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To Color or Not to Color, That is The Question

Monday, June 21st, 2010

There has been debate in the birding community about the practice of putting red food coloring in the nectar in hummingbird feeders with the hope of attracting more hummingbirds. While many people claim that the colored hummingbird nectar in their feeders attracts more hummers, others feel that this practice is unnecessary and possibly dangerous to the birds. Possible side effects include weakened eggs and premature death to the birds.

Natural nectar, which the birds get from flowers, is colorless, so adding color to the feeders is seen by some as unnatural. Some studies have shown that red dye has been known to cause pre-cancerous DNA damage in laboratory animals. It is interesting to note the no research has actually been done by the Food and Drug Administration, which approves food additives, to determine the safety of red dye for wild birds.

To be on the safe side, it’s recommended to make your own homemade nectar solution, using 4 parts water and one part sugar, or to buy commercial instant nectar, such as the clear dry concentrate sold by Perky Pet (retail $2.49 pkg.). Songbird Essentials, also makes a nectar concentrate without artificial dyes that you mix with water. Both of these are available at USA Bird Supply, either through their website http://www.usabirdsupply.com or at their retail store at 11163 Main Street, Clarence.

And if you simply must have color in your nectar, some recommend mixing a bit of naturally colored fruit juice concentrate into the nectar. It is far better to have a red feeder or have red decorations on the feeder to attract the hummers, than to have red nectar.

By Christine A. Smyczynski

Posted in Bird Feeders, Hummingbird Feeders | No Comments »

Attracting Hummingbirds, Not Bees, To Your Feeder

Friday, June 18th, 2010

Yellow jackets like yellow, what a surprise! However, since many hummingbird feeders have yellow flowers on the feeding ports, this poses a problem, as you want to attract hummingbirds, not bees or wasps. A yellow flower to a bee is like a red cape to a bull.

So what is one to do? If you already have a feeder with yellow flowers, you don’t have to throw it away. Simply remove these parts, or paint the flower red, using a non-toxic permanent marker, non-toxic paint, or red fingernail polish. It’s best to do this before hanging up the feeder in the spring, before the bees find the food source.

If the bees have already started coming to the feeder, you will have to move it to a different location in your yard. The bees and wasps are not as adaptive as the birds; the hummers will be able to find where you moved it, the insects will not. Putting the feeder in the shade might help, as bees and wasps prefer the sun. Another suggestion is to reduce the sweetness of the nectar in the feeder, it will still attract birds, but the bees will find it less appealing.

There are also a number of feeders on the market, like the Droll Yankees Little Flyer 3 Hummingbird feeder (retail $18.99) which has red flowers on its four feeding ports. This feeder also has an internal ant moat to keep ants away too. Aspects Little Fancy Hummingbird feeder (retail $16.99) also has the same features. Perky Pet’s unique wishing well hummingbird feeder ($14.99) also has red decorative flowers on the feeding ports. Aspects also makes a Hummzinger wasp proof feeder designed to keep the syrup level low so that hummingbirds can reach it but bees and wasps can’t.

Visit http://www.usabirdsupply.com to see the compete collection of hummingbird feeders carried by USA Bird Supply. You can also stop by the retail store at 11163 Main Street in Clarence.

By Christine Smyczynski

Posted in Hummingbird Feeders | No Comments »

Keep Your Hummingbirds Healthy With a Clean Feeder

Monday, June 14th, 2010

Warmer weather causes the sugar water or commercial nectar mixes in your hummingbird feeder to ferment and spoil quicker, so it’s important to keep your feeder clean to prevent illness and death to the birds you are attracting. Generally, if it’s less than 70 degrees, you can probably get by with cleaning once a week. However, as the temperature rises, the more frequently the feeder should be cleaned. For example, once the mercury is over 90 degrees, you may have to clean your feeder once a day.
If you don’t have the time or ability to maintain a hummingbird feeder properly, you might want to consider attracting other types of birds with a less high maintenance bird feeder. Hummingbirds will not eat from a dirty feeder; they will simply abandon the feeder and seek out another place to eat.
It’s recommended that you clean the feeder with hot tap water every time you fill it. If you see any black mold, the feeder must be soaked in a bleach solution to remove it. Put one-fourth cup of bleach into a gallon of water and let it soak for an hour. Afterwards, clean the feeder with a feeder cleaner brush, which are offered at USA Bird Supply. For a less caustic alternative, use white vinegar instead of bleach. Be sure to rinse it out thoroughly.
During warmer weather the feeder should be cleaned daily and the solution should be changed at least every other day. Once a month the feeder should be placed in the bleach (or vinegar) solution and soak for an hour, regardless if you see mold or not.
Some feeders are actually dishwasher safe, which make cleaning much easier. Another way to clean a feeder is to put a small amount of BB’s inside the feeder, fill it with water and shake. The BB’s cause a scrubbing action to clean the inside of the feeder. The BB’s can be dried and reused over and over.
Cleaning brushes and other supplies can be found on www.usabirdsupply.com or visit the store at 11163 Main Street in Clarence.
By Christine A. Smyczynski

Posted in Hummingbird Feeders | No Comments »

Plastic or Glass: What’s Better When Choosing a Hummingbird Feeder?

Thursday, June 10th, 2010

Paper vs. plastic, cloth vs. disposable, glass vs. plastic; for many consumer products, from grocery bags, to diapers, to milk cartons, we face an almost daily decision on what’s the best materials to use.
This is also true when choosing a hummingbird feeder. There are a wide variety of feeders availed on the market: plastic, glass, and combinations of metal and plastic, metal and glass, and even wood and plastic. However, there is really no right or wrong decision when choosing a feeder, it comes down to personal preference as well as what you want to spend.
If you’ve decided you want to put a feeder in your yard to attract the world’s smallest bird, USA Bird Supply offers a huge selection of hummingbird feeders, from simple 3 ounce tube feeders, which retail for $1.99, to ornate hand-blown glass feeders costing close to $40.
So which is better? Plastic is lighter in weight than glass and less likely to break when dropped. However, glass is more durable and easier to clean. If you want a plastic feeder, USA Bird Supply offers at least a dozen to choose from, including a fun balloon shaped feeder by Artline ($11.99). For something really unique, check out a natural wood feeder by Perky Pet, which has a shatterproof nectar container ($14.99).
If you want something more decorative, there are many lovely hand-blown recycled glass hummingbird feeders available at the store. These feeders, manufacturers include Birdbrain and Parasol, are usually a bit more expensive than the plastic feeders, ranging from $26.99 to $38.99. However, glass is usually more durable, as it doesn’t break down from the elements as plastic eventually does, so you should get many years of enjoyment out of these feeders.
To view the complete line of hummingbird feeders available at USA Bird Supply, visit www.usabirdsupply.com or stop by the retail store at 11163 Main Street Clarence.