Loving Hummingbirds to Death
A Rufous hummingbird flies in for a quick snack, trusting that the nectar offered is safe to drink.
Hummingbirds are easy to attract to a backyard garden, a cinch to keep well fed, and a joy to watch. These sparkling jewels of summer are easy to love. But if you don’t take proper care to provide healthy nectar and clean feeders, they’re also an easy bird to love to death.
Hummingbird feeders must be kept clean and free from mold and fungus, or the tiny hum-buzzers you so enjoy could develop a serious and deadly fungus infection starting in your hummingbird feeder in as little as three days! This infection causes the hummer's tongue to swell, making it impossible for the bird to feed. Starvation is a slow and painful death.
And in the case of the mother hummingbird feeding her young, the fungal infection is passed to her babies — who will also die of starvation.
Fermented nectar creates liver damage, which will also cause death, so pay attention to the care of your feeders, keep them out of direct sun which increases fermentation and spoilage of the nectar, and when you go on vacation, take down your feeders or leave the feeders in the care of a trusted neighbor.
A Cautionary Tale
“The General”
Vickie Miller, of Chehalis, recently experienced the heartbreaking loss of an Anna’s Hummingbird she called “The General.”
“The General patrolled our backyard every day for over a year and a half. One day he came home with a swollen tongue and we knew he had a fungal infection,” Miller said. “We watched our beautiful General die within 24 hours.”
Good practices for keeping a hummingbird feeder:
- Keep your hummingbird feeder very clean (scrub them with hot water between fillings)
- Change the nectar frequently in warm weather, as in every 3 days (and if in direct sunlight every day or every other day)
- Between fillings, scrub every nook and cranny--do NOT use soap as it leaves a residue. If you feel soap as necessary, rinse with vinegar or bleach water to remove the soap residue and then rinse thoroughly.
- Inspect the feeder carefully for black mold, and if any is present, soak the feeder in a solution of 1/4 cup bleach to one gallon of water for one hour. Scrub with hot water and rinse thoroughly.
If you see a neighbor with a dirty feeder, Miller said, “Please, tell them about The General and his fatal fungal infection.”
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| Sick Anna's hummingbird with swollen tongue ... there is no hope for this creature. Source |
The Basics of Hummingbird Care
Providing a feeder with a perch helps the hummingbirds preserve precious energy while dining. Keep your hummingbird feeder in the shade. I keep my feeder on a swiveling hanger that I can move into the sun to get a good shot at them with my Nikon, and swing back into the shade when I’m done.
There are several easy-to-clean feeders available at local feed stores and online.
The Dr. JB’s brand is one I have seen recently. It has a wide-mouthed glass jar that is not only easy to fill, but easy to scrub clean. The base of the feeder of that brand comes apart so you can reach into every nook and cranny to scrub away the mold and fungus.
The Aspects HummZinger brand is also carried locally. The Farm Store (Chehalis) carries a hanging feeder and a window mounted feeder, both have lids that lift up for easy cleaning.
I have a More Birds Diamond Hummingbird Feeder, purchased from Kaija’s Garden and Pet (Chehalis).
To clean your feeder, flush the feeder with hot tap water and use a bottle brush to scrub the sides of the glass jar. Do NOT use soap; soap will leave a residue behind. (If you just can’t help yourself and must use soap, a bleach or vinegar and water solution rinse will remove soap residue.)
To make nectar, mix one part ordinary white cane sugar to four parts water. (Do not use store bought mixtures, do not use honey or any other kind of sugar — just ordinary white cane sugar.) Bring to a quick boil, stir to dissolve the sugar, then let the mixture come to room temperature before you fill your feeder.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 of water for one hour.
The boiling water will help slow fermentation of the nectar, but as soon as a hummingbird beak dips and drinks, the microorganisms carried on the beak will be transferred into the nectar.
If the nectar becomes cloudy, it has spoiled 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 temperatures are high, the nectar may start to ferment in just one day.
Put out only as much nectar as your birds will consume in two or three days. If you mix up a large batch of nectar, you can keep the rest in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
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If you don’t have the time or energy to commit to their scrupulous care, consider planting a hummingbird garden instead.
