Birding/Hummingbird food

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Expert: Julia Booth - 8/31/2009


Question
I just got a hummingbird feeder, and may make my own food to put in it. If i do four part water and one part sugar (I found that from this website:http://www.wbu.com/education/hummingbirds.html) will it harm the bird if I put red food coloring in it? To attract them?

Answer
It won't harm them. But it's not necessary. If the spout on the feeder is red or yellow or flower-like, that is all you require to attract them. Hummingbirds have poor vision anyway. I have seen them attempt to drink nectar out of Christmas lights.

Hope this helps,


Julia

Birding

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Julia Booth

Expertise

I can answer questions about bird identification (by sight or sound), behavior, distribution, population, conservation, mating, nesting, fledging and feeding. I do have some practical knowledge about foreign species, but identification skills are limited in that arena. Bear in mind that as much as I know, it's possible that at least some of you will ask a question that I am unable to answer. At which point I would direct you to wherever or whomever I thought could provide you with that information.

Experience

I have 15 years birding experience in Southern California.

Organizations
Audubon Society

Education/Credentials
My education is in art and photography -but I have a substantial portfolio of nature related work.

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