Has anybody any experience with supplementary feeding for the nectar drinkers ?
I put out 2 litres of sugar water a day for 8 Tuis and 2 Bellbirds and they get through it very fast
and are after more. How much is too much ?
Forest & Bird » Other
sugar water
(2 posts)-
Posted 2 years ago #
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We do too here. It is probably a good way of giving the populations a boost through the lean winter months and will certainly help their breeding success come the spring. It also means that you can delight in watching and photographing the birds.
I have been told that it is really important not to use honey because it can spread bee diseases. I know that we also don't want to get the birds totally dependent on human handouts otherwise you are creating a very artificial situation where the old and diseased birds do not die but hang on and spread their diseases to healthy birds. This is why in most Australian National Parks they discourage bird feeding.
By feeding the birds sugar water you are also giving them a helping hand in the battle against introduced pests by just making their lives a little bit easier.
Other people though may think that feeding birds is unethical interference with wild populations.
Posted 2 years ago #
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