water, use a teaspoon or two of concentrated fruit juice (tart cherry gives a nice bright red color, but the birds don't seem to like the taste of cranberry).* Organic sugar isn't fully refined, and that dingy color comes in part from iron, which hummingbirds have a low tolerance for. * Artificial coloring isn't a huge health issue for us because we consume such small amounts, but hummingbirds can drink three times their weight in nectar or sugar water every day. They meet all their other nutritional needs (protein, vitamins, minerals, etc.) by eating insects and spiders (a good reason to avoid using pesticides in your yard). Here's my perspective as someone who's studied hummingbirds professionally for more than 25 years: * Hummingbirds visit flowers and feeders for energy and water. Win-Win.There's a lot of well-meaning misinformation floating around about feeding hummingbirds, so it's not surprising that some of it has shown up in the reviews. You're far better off making your own hummingbird food and it's easier on the wallet. ![]() It offers no nutritional value, and some of the chemicals in the red dye could, in fact, actually harm the hummingbirds. The best hummingbird food is made using two simple ingredients from your kitchen: sugar and water. You don't need fancy, expensive nectar solutions from the bird store. The rice acts as an abrasive to help get those hard to reach areas. They also recommend adding in dry rice if your feeder has gotten dirty. One part vinegar to four parts water, being sure to rinse well. The National Audubon Society recommends using a white vinegar and water solution to clean the feeder. However, upon doing some research, I found that dish soaps can leave a harmful residue. In the past, I have used a bit of dish soap and some elbow grease to clean it. Setting up your feeder is simple and easy, but first you must wash the feeder. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |