What food do Hummingbirds eat?
What food do Hummingbirds eat?
As we all know, hummingbirds drink sugar water, but what else do hummingbirds eat?
1. Hummingbird NectarNectar, either from suitable flowers or sugar water solutions, is the most abundant and popular source of hummingbird food. A large amount of sucrose in nectar gives hummingbirds the necessary energy for their high metabolism, swift flight, and energetic lives.
Because nectar is liquid, it also supplies the birds’ necessary water, and hummingbirds do not typically drink from other water sources.
2. Hummingbird DietHummingbirds also eat a variety of other items to get adequate nutrition.
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Insects
Small insects, larvae, insect eggs, and spiders are critical food sources for hummingbirds. Insects provide the fat, protein, and salts the birds cannot derive from nectar, and these are crucial nutritional components.
To get the required amount of protein for a healthy diet, an adult hummingbird must eat several dozen insects each day. They will eat many more, however, if they need to regurgitate this nutritious food to hungry hatchlings, or if they are in the midst of a long migration.
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Sap
When nectar is scarce, hummingbirds will sip tree sap from wells drilled by woodpeckers. While the tree sap is not as sweet as floral nectar, it still provides an adequate source of sucrose for a hummingbird’s energy needs.
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Pollen
Hummingbirds do not directly consume pollen, but a great deal of pollen can be stuck to their tongues and bills when they sip nectar from flowers. Some of that pollen is ingested, and it can be a minor source of protein even though it wasn't directly eaten.
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Ashes and Sand
Some hummingbirds have been observed eating ashes and sand in small quantities. It is also possible that the birds were picking insects from the material, rather than actually eating the ashes or sand.
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Fruit
Certain ripe or juicy fruits may attract hummingbirds. Hummingbirds have been known to discreetly sip the juices from berries, apples, pears, and oranges if they are peeled, cut open, or if the flesh is otherwise exposed.
