Webinar: Florida's Hummingbirds

[@anjudavid6657]

Loved your most valuable presentation Dr Taylor

[@Johnny_RB]

I'm 13 minutes into this and I'm pausing to say I'm impressed with the knowledge this man has. But more than that, his presentation is so human, so easy to understand - not technical and boring. Thank you.

[@janeloretdemola7583]

Great seminar! Thank you! Gonna get me some plants!

[@debbieb.6860]

I live in Sarasota and just saw a Ruby throated on my red salvia. I hope hummingbirds will be ok with Helene coming into the Gulf! Thx for sharing this information 👍

[@pamelaferreira4594]

Thank you , i learned a great deal from you and appreciate your expertise .

[@NassauCountyExtension]

Glad to help

[@Curious-Lass]

I live in Utah. I have done lots of research and found plants that work for our particular region and have planted Cuphea Vermillionaire, many different Salvias, Agastache, Red Hot Pokers, and Bee Balms. It truly is their buffet! I have also made small fountains in my yard for them, which they LOVE! Every morning they use the fountains for bathing and even drink out of them. I also see them dart in and out of my fruit trees where I see them eating gnats and fruit flies. I have a few feeders but they mostly go to all of my plants and flowers!!🌺🪴 🐦🌸❤ps. 1/4 cup of WHITE GRANULATED SUGAR TO 1 Cup of water for feeders and be sure to clean and change out the sugar water every couple of days to keep fresh sugar water in the feeder and free of mold. Old sugar water or mold will kill the hummingbirds. IMPRESSIVE PRESENTATION! Thank you!!

[@laneadams2800]

Just watched the video on KZbin.. fantastic presentation and wish I could have been there to participate. Question... has there been any testing done on the leaching of toxins into the water from the plastic hummingbird feeders compared to glass feeders? Observation.. Last year we only had one female hummingbird come to our feeders all year. Also, I had built several raised garden containers and planned on planting lots of tomatoes, carrots radishes, etc. But every time I planted carrots, the squirrels would come and eat the tops. Every time I planted tomatoes, the squirrels would come and dig the seeds up. So I declared war on the squirrel population and have trapped and transported 30... live squirrels to a nature trail about a mile from my home. Now, I am only dealing with 1 or 2 of these garden destroying rodents but I am THRILLED to have MANY MORE hummingbirds coming to my feeders. So, I started doing some research and found that squirrels love bird eggs AND they will eat the new-born helpless chicks..alive. Is there a correlation? Lots of squirrels = few hummingbirds. Remove squirrels = a thriving population of hummingbirds. I don't kill squirrels, I relocate them. And as a side note, this is the first year I have had both a male and female Painted Bunting come to my feeder.

[@NassauCountyExtension]

Great questions! I'll have to look to see if there has been any research - but depending on the plastic, it would not surprise me if leaching does occur. Due to our Florida sun, I'd recommend glass feeders. Otherwise, the plastics will break down (warm, discolor) relatively quickly. Although, the best feeder is including nectar plants throughout the garden. Yesterday, I watched a Ruby Throated Hummingbird visit a shrimp plant outside my office window constantly throughout the day! Squirrels definitely predate on hummingbirds' nests - including eggs and babies. Although they aren't the only nest predators. Squirrels, cats, birds, snakes, etc...all can predate. Relocating the population could have a minor impact, but the nesting range of hummingbirds is relatively large, so I don't know how big of an impact the relocation ultimately had. Nonetheless, I'm glad you saw more Hummingbirds this past year!