Animal centre issues plea to hummingbird feeders after bird poisoned in Victoria

Animal centre warns hummingbird feeders after small bird poisoned by sugar substitute in Victoria.

An animal welfare organization in Victoria is calling on birders to be cautious after a hummingbird was fed a toxic concoction that will ultimately lead to its demise.

Wildlife rescue centre MARS issued a statement on social media Thursday saying it had taken in a hummingbird that was suffering a fatal fungal infection after being fed honey, or another substance detrimental to her health.

The small bird was left unable to retract her tongue after fungal spores had germinated in her mouth, either on her tongue or in her gullet, a veterinary technician from the rescue centre said in the post. The bird will inevitably die because she can no longer feed.

The post requested those with hummingbird feeders use a specific sugar water mixture that will safely lure birds to a home, comprising only one-part white sugar to four parts water.

No organic, raw or brown sugar should be used, and no sugar substitutes like powdered sugar, honey, or artificial sugars and sweeteners. A concerning reminder for those with bird feeders to not use “toxic red color liquids, such as kool aid,” was also issued.

Plain white sugar with water is a concoction most similar to a bird’s natural diet of flower nectar, and thus should be the only option, the centre said.

Sugar water mixture should be changed every couple of days, especially during high temperatures as it will begin to ferment if left outside for too long.

“If you can’t or won’t do this, please do not put out a feeder at all,” the post advised.