Dear Editor,
Thank you for publishing the lovely and so important note from Laura McWhirter regarding what can happen when hummingbirds are fed the wrong food.
For years I’ve bought an excellent CLEAR concentrate that contains much-needed calcium for their eggs. It was initially manufactured by a wonderful company called Homestead, in WI, but they recently turned over the product to Classic Brands in Denver, CO, which continues to manufacture the concentrate though a little lighter version, under their product line MORE BIRDS, BIRD HEALTH+, noting that “Female hummingbirds need both vitamins and calcium. Without vitamin D hummers can’t absorb calcium. Without calcium females produce eggs with thin shells that can’t adequately protect the baby hummer...”
It does have preservatives but these are “natural” ingredients: Sugar (fructose and sucrose), water, Calcium Lactate, Citiric acid (preservative), Potassium Sorbate (preservative), Sodium Benzoate (preservative), Vitamin A Palmitate, Cholecalciferol (source of vitamin D3). Mix one part concentrate with three parts water and stir until concentrate dissolves.
I have two feeders and both are really busy this time of year. The birds consume about 3/4 of a cup a day. I’ve not noticed any problems; the birds seem really healthy and are constant companions.
I thought your readers might like this as a better solution to stirring plain sugar, though that works, too.
I purchase it directly from the manufacturer:(800) 352-9164; or you can purchase it online at: amazon.com/More-Birds-Hummingbird-Concentrate-Solution/dp/B097QFJ3P4/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2IEC1BUJMTV2N&keywords=more%2Bbirds%2Bhummingbird%2Bnectar%2Bconcentrate&qid=1651885609&sprefix=hummingbird%2Bconcentrate%2BMore%2BBirds%2Caps%2C136&sr=8-4&th=1.
Here are some reviews on Amazon: amazon.com/gp/aw/reviews/B005F5NGYW
—Alexandra de la Vega
