The hummingbird is a bird that can be very curious, both for its small size and its colorful plumage and for the speed with which it that flaps its wings, which make it one of the fastest in the animal kingdom. For this reason, many people are interested in their life cycle, their striking mating ritual or their diet.
Have you noticed that they are almost always near the flowers? Do you have any idea how and what hummingbirds feed on? Do you know what to do if you come across one of these injured birds? On our site we explain what a hummingbird eats and we give you some tips to assist injured specimens.
Hummingbird trivia
The hummingbird belongs to the Trochiliidae genus, which contains more than 300 species that are distributed throughout the American continent. Check out our article on "Types of Hummingbirds" to find out more about it.
Notable for the speed at which they are able to move their wings, despite the small size of their bodies, which do not They usually exceed 20 cm. Due to this, it is common to hear a small buzz when they are close, produced by the rapid beating of their wings. Likewise, their mating ritual is one of the most curious in the animal kingdom, since the male woos the females by performing innumerable pirouettes and figures in the air, showing its speed and colors. The females then decide which male they want to mate with and head to their territory to do so. Yes, each male has his own territory and they don't breed outside of it!
Now, do you know what hummingbirds feed on and the important role they play in ecosystems? Is the hummingbird omnivorous? Coming up next, we tell you!
What do hummingbirds eat?
The hummingbird is not omnivorous, it is nectarivorous, this means that feeds on the nectar of flowers Nectar is made up of large amounts of natural sugars, such as fructose and sucrose, water and minerals. Thanks to this food, the hummingbird obtains all the nutrients it needs to live.
The metabolism of this bird is very fast, which forces it to ingest amounts that, in ideal cases where food is easy to find, can triple its weight. In general, feeds between 7 and 8 times per hour, although it consumes what it is going to eat quickly, so 25-30 seconds per feeding is usually sufficient.
This nectar diet can be supplemented occasionally with the pollen intake, sap from some trees and insects such as mites, mosquitoes, fruit flies, and spiders, especially when the hummingbird bumps into them in flight or finds them in flowers. However, they do not form the basis of their diet and, therefore, they are not considered omnivorous animals.
What flowers does the hummingbird feed on?
Now that you know what the hummingbird eats, you will be interested to know how it gets hold of nectar. It has been proven that these birds have a preference for orange, red and pink flowers They feed mainly on tubular and hanging flowers, so they cannot perch on them to eat.
And if what you're wondering is how does the hummingbird feed, you should know that the mechanism used by the hummingbird to extract nectar is his long tongueIt approaches its thin beak to the crown of the flowers and there it sticks out its tongue, thin and with various grooves. This moves between 12 and 13 times per second to extract the nectar. Once this is done, the nectar is deposited in a kind of bag that the hummingbird has in its throat before passing to the intestine.
What does the baby hummingbird eat?
The Hummingbird chicks hatch after 28 or 21 days of incubation. At birth they are blind, they measure only 2 centimeters and the mother is in charge of caring for and feeding them. To do this, she must leave the nest about 100 times a day
Now what does a baby hummingbird eat? Basically the same as adult birds. The mother collects the nectarand carries it to the beaks of her chicks. She also offers them previously regurgitated insects
The chicks continue this feeding until they are one month old, at which time they will be able to leave the nest to find food for themselves.
How to feed a baby hummingbird at home?
If you have found an abandoned hummingbird nest or a lost baby hummingbird, the best thing you can do is go to an avian veterinarian or a wildlife recovery centerto take care of their upbringing until their reintegration into the wild.
Now, if for whatever reason it is not possible to ask for help, you can try to raise it at home, although we anticipate that baby hummingbirds demand a lot of attention and it is not always possible to raise them without their parents. With that said, here is the homemade nectar recipe that you need to make so you can feed your baby hummingbird at home:
- 1 small pot
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons of water
Bring the water with the sugar to a boil in the pot for a maximum of 3-4 minutes, or until the sugar has completely dissolved. Then let it cool down. Once the preparation is warm, use a dropper or syringe to slowly introduce the nectar into the hummingbird's beak. If it is very, very small, you will have to be even more careful and make sure that you introduce the food correctly so that it can swallow it well and not choke. We insist on the fact of going very carefully and slowly, since they are very fragile animals. For this reason, it is also essential that all the utensils you use are very clean.
You should feed the baby hummingbird every 15-20 minutes, just like her mother would. And if you notice food spilling or bubbling around its beak, stop.
Feeding is key to the survival of the chick, but it is not the only factor that must be taken into account, since it needs to receive warmth and, as it grows, learn to fly in order to enter the nest again. nature. For all these reasons we recommend seeking professional help whenever possible.
Hummingbird Pollination
Hummingbirds are very important for tropical forests, because with their feeding method they contribute to the pollination of flowers What is pollination? It is the process by which an animal, in this case the hummingbird, transfers pollen from one flower to another allowing the union between male and female gametes and, therefore, the reproduction of plants.
Although hummingbirds don't pay as much attention to pollen, it often sticks to their wings or beak when they get close to flowers, moving it to other plants.
Knowing where the hummingbird lives and what it feeds on is important to understand the important role it plays on the planet. Therefore, protecting them and keeping them free is a responsibility that we must respect.
How to feed an injured hummingbird at home?
Have you found a hummingbird with a broken wing and don't know what to do? Aside from dressing the wound properly, you'll need to worry about his diet while he recovers, as he needs to eat many times a day to stay strong. Also, do not forget to go to a veterinarian specialized in birds or to a fauna recovery center if you do not have the knowledge to assist the animal.
It is unlikely that you will have the necessary flowers at home for its food and, being unable to fly, the hummingbird will be unable to feed on them, so it will be your job to prepare a meal for it. Here we explain what to do as a first aid to avoid possible malnutrition.
For the recipe you will need the same ingredients as for the elaboration of the previously explained nectar:
- 1 small pot
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons of water
Add the water and sugar into the pot and stir well. Then cook over low heat until the water reaches the boiling point and the sugar has completely dissolved, there should be no granules left.
Let cool very well and place in a feeder for birds It's ready! Use large bird feeders, as they are more attractive to the hummingbird. If the bird is unable to get close to the feeder, use a very small syringe to deliver the food directly into the beak. You should feed him every 30 minutes and stop when you see the mixture spill or bubble around his beak.
These are simple ways to feed it before you go to a professional, specialized veterinary attention is the best thing for the bird in these cases.
