Migrating Hummer in trouble

15 years ago

I wonder if anyone can help me. I have left four hummingbird feeders out to help the young migrating Ruby Throats from the North. I am in southern Delaware and my local birds left by the end of the first week in September.

I have been having migrating visitors almost daily.

One young bird got here on Oct. 2, and seemed very healthy. On the evening of Oct. 3- I noticed that this hummer was having trouble swallowing. His favorite feeder is just outside my living room window and I have an excellent view.

Through binoculars I have observed this behavior--He drinks solution then raises his head totally skyward and seems to heave and heave(like having great difficulty swallowing) and he can not seem to get the last quarter inch of his tongue in.

I really did not think he would live through last night but he was at the feeder at 7:55 this am(Oct. 5)with the exact same behavior.

Could he have been stung by a wasp? I have noticed a couple at the feeders. Or does he have a disease?

I just want to help the little guy (or gal) live.

If he has something on his tongue he did not get it here. I change my feeders daily.

I wonder if a hummingbird can live through a bee or wasp sting?

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Comments (10)

donnalovesblue
15 years ago
How is your little hummer? Sure hope it's Ok...let us know.

Donna
vickilovesboxers
Original Author
15 years ago
I am sorry to report that she died early Monday morning.

I was able to walk up to the feeder Sunday evening and actually capture her. I brought her in and examined her closely and was able to see that something was very wrong with her tongue. Her tongue was extended by half an inch and she could not retract it into her beak.
I tried to feed her but she just could not swallow. I put her into a warm dark box not expecting her to make it through the night. When I checked on her at 2 am she had died. Her crop was totally empty so I know that for the several days that she was at the feeders she was not able to eat anything even though she was trying desperately.

I was able to talk this morning to Bill Hilton Jr. at Operation Ruby Throat and he said it sounded like she had a fungus on her tongue. By the time I was able to get her last evening it was really too late to help her.

I know it is only one hummingbird--but it makes me feel like crying!

I just found this forum as I was trying to find help for the hummer. What a great find!

Thanks to all
Vicki
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donnalovesblue
15 years ago
Vicki..it's not just a hummingbird! And we all know how you feel. I'm so sorry the outcome was not what you had hoped, but you cared enough to try to help and that's what counts...thank you for your efforts!

Donna
irish_rose_grower
15 years ago
You were so kind to try to help that hummer. That was very sweet of you. I'm sorry the little hummer died, but the fact that you tried to help makes me happy:-)
twobasenjis
15 years ago
Just a quick question. Can this tongue fungus be passed on in the sugar water?

Sorry you lost your little hummer, Vicki.
vickilovesboxers
Original Author
15 years ago
That is a really good question and one that I asked Bill Hilton--- the answer that he gave me was , No, he did not think it could be passed on. But even though he said that I changed and ran all the feeders through the dish washer just in case.
Vicki
gardengirl_nancy
15 years ago
That is so sad. I bet anything she got it from a "dirty feeder". It makes me sick when people think they are being so kind as to feed the hummers and then they never wash their feeders. Have you ever walked by or drove by a house with a feeder hanging in the sun and seen black mold all over it? If people love hummers why don't they worry more about their health?
vickilovesboxers
Original Author
15 years ago
YES--I have driven by houses and seen feeders like that. It makes me so sick too! I almost got out of my car to knock on a few strange doors and educate them on hummer feeding. Almost all of those feeders also had red liquid in them. I can't understand it since it is so easy and much cheaper to make your own.
I wonder if people like us at this forum should not start going to schools and maybe our local newspapers to educate people about this.
What do ya think?
I may post this question in the hummingbird forum to let others also answer.
Vicki
gardengirl_nancy
15 years ago
I agree Vicki we need to educate as many people as we can. I am always telling people to keep their feeders in the shade. I hate to see them hanging in the blazing sun when it's 90 in the shade. I sure wouldn't drink sugar water that hung in the sun for several days, YUK. I have wrote articles for our subdivision newsletter. Every year I stress the point of NOT putting red food coloring in the feeders and I still see it all the time. I stress the fact that they need to be clean and kept in the shade and use the 4-1 ratio. I tell people the premixed stuff is full of chemicals, not to mention the garbage in red dye. I worry so much about these little guys but I can only care for the ones in my yard and try to "educate" as many people as I can. We have a friend in another state, everytime we visit, her feeders are in the sun. I don't know how many times I have asked her to please keep them in the shade. I asked if she would drink that stuff after it hung in the sun all day for several days. Does it do any good?! NO .... they are still hung in the sun every year. I just don't understand. Makes a person want to pull out their hair..LOL!
donnalovesblue
15 years ago
I totally agree! I usually have 12 feeders up at the peak of the season, and yes, 2 of them get some sun during the day...BUT, I am very militant about changing the feed and cleaning the feeders. Those 2 feeders are changed and cleaned daily, and the others that are shaded are changed and cleaned every other day. There were so many hummers this year so I pretty much had to fill them each day and my nectar is always fresh.

The addition of red dye is a NO NO...my gosh, do people really add that to their nectar??? The red commercial nectar is just as bad.

Vicki, going to the schools and a visit to our local newspaper, is a great idea! Anyone who wants to attract hummers with feeders needs to know the proper and safe way.