Is it safe for hummingbirds?
• Yes.
• Copper is a commonly present element, naturally present in food, soil and water. Hummingbirds naturally consume micronutrient copper in their daily diet of insects and nectar. It is something they must have for their normal growth and development.
• Micronutrient copper is present in many of the foods hummingbirds consume in their natural diet. An example is the fruit fly, which is a common part of a hummingbird’s diet, and has a copper content three times that of Nectar Defender. Other insects contain copper in the same range. Birds have a higher need for copper then other animals. Birds that do not consume an adequate level of copper encounter many serious health issues.
• An official hummingbird nectar diet, containing a recommended level of micronutrient copper, was established by University of California Avian Scientists for the long-term maintenance of hummingbirds. This diet and level of copper has been used by zoos and wildlife rehabilitation organizations to successfully maintain the long-term health of their hummingbird colonies for years at a time. (Hummingbird Nutrition: Development of a Purified Diet for Long-Term Maintenance, A.T. Brice and C.R. Grau, Department of Avian Sciences, University of California, Davis, Zoo Biology 8:233-237 (1989)).
(Protein Requirements of Costa's Hummingbirds Calypte costae, A.T. Brice and C.R. Grau, Department of Avian Sciences, University of California, Davis, Physiological Zoology, Vol. 64, No. 2 (Mar. - Apr., 1991). pp. 611-626).
• In order to insure that the very low micronutrient level in Nectar Defender is within a safe range, it was designed to be even lower than the recommended level of copper in the official diet. It is very far below the level that would cause any health risks to hummingbirds.
• Some uninformed birders on the web have falsely stated that the copper in Nectar Defender might accumulate in the hummingbirds system, but copper does not accumulate. They have falsely asserted this, because they have confused copper properties with iron properties. Iron can be an issue because it is the only common metal that cannot be excreted and therefore can accumulate in the avian system. However, copper is completely different both chemically and physiologically from iron. Copper is well regulated and rapidly excreted from the avian system. Therefore it remains balanced, and does not accumulate when consumed at micronutrient levels, according to published research and university avian scientists. The bird's system uses what it needs for health, and excretes what it doesn't need. (Klasing KC, Dierenfeld ES, Koutsos EA, Avian iron storage disease: variations on a common theme? Zoo Wildl Med. 2012 Sep;43(3 Suppl):S27-34.)
• Copper has been studied and used in domestic and wild bird feed for decades as a micronutrient supplement. The natural mineral used in Nectar Defender is recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA and USDA.
• The safety of Nectar Defender has been approved by Avian Scientists at major universities.
• The facts show that Nectar Defender is safe for hummingbirds, and eliminates the known health risk to hummingbirds of consuming spoiled unhealthy nectar.
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