On 15/04/09 4:55 PM, "William Kaufman" <beaux at u.washington.edu> wrote:

>
>
> Rolan and Tweeters:
>
> Nutrition of flower nectar.
> Sugar is the energy producing substance in biological reactions.
> The liver converts ingested substances to useable molecules;
> carbohydrates are converted to sugar which has a caloric value of 4 Calories
> per gram.
> The ?standard? solution for humming bird feeders is 4/1, i.e., four
> parts water and one part sugar (20%).
> Flower nectar is 25% sugar, stronger than feeder nectar.
> So, the nutritional value (energy) of the two nectars is very similar.
> Interestingly, the rate of energy expenditure for the humming bird is
> fifty times that of man.
> I was surprised to find that Google has an extensive list of
> publications for ?flower nectar caloric value? (nectar biology).
>
> (Check: http//web.cortland.edu/broyles/nectar%20biology.html)
>
> Bill Kaufman
> Woodinville
>
>
> Hello All:
>>
>> I would like to mention that I have been using essentially saturated sucrose
>> solutions for feeding hummingbirds for at least 30 years in Winnipeg,
>> Manitoba and 14 years here in Roberts Creek, BC.
>>
>> The birds have always seemed to be abundant and very healthy around my
>> feeders. If I lived in a hot, dry desert area, such as in Arizona, probably
>> 20% by weight solutions would be preferable, since deserts are short on
>> water, the birds need to drink more water in such areas.
>>
>> Reasons for using saturated sucrose (virtually 50% by weight) solutions are:
>> 1. These solutions do not support microbiological growth.
>> 2. One does not have to fill feeders as often.
>> 3. Saturated sucrose solutions remain liquid even in low freezing
>> temperatures.
>>
>> Using saturated sucrose solutions still means that one has to clean the bird
>> feeders, but not as often. Microbiological growth will still occur in
>> feeders containing even saturated sucrose solutions, but at much lower rates.
>> This is due to water vapour condensing on the feeder walls above the solution
>> surface and the attendant draining eventually lowers the sucrose
>> concentrations so that bugs start growing on the interior feeder walls above
>> the solution.
>>
>> Regards,
>> Russ Tkachuk (a research chemist in a former life)
>> Roberts Creek, BC
> rtkachuk at dccnet.com
>
> On 4/8/09 6:46 PM, "Rolan Nelson" <rnbuffle at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> Greetings Tweets,
>>
>> My wife raised a question tonight that I couldn't answer, so we thought to
>> turn to y'all for some help.
>>
>> Is there any nutritional difference between the sugar water hummingbirds get
>> from feeders and the nectar they collect from flowers?
>>
>> Some botanists, ornithologists, etc out there?
>>
>> Peace, Rolan
>>
>> Rolan Nelson
>> Fircrest, WA
>> rnbuffle at yahoo.com
>>
>>
>>
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>
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