Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

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 water 1 part sugar The birds cannot metabolize the items listed below therefore it causes kidney damage/failure and a slow painful death! So please .... DO NOT USE: DYES ORGANIC /RAW SUGAR ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS HONEY KOOLAID JUICES SPORTS DRINKS BROWN SUGAR MAPLE SYRUP ANY TYPE OF SYRUP STORE 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. #helpsaveourhummingbirds