Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!cmcl2!lanl!unm-la!unmvax!nmtsun!john
From: john@nmtsun.nmt.edu (John Shipman)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: hummingbird food
Summary: Sucrose is best; hummers also eat insects
Message-ID: <528@nmtsun.nmt.edu>
Date: 17 Jun 88 23:04:55 GMT
References: <8806172126.AA22661@velveeta>
Organization: Zoological Data Processing
Lines: 23

In article <8806172126.AA22661@velveeta>, rusty@BOSCO.BERKELEY.EDU asks:
> (1) Is a white sugar solution really the best?
> (2) If sugar isn't the best, then what is?
> (3) Why is the sustained use of honey fatal?

The best mix is sucrose (white sugar) diluted 4:1, that is, mix a
cup of sugar with water to make a quart; some prefer 5:1.

Honey is not a good idea; it promotes growth of a fungus that can
be fatal to hummers.  I've had fungus problems with the Perky-Pet
mix; as I recall, this mix is fructose-based.

Many people wonder how hummers can survive on pure sugar---where
do they get protein and other nutrients?  In fact, a fair part of
their diet (25%) consists of insects they catch on the wing.  So
don't worry about supplying them with trace elements (I presume
this is why people consider using honey)---just help them with
their energy budget, and pure sucrose is fine for that.

-- 
John Shipman/Zoological Data Processing/Socorro, New Mexico
USENET: ihnp4!lanl!unm-la!unmvax!nmtsun!john  CSNET: john@jupiter.nmt.edu
  ``If you can't take it, get stronger.'' --Falline Danforth