What Do Hummingbirds Eat in the Wild? page all

KOMPAS.com – hummingbird is one of about 320 species of small, brightly colored birds in the family Trochilidae.

Hummingbirds look especially beautiful with the brilliant, shimmering colors and intricate plumage of many species.

Reported from Encyclopedia Britannica, all hummingbird have a small body.

Even the biggest, giant hummingbird (Patagona gigas) from western South America, it is only about 20 cm long and weighs about 20 g.

The smallest species, the bee hummingbird (Mellisuga, sometimes calypte and helena) from Cuba and Pine Island, measures less than 5.5 cm with about half a beak and tail and weighs about 2 g.

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Reported from The Spruce, hummingbird food in the wild the most common is nectar.

The large amount of sucrose in the nectar provides hummingbirds with the energy necessary for a high metabolism, fast flight and energetic locomotion.

Because nectar is a liquid, it also supplies the water birds need and hummingbirds usually don’t drink from other water sources .

However, nectar does not meet the hummingbird’s need for protein, amino acids, and various vitamins and minerals.

Therefore, hummingbirds must eat other foods to get balanced and healthy nutrition.

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In addition to nectar, hummingbirds also have other mainstay foods, such as:

1. Insects

Small insects, larvae, insect eggs and spiders are important food sources for hummingbirds.

Insects provide fats, proteins, and salts that hummingbirds cannot get from nectar.

Hummingbirds can hunt insects in several ways, including picking or plucking them from bark, flowers, or leaves.

To get the required amount of protein, an adult hummingbird must eat several dozen insects daily.

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However, they will eat more if they have to provide this nutritious food to hungry hatchlings or if they are in the middle of a long migration .

2. Sap

When nectar is scarce, hummingbirds will sip tree sap from holes drilled by woodpeckers.

Although tree sap is not as sweet as flower nectar, it still provides an adequate source of sucrose for the energy needs of hummingbirds.

The sap that has dripped off and hardened on tree trunks is undrinkable, but hummingbirds can get insects from the sticky residue.

3. Pollen

Hummingbirds do not consume pollen directly, but much of the pollen sticks to their tongues and beaks when they sip nectar from flowers.

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Some of the pollen is ingested and it can be a small source of protein even if it is not eaten right away.

However, less than 10 percent of the pollen is actually digested by hummingbirds.

This suggests that, while feasible, pollen is not a common food source for hummingbirds.

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Certain ripe or juicy fruits can attract hummingbirds. Hummingbirds have been known to secretly sip juices from berries, apples, pears, and oranges when they are peeled or the flesh is exposed.

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