Abstract: Twenty-nine wild Cape sugarbirds (Promerops cafer) died acutely after ingestion of a homemade xylitol nectar solution from a bird feeder.
On January 9, 2014, a large flock of free-flying, wild Cape sugarbirds (Promerops cafer) were exposed to a bird feeder containing a 21.8% mass/vol xylitol (Health Connection Wholefoods, Cape Town, South Africa) solution mixed with water.
To our knowledge, this is the first case of presumptive xylitol toxicosis reported in wild birds, in a flock of Cape sugarbirds. Xylitol, also known as wood sugar, is used as a sugar substitute in diabetic and low-carbohydrate diets for consumption by people.
The Cape sugarbirds in this report died acutely, and either there was no time for coagulopathy to develop or it is potentially not a feature of xylitol toxicity in Cape sugarbirds.
In these Cape sugarbirds, a diagnosis of presumptive xylitol toxicosis was made based on the history of exposure to xylitol; the typical clinical signs of acute xylitol toxicosis, such as ataxia, depression, weakness, seizures, collapse, and death (3-6); and the macroscopic and microscopic pathologic findings that did not show any other obvious cause of death.
Results of various studies have shown that xylose as a nectar sugar does not commonly form a large constituent of nectar consumed by Cape sugarbirds, although it is present in a small proportion of the Proteaceae, which form a large part of the Cape sugarbirds nectar diet.
What can nest record cards tell us about timing of nesting and nesting success of Cape sugarbirds. Promerops cafer.