Hummingbirds

[Tony M]

Someone asked me if honey would be a more natural source and therefore better to use in feeders than white sugar.
I called my friend and author of a great little hummingbird book and got this answer:

No! Honey is both unnatural and unhealthy for hummingbirds. Honey is made from the nectar of flowers seldom visited by hummingbirds. This nectar is chemically different from that of hummingbird flowers and is further changed by the bees. Honey also contains spores which have caused fatal infections in hummingbirds.

Sometimes things that seem logical only seem that way because we do not have enough information.

Tony M

[Tricky Grama]

Tony-

Thanks so much for the info-

Patty

[Birdzilla]

It is also not a good idea to add food coloring to the sugar water. The red or yellow colors on the feeder are enough.

And for next spring--and not related to hummers--some people put out string and other materials for birds to use in making their nests. Do not use the lint from your dryer, it may seem like a perfect nest lining but is not healthy for the birds.