Sugar preferences in hummingbirds: the influence of subtle chemical differences on food choice
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Published source details
Martínez del Rio C. (1990) Sugar preferences in hummingbirds: the influence of subtle chemical differences on food choice. The Condor, 92, 1022-1030.
Published source details Martínez del Rio C. (1990) Sugar preferences in hummingbirds: the influence of subtle chemical differences on food choice. The Condor, 92, 1022-1030.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Provide supplementary food for hummingbirds to increase adult survival Action Link |
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Provide supplementary food for hummingbirds to increase adult survival
A replicated trial in captivity in Mexico (Martinez del Rio 1990) found that three species of hummingbird all showed strong preference for a pure sucrose solution, compared to a ‘hexose solution’ (1:1 ratio of glucose and sucrose); ‘hexose solution’ was preferred to glucose by all species; and glucose preferred to fructose. Solutions were equiweight, with 17.1% concentration, by weight. Feeding consisted of providing a pair of sugar solutions in glass feeding tubes (a 42 cm vertical section leading to a lower 7 cm section at a 45° angle, tapering to a 2.5 mm hole from which birds drank) for four hours and measuring the volume consumed. The species tested were cinnamon hummingbird Amazilia rutila, broad-billed hummingbird Cynanthus latirostris and fork-tailed emerald Chlorostilbon canivetii, with six individuals from each species being used in each pairwise comparison.
