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White sugar/Diabetes in Hummingbirds (1 Viewer)

DownyWP

Well-known member
I am sure this has been discussed before, but I could not find any specific threads regarding this topic. It has come up on another forum, a member has said that sugar can cause diabetes in hummingbirds. I am quite sure this is not the case because even in humans, sugar doesn't cause diabetes, however, if there is any new evidence that suggests otherwise, please let me know. thank you in advance for any input!

(Just to be clear, I use a 4:1 ratio of water to table sugar during spring,summer and fall; during the winter I switch to 3:1)
 
Sherry Williamson, author of "Peterson's Field Guide to Hummingbirds" and an expert on Hummingbirds feeds sugar water. I'm sure she would not do so if there was a risk of diabetes from it.
 
Never read or seen any mention of manufactured nectar causing diabetes in hummingbirds. Sources such as Audubon and Cornell, or commercial entities like wild birds unlimited, all state that the white cane sugar/water mixture is very close to natural nectar, virtually pure sucrose.

Cant recall where I read it, one ornithologist stating something along the lines of....
"home made nectar provides the needed energy, for hummers to be the voracious insectivores that they are"
 
Sounds like an Onion headline: Hummingbird gets diabetes from sugar water. Declares "it's Splenda for me from now on." Continued on page 11...... DownyWP someone is pulling your leg.....
 
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