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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Blogs Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Multimedia Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Road Cams Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Distinctly Northwest Readers' Choice Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend February 21, 2007 Since You Asked: A rich mix thins the hummers The Since You Asked bird guy declared hummingbirds need a 3-to-1 mix of water to sugar in feeders in winter. I'd heard 4-to-1, and that anything stronger was bad for the birds. I followed his suggestion, and consumption appeared to slow with the richer mix. Is this OK or did I succumb to the daft meanderings of a fool? — Chris H. Fools wear funny hats and motley clothing, Chris; you succumbed to the daft meanderings of the bird-brained bird guy. Come to think of it, he wears funny hats, too (sometimes tall and pointy). But he said if there appear to be fewer birds drinking less, that's exactly what he'd expect. Hummingbirds, like people, eat meals. Then they fly off to rest, then come back for more. Food goes to the crop, in the neck, and empties slowly to the gut, where sugar is taken up to make energy. Advertisement Biologists Reed Hainsorth and Larry Wolf found a ruby-throated hummer would eat five meals an hour of a rich sugar solution. When they diluted it by half, the birds ate 14 meals an hour. The crop emptied faster with the lower sugar content. A tiny amount of energy from each meal gets saved as fat, but hummers must eat often. There is "no best or most healthful feeder solution," the scientists concluded. "It is possible to mix different solutions of sugar and water to achieve different goals," they said. If you use the less-concentrated mix it will appear you have more hummers because they will feed more often. You can attract hummers by using a strong mix, but you increase feeding activity with a 4:1 mix. In nature, too, sugar varies widely in nectar plants. The important thing is not the exact ratio, but to keep the feeder clean. In summer that can mean daily cleanings. Send questions to "Since You Asked," Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by e-mail to [email protected] . Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2007 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Online Casino Reviews Fundraisers UK Homeowner Loans Casinos Canada Cord Blood Banking Entertainment Guide Texas Electric Choice Compare Electric rates in Texas Windermere Van Vleet Trunks, Footlocker Men's Clothing Debt Help