• Hummingbirds fed on a
diet of sugar-water alone will die, and a full-nutrition formula for
them is not available to the general public. You must seek competent,
licensed help to assure a bird's survival, and you must do it quickly.
• Keeping a hummingbird in captivity is a felony offense in the U.S.,
as is possession of a nest or any part of the bird (such as a
feather)--all of which is another reason to transfer the hummingbird to
a rehabilitator.
• Mother hummingbirds rarely abandon a nest, although it can and does
happen. Never assume that abandonment has occurred; you must watch
continuously for at least an hour, sometimes more, to be sure she is
not returning. In general, if the chicks look healthy, the mother is
taking good care of them. Feedings can be extremely quick and
surprisingly infrequent in some stages of the chick's development.
***
Hummingbird
Rehabilition Facilities in Southern California
(approved by the CA Department of Fish and Game)
LA County (Anaheim)
Hummingbirds/Helen Bishop
714-635-3368
San Diego County (Chula Vista)
Hummingbird Rescue Center
619-420-5156
