SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) – Hummingbirds began to slowly make their way to Coastal Georgia in February and are projected to stay throughout the summer, with some ruby-throated hummingbirds staying in the state year-round. Many people enjoy seeing hummingbirds and many also enjoy the opportunity to watch them up close by providing them with places to drink. With that in mind, here are some dos and don’ts you’ll want to be mindful of when feeding hummingbirds.
DON’T use red food dye or coloring in your feeder. Anything that contains artificial red coloring or any type of dye can cause illness in the birds that you feed, according to All About Birds. This includes the items you can buy from the store.
DO use plain refined white sugar and water for your “nectar.” You can find a recipe from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute linked here. This recipe shows you exactly how to make the “nectar” that you use inside a hummingbird feeder.
DON’T leave your hummingbird feeder out for weeks on end. This can cause harmful mold growth, according to the Smithsonian’s webpage linked above. This mold can impact the health of the hummingbirds drinking from your feeder.
DO change your feeders every two to three days. The general consensus is that you should be changing your feeders at least twice a week during hot or warmer weather.
DON’T worry about any harmful impact that feeding hummingbirds could have. Unlike other wild animals, feeding hummingbirds provides them with supplemental nutrition but does not cause any harm if done correctly, the National Audubon Society says.
At the end of the day, helping out hummingbirds when they are traveling through your area during their migration is oftentimes a fun activity. Watching them fly around and interact with the world can be exciting.
As long as you follow the advice of hummingbird experts, you’ll be set to enjoy these creatures for years to come.
