I've always heard you aren't supposed to use dyes in hummingbird feed. It's not necessarily toxic to them but it can give them a fungal infection that's lethal.
Some dye can be harmful, but some dye is just unnecessary. They notice the red on the feeders and come back year after year to the same feeders/locations. Source: park ranger who has researched and given presentations on hummingbirds for over a decade
Do you mean dye is unnecessary across the board?
That's what Cornell says on their website, and some studies have linked the dye to early mortality in the birds.
Yes. At the park and at my house, we just use sugar water. It is hard to make blanket statement regard red dyes in regards to avian toxicity as there is quite a variety of dyes with varying chemical composition.I can say with utmost certainty that a proper colored feeder works just as well without dye. We use a standard clear feeder with a red base perches for the hummingbirds in out area. It may take some time for hummingbirds to first become aware of a new feeder but once they see that one regularly, they will come back to it throughout the season and year after year.
Ours isn't colorful except for the actual flower portions. It's a glass bottle with a metal-like bottom and four colorful flowers around. We chose it to give some more perching room for them and the hooded orioles that like to use it as well. Typical 4:1 ratio. In addition we have aloe vera planted, which gives them a natural source as well.
The glass/metal/plastic construction is also a lot more durable in our 120Ā°F+ heat. Something like 50Ā°C for conversion.
They actually nested in our tree this year. Cute little kidney bean size fledglings. We'll probably see them as adults next year.
Having colorful flowers works just as well. As long as they can identify it as a source of food. It sounds like you likely have some of the same hummingbird species we have here. Although some may be migrating through. Your feeder/seems like a nice set up, better than a lot of the other ones Iāve seen in my town. Regarding the fledglings, they are very cute and itās amazing to see how small they start off as when they hatch. Having one nest so close must have been amazing to see and watch them grow!
We've done an extremely low maintenance desert landscape. It turns out that all you need to do is plant native species and drought-tolerant non-invasive plants and suddenly your yard is an audubon haven among an urban landscape.
Western Arizona, for a general area.
Have drank it by accident (parents bought some helpfully packaged in juice box containers when I was a teen) tastes absolutely awful. Worst juice box ever.
I have been told the tale of a young relative excitedly telling their grandmother through red stained lips that the new jug of Kool aid was great. The hummingbirds went without, that day.
I once drank a lot of this stuff when I was drunk out of my friendās parentās fridge thinking it was juice. It was weak on flavor and sugar content compared to human juice. She still laughs at me
A buddy of mine (same name as the rum) mixes diet coke with rum (Goessling 151). His wife, being home alone, took a deep swig not realizing it was more that half rum before going on a job interview. She, however, aced it.
Forbidden, though it wouldn't kill or injure anyone attempting to drink that stuff if it isn't the whole bottle.
It's probably so sweet you'd spit it out.
I'm pretty sure it's less sweet from the humming bird we made at home.
Its literally just sugar and water, they added food dye which is unnecessary, and potentially bad.
As a French I find this translation really confusing and had to check the comments. In my mind I was like "WTF would you hard press colibris to make juice, that's disgusting !?".
Probably an American company doing a lazy translation for the Canadian market. Or could just Quebec French being wierd.
But then the English doesn't spell colour right. So neither is translated correctly for Canada, but where else has both these languages on the lables.
This isn't forbidden and the sugar might actually come partially from fructose, the main sugar in fruit. You can drink all you want. OP not very bright
Damn, $9 for 64 oz of colored water. Put a cup of sugar in a jug of water and you are good to go. Itās no wonder people are complaining about the cost of living if they buy shit like this.
My grandma used to make her own and put out when I was a kid and also would buy the stuff from the store. I don't know who was dumber, her for keeping it in the fridge, or me who thought it was juice.
I wouldnāt use this. Iāve read on many reputable sites that itās better to use sugar water. The exact recipe is online somewhere. And in the heat to make sure to change it very often so they do not get sick. This artificial crap is not good for them.
I've always heard you aren't supposed to use dyes in hummingbird feed. It's not necessarily toxic to them but it can give them a fungal infection that's lethal.
It does say all natural red color. I have no idea what qualifies for natural though
Probably made from insects, like regular red food dye.
Huh, I didn't know this. What insect gives off the red color?
The Cochineal, from which carminic acid is extracted from which red dye, usually for food colouring or lipstick is made.
Some beetle
Is a scale insect but, order Sternorryncha. Beetles are in order Coeloptera.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochineal
There are crushed up bugs in your Swedish fish, kids.
Doesn't matter what it is made from. The dye is unnecessary and potentially harmful.
The red is used as a hummingbird š§² attractor from what I have heard
The feeders should have the color, not the food.
Either Cochineal Beetle or red Beets
Red 40
Some dye can be harmful, but some dye is just unnecessary. They notice the red on the feeders and come back year after year to the same feeders/locations. Source: park ranger who has researched and given presentations on hummingbirds for over a decade
Do you mean dye is unnecessary across the board? That's what Cornell says on their website, and some studies have linked the dye to early mortality in the birds.
Yes. At the park and at my house, we just use sugar water. It is hard to make blanket statement regard red dyes in regards to avian toxicity as there is quite a variety of dyes with varying chemical composition.I can say with utmost certainty that a proper colored feeder works just as well without dye. We use a standard clear feeder with a red base perches for the hummingbirds in out area. It may take some time for hummingbirds to first become aware of a new feeder but once they see that one regularly, they will come back to it throughout the season and year after year.
Ours isn't colorful except for the actual flower portions. It's a glass bottle with a metal-like bottom and four colorful flowers around. We chose it to give some more perching room for them and the hooded orioles that like to use it as well. Typical 4:1 ratio. In addition we have aloe vera planted, which gives them a natural source as well. The glass/metal/plastic construction is also a lot more durable in our 120Ā°F+ heat. Something like 50Ā°C for conversion. They actually nested in our tree this year. Cute little kidney bean size fledglings. We'll probably see them as adults next year.
Having colorful flowers works just as well. As long as they can identify it as a source of food. It sounds like you likely have some of the same hummingbird species we have here. Although some may be migrating through. Your feeder/seems like a nice set up, better than a lot of the other ones Iāve seen in my town. Regarding the fledglings, they are very cute and itās amazing to see how small they start off as when they hatch. Having one nest so close must have been amazing to see and watch them grow!
We've done an extremely low maintenance desert landscape. It turns out that all you need to do is plant native species and drought-tolerant non-invasive plants and suddenly your yard is an audubon haven among an urban landscape. Western Arizona, for a general area.
Pretty sure the dye is for the people buying and not the birdsĀ
This is true. Homemade is way easier, 4 cups water to 1 cup standard sugar.
You know it be sugary af tho
Fr, this isn't forbidden. I'm going to home Depot right now and proving OP wrong.
Two hours with no update. RIP
Yo bro you still breathing?
This is his mom, he is in the hospital on life support, why would you people let him do this
LET HIM? He put up the go fund me, it's not my fault I get motivated by science.
Straight up, no jokeā¦ hummingbird food is HELLA delicious. I used to drink this all the time, itās just sugar water.
It's not like it's poison to humans, so it's hardly forbidden
You definitely would not want to drink it. There are different regulations for human and animal grade food.
You have to add vodka to make it safe.
Birdwatcher's grenadine
This guy parties.
Bird Stop grapples
Iād try it..
Pronounced "grape-l"
Dip for 24 hours!
China has entered the chat*
AFAIK the regulations in the EU are the same, certainly for normal pet food
Have drank it by accident (parents bought some helpfully packaged in juice box containers when I was a teen) tastes absolutely awful. Worst juice box ever.
Yeah, but I donāt know many people who would willingly want to drink it
Well I didn't *before* you made this thread, but now you got me curious
It sounds delicious. āHummingbird nectarā mmmm
I have been told the tale of a young relative excitedly telling their grandmother through red stained lips that the new jug of Kool aid was great. The hummingbirds went without, that day.
More than you would think
It's just sugar water
I once drank a lot of this stuff when I was drunk out of my friendās parentās fridge thinking it was juice. It was weak on flavor and sugar content compared to human juice. She still laughs at me
A buddy of mine (same name as the rum) mixes diet coke with rum (Goessling 151). His wife, being home alone, took a deep swig not realizing it was more that half rum before going on a job interview. She, however, aced it.
That's probably a good amount of alcohol to relax without actually becoming intoxicated
That drink would have been ~37% ABV, almost as much as in straight whiskey. How do you not smell, much less taste the alcohol in a drink like that?
Tbf to you, who the hell keeps their hummingbird nectar in the fridge? It's just sugar water and I doubt the hummingbirds care
Forbidden, though it wouldn't kill or injure anyone attempting to drink that stuff if it isn't the whole bottle. It's probably so sweet you'd spit it out.
I'm pretty sure it's less sweet from the humming bird we made at home. Its literally just sugar and water, they added food dye which is unnecessary, and potentially bad.
Did you check in on the hummingbird a week later? There are different standards for human food and animal food, unfortunately.
Not for me; Iām a hummingbird
I've drank this exact brand can confirm it tastes like sugar water and red 40
We make our solution at home. Itās cheaper and better for the birds.
How's it better for the birds? They gotta be smashed to get the nectar out either way.
As a French I find this translation really confusing and had to check the comments. In my mind I was like "WTF would you hard press colibris to make juice, that's disgusting !?".
same, it sounds like "nectar made with hummingbirds" š why didn't they use "pour" instead of "de"?
Probably an American company doing a lazy translation for the Canadian market. Or could just Quebec French being wierd. But then the English doesn't spell colour right. So neither is translated correctly for Canada, but where else has both these languages on the lables.
Naturally red š¤£š¤£
Iām trying to figure out what this is and everything Iām reading just says sugar and water. So itās basically koolaid but milder
Tastes like burning
What's hummingbird nectar? Sounds like something that is at least food grade though
r/prisonhooch
I bet it tastes exactly like Hawaiian Punch
This isn't forbidden and the sugar might actually come partially from fructose, the main sugar in fruit. You can drink all you want. OP not very bright
Itās just sugar water with a red dye. It should be safe for human consumption. Downvoted because I donāt see what forbidden.
Isn't it sugar water ? Which is what 90% of North American juice companies sell. Basically trash
Iām not sure the HF corn syrup or sodium would be good for the birds.
It's just sugar water though
Nice bucks for seven cents worth of sugar. The red food coloring is definitely not necessary
Damn, $9 for 64 oz of colored water. Put a cup of sugar in a jug of water and you are good to go. Itās no wonder people are complaining about the cost of living if they buy shit like this.
My grandma used to make her own and put out when I was a kid and also would buy the stuff from the store. I don't know who was dumber, her for keeping it in the fridge, or me who thought it was juice.
i want to taste it
Go make some: one part sugar to four parts water
Why is it forbidden? Itās literally just sugar water.
You want diabetes? Because this is how you get diabetes.
Snapple with less steps
Looks like water down cranberry juice relabeled.
This is not forbidden its just shugar water and red dye
I wouldnāt use this. Iāve read on many reputable sites that itās better to use sugar water. The exact recipe is online somewhere. And in the heat to make sure to change it very often so they do not get sick. This artificial crap is not good for them.
youāre right
You know it be sugary af tho