Hummingbirds Center Research Institute - Centro Colibri, Inc.
Hummingbirds center ✦
Is Sugar Water Enough?
Sugar water provides energy, but hummingbirds cannot live on sugar alone. Furthermore, traditional feeders can foster deadly bacteria.
However, be careful: abruptly removing an established feeder that birds rely on is also dangerous!
Grounded in 26 years of research and documented in scientific literature, our DOI-validated formula is a complete nectar created to meet real hummingbird nutritional needs beyond empty calories.
Even abandoned nestlings have been successfully raised on this formula from hatch to flight.
Think about it: not even a simple ant can survive on sugar alone. How could a complex hummingbird, with its extreme metabolism, survive on nothing but sugar water?
Hummcare Nectar
Formulated with more than 23 amino acids, hydrolyzed proteins, fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins. Contains 75% carbohydrates and over 18% prebiotic fiber.
We have produced the first scientifically formulated food for hummingbirds — the result of 26 years of research and backed by peer-reviewed scientific studies.
Field-tested in Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, and in European Zoological Institutions.
Produced by our scientific institution, building on research conducted in cooperation with Chelab Laboratories (Treviso, Italy), Seris Lab (Genova, Italy), and the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Udine, Italy.
We Did it!
Passion, dedication, and scientific research since 1999.
Despite countless scientific publications on hummingbirds, a comprehensive protocol regarding their physiology, nutrition, and reproductive needs was missing.
We established the necessary scientific protocols to maintain stable populations ex-situ, enabling governmental and zoological institutions to apply appropriate conservation measures in-situ—including breeding and reintroduction into the wild where necessary.
Our staff
From the left Curator Rebeca Guler with Deputy Director Federica Cardarelli
Our Senior Keeper Thalia Pardo
Our Veterinary Director Pierfrancesco Bertoni
From the left our biologist Sara Pineda with our Keeper Miriam Battaglia
Alice, Thalia, Rebeca and Federica
Our Keeper Alice Lincetto
An orphan’s second chance.
When a mother leaves, we step in. This tiny hatchling, abandoned at the egg stage, is now thriving on a complete diet. Witness how our science-backed formula turns a fragile beginning into a strong life.
Newborn measures only 6mm (0.24inch)
Since 1999
26 years of passion, research, and field work.
The practice of attracting hummingbirds by providing only sugar water has long been widespread throughout the Americas. However, as far back as the early 1900s, attempts to keep hummingbirds in captivity proved that the absence of fats, proteins, amino acids, and minerals leads to rapid mortality. If left unaddressed, this nutritional gap can harm both the birds and the ecosystems they sustain.
The Aztecs erected temples to the "Blue Hummingbird," while in Peru, the Nazca created an enormous geoglyph in the desert. This massive figure, visible only from the sky, remains a mystery to this day.
Revered for their speed, fierce nature, and breathtaking iridescent colors, hummingbirds were worshipped by ancient American civilizations. They were believed to be the incarnation of the “Sun God” or the spirits of valorous warriors who lost their lives in battle.
Admiration for these creatures has endured for centuries. Christopher Columbus described them as “marvelous little birds,” while Audubon compared them to “glittering fragments of the rainbow.” Naturalist Goeldi saw them as “precious stones” and “flowers turned into animals.”
A Tribute to Our Origins
Our Locations
We’d love for you to experience our nectar in person — make an appointment and come visit us
Hummingbirds Center Research Institute - Centro Colibri, Inc.
Open hours
Mon–Sat: 11:00 AM — 8:00 PM
Italian Scientific Institution Centro Colibri and laboratories
Open hours
We are present 24/7 every day of the year
South American Branch - LATAM
Open hours
Monday thru Friday: 11:30 AM — 7:00 PM