A Comox Valley wildlife rescue centre is reminding the public to follow directions when filling hummingbird feeders after a bird was found suffering from a fungal infection caused by improper feeding.
The Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society took to Facebook last week to share a message from veterinary technician Karen Cee saying she found a hummingbird whose tongue was unable to retract, likely because of fungal spores attached to its mouth or esophagus.
Cee said the fungal infection, called Candidiasis, spreads when hummingbirds ingest the wrong types of feeding mixtures or ones in feeders that aren’t properly cleaned.
In the post, Cee said the only safe feeding mixture for hummingbirds is plain white sugar mixed with water, adding that powdered, organic, brown and raw sugars are all dangerous, along with honey and artificial sweeteners.
She also advised that red colouring is toxic and unnecessary in homemade feeding mixture, noting that the proper recipe for the solution is four parts water with one part sugar.
The mixture should be changed every few days, said Cee, especially during the summer, when temperatures are higher and the mixture is at higher risk of fermentation.
In her post, Cee said the hummingbird is not expected to survive because it is unable to feed.
Megan Erickson, acting wildlife rehabilitation manager with the rescue society, said they see the most sick hummingbirds in the winter, when people use heat lamps to keep their feeders warm, but neglect to clean them thoroughly.
“That’s when bacteria and fungus will grow,” she said, recommending that people clean feeders with hot water and soap.
Erickson said feeders should be also sanitized with a 10 per cent bleach solution every so often.
“It doesn’t take long, but it saves a lot of lives,” she said.
She warns against using store-bought hummingbird solutions, noting that homemade sugar-water solutions are the closest substitute for the nectar birds find in flowers.
Alison Moran, director of the Hummingbird Project at the Rocky Point Bird Observatory, said a hummingbird whose tongue is out might not be suffering from a fungus, but it is a common symptom.
Moran said it’s also important to consider where a feeder is placed, since positioning them close to glass balconies and windows can increase the chances of hummingbirds crashing into the glass.
