Hummingbirds Return to Arizona: A Seasonal Spectacle
As April arrives in northern Arizona, the skies come alive with the vibrant wing trills of broad-tailed hummingbirds. These tiny travelers make their journey back from the Highlands of Mexico and Central America, marking the beginning of a captivating season. Later in summer, they are joined by rufous hummingbirds, known for their vibrant personalities, as they pause on their southward migration.
Hummingbirds must consume more than their body weight daily, making them some of the most frequent eaters in the animal kingdom. Their diet primarily consists of insects and natural flower nectar, which provide essential vitamins, minerals, and proteins. However, sugar-water feeders offer a quick and valuable energy source to these aerial athletes.
For optimal health, it’s essential to provide the right diet. When setting up a feeder, use only refined white cane sugar. Initially, a 1-to-3 sugar-to-water ratio is recommended to attract hummingbirds to your feeder. Once they become regular visitors, a 1-to-4 ratio will suffice to satisfy their energy and hydration needs.
Avoid using brown or powdered sugar, molasses, honey, and commercial nectar mixes, as these contain iron. Hummingbirds naturally thrive on a diet low in iron, and excessive iron consumption can lead to harmful build-up in their organs, potentially causing severe health issues like liver failure and kidney damage.
For those with a high iron content in their tap water, using distilled or reverse-osmosis water when preparing nectar for hummingbirds is advisable to ensure their safety.
This Earth Note was written by Diane Hope and produced by KNAU and the Sustainable Communities Program at Northern Arizona University.
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