Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!sco!donnak
From: donnak@sco.COM (Donna Karolchik)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: Humming bird feeder  and ...
Keywords: hummingbirds, bird feeder, orioles
Message-ID: <8162@scorn.sco.COM>
Date: 19 Jul 90 17:50:27 GMT
References: <120206@pyramid.pyramid.com>
Sender: news@sco.COM
Reply-To: donnak@sco.COM (Donna Karolchik)
Distribution: na
Organization: The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc.
Lines: 26


In article <120206@pyramid.pyramid.com> zona@pyrps5 (Zona Walcott - lang group) writes:
>
>    My question is will it do these birds (the ones unexpected at the
>    hummer feeder) any  harm if they drink the stuff.  (It's 1/4 cup
>    white sugar to 1 cup water.)
>
>    and ...
>    does anyone else have non-hummers visiting their hummer feeder?
>
>     thanks,
>      Zona

We've had orioles coming to our hummer feeder for the past 2 years now.
The first year we thought it was entertaining until we realized that they
were managing to dump most of the hummer food on the ground while rocking
the feeder back and forth. This year we took the perches off the feeder,
thinking that it would deter the critters from drinking. However, they've
adapted to that and now do a great hummingbird imitation of flapping their
wings furiously while trying to steal a few drops from the feeder. It's
still entertaining to watch, and we don't have to refill the feeder as often...

I suspect that the sugar water isn't going to hurt them, though I have no
facts to base this on.

-donna