This sticky goo can be difficult to wash away, particularly after it crystallizes, and birds that have gotten coated will be more vulnerable to predators and other threats. The sticky, syrupy texture of honey can easily coat the bills and feathers of hummingbirds, causing difficulties for the birds to feed or fly properly.When honey is diluted with water to be the proper consistency to feed birds, the extra water and oxygen in the mixture amplifies the fermentation of the honey so the bacteria and fungus grow much more quickly, infecting birds more easily.
Different bacteria and fungus that are naturally present in some types of honey are fatal to hummingbirds.Because hummingbirds need to maximize their energy intake to keep up on their active lifestyles, honey is not an ideal food option. This means the birds will get less energy and nutritional value from honey than from classic nectar or sugar water. Honey does not have the same chemical composition as floral nectar and is more difficult for hummingbirds to efficiently digest.There are several reasons why honey isn’t appropriate to feed to hummingbirds, either as a substitute in a sugar water recipe or to offer freely for birds to sip.
