After spending all of my money on things like mortgages and bills for about twenty years, I finally decided that it was time to take a trip to enjoy my life. I began researching different parts of the world that would interest me and my family, and I settled on a European vacation fit for a king. We stayed in all of the best hotels and focused on eating out and enjoying our time away from home, and by the time we got back, we felt great about the progress we had made. I wanted to make a blog all about saving money on the road, so you can travel more and worry less.
Feeding hummingbirds is one of the best ways to watch their daily activity. Many people spend hundreds of dollars a year on food for the birds that are full of preservatives. Hummingbird food found at a store is often dyed bright red and has to be combined with water before you place it into your feeder. Not only does it contain unhealthy ingredients, but it is much more expensive than if you just make it yourself. The following are some things you should know about store-bought hummingbird food and how you can make it in your own kitchen which will help you enjoy bird watching even more:
Does the Food Have to Be Red?
Most store-bought hummingbird food is bright red in color. Hummingbirds are attracted to the color red, so red dye is used in the food to get the birds to the feeder. However, the food itself does not have to be red. Most all hummingbird feeders have the color red on it somewhere as a decorative accent. If yours does not, you can simply add some red ribbons, tape, or place it near a red garden flag to attract the birds.
Is Red Dye Harmful to the Birds?
While there is no specific research that states whether or not the red dye is harmful to hummingbirds, research does show that it has an effect on humans. Red dye is an artificial and synthetic chemical. Knowing that information, it is a good practice to eliminate it in all areas of life if you can. This includes not feeding it to animals.
Why Should You Avoid Commercial Hummingbird Food?
In addition to it containing red dye, it also has a laundry list of preservatives in it that is not an ideal ingredient to feed the birds. Potassium sorbate is one ingredient seen in store-bought food that is not necessary to give the birds. This is used to prevent the build-up of black mold in bird feeders. There are no preservatives in the nectar the birds enjoy in their natural habitat, so it stands to reason that they do not need them from hummingbird feeders.
Is Making Homemade Hummingbird Food Difficult?
Making hummingbird food is one of the easiest and least expansive things you can make with ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen. You need a small saucepan and equal parts of water and white granulated sugar.
Combine the water and sugar in the saucepan and place it on the stove. Let it come to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow the mixture to simmer for a few minutes, removing it while it is still a thin liquid. Once the mixture is fully cooled, you can place it into your feeders. There is no need to add red food coloring to it as long as you have something red near your feeder.
Share14 February 2018
