kittyofinsanity: todaysbird:witchyfishyfun:puethar-petblr:-HELP SAVE THE HUMMINGBIRDS- “
kittyofinsanity: todaysbird: witchyfishyfun: puethar-petblr: -HELP SAVE THE HUMMINGBIRDS- “Many people are unaware of the harmful effects that the red dye in the store bought nectar has on these tiny birds. It leads to kidney failure and eventual death. We are taking donations to continually help in educating people all over the world to stop using the premade nectars and to simply make your own by using 1 cup of granulated sugar in 4 cups of water that has been boiled. Please help fund this important campaign. Every amount will help in a huge way. I have created a GoFundMe page for donations to help our bird rehabber who works 24-7, 365 days a year using their own money to help save these lives. This money will be sent to her to use to continue to provide resources for the birds. Rehabbers who also help others in other countries such as Mexico who have limited resources to save these lives. We can all help. If we reach our goal and go past that goal, there is a chance we could have an autopsy done on one of the hummingbirds to prove the deadly effects of the red dye on them. 100% of the funds donated will go towards helping the hummingbirds. We are their voice! Thank you everyone! PLEASE SHARE! Lisa Meyers Swanson” https://www.gofundme.com/savehummingbirds _________________ Please reblog, share on Facebook, on twitter, share anywhere you can. If you can’t donate it’s ok, just spread the world so more people know about it. People, please do not use red dye néctar on hummingbird feeders. Time to throw away that bottle I’ve been saving for spring damn thank you for this the GoFundMe campaign is over, but this is important to remember. if you can’t find or make your own hummingbird nectar free of dye, plant native plants for backyard hummingbirds instead. PLEASE USE PURE CANE SUGARFrom a FB page (Help Save Our Hummingbirds HSOH):“It seems there are many that think they’re helping hummingbirds by using everything but the recommended ratio of water and pure cane sugar which is the closest constituent to flower nectar. 4 parts water1 part sugarThe birds cannot metabolize the items listed below therefore it causes kidney damage/failure and a slow painful death! So please ….DO NOT USE:DYESORGANIC /RAW SUGARARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS HONEYKOOLAIDJUICESSPORTS DRINKS BROWN SUGARMAPLE SYRUPANY TYPE OF SYRUPSTORE BOUGHT NECTAR ETC.Raw, organic, turbinado and brown sugar are harmful to hummingbirds. You should only make your hummingbird nectar with granulated white sugar. Cane sugar is preferable, but beet sugar is also acceptable. Don’t use confectioner’s sugar either, as it contains an anti-caking agent.Raw, turbinado and organic sugar is made by taking sugar cane and squeezing out the juice. The juice is then evaporated and spun in a turbine (hence the name “turbinado”) to produce the sugar crystals. These crystals are a golden color and are rich in vitamins and minerals. This is great for humans, but NOT for the hummingbirds. One of the minerals these sugars contain is iron, and hummingbirds have very little tolerance for it. Brown sugar is white sugar that has had molasses added to it. Molasses is rich in iron. Agave nectar also contains iron. Not good for the hummingbirds at all!!Hummingbirds, being very tiny birds with fast metabolisms, must eat a lot of food to survive. Since they are so small, they are susceptible to excess dietary iron buildup in their system. The oversupply of iron is stored in the liver and is toxic to liver cells.If you use ^^^ and claim to see the same birds every year, I’m calling bs because unless your birds are banded, you’ve no idea if the same birds are coming back year after year.If you love watching hummingbirds like you say you do, then please only feed them pure cane sugar and water.NO, you do NOT have to boil the water either.If you do, boil unmeasured water first then measure out your 4 parts water, then add your measured 1 part of the sugar. The water evaporates down abit making the nectar abit sweeter than it needs to be and will not give your feeder extra hang time. The sugar water gets contaminated as soon as the bird’s beak touches the nectar.Change out nectar and clean feeders every 1 to 3 days. DO NOT USE soaps or detergents of any kind to clean the feeders. Only hot water and vinegar. The bird’s can taste the residue from soap left behind and may possibly make them sick or worse.“ -- source link