Hummingbirds are fascinating little creatures known for their ability to hover in place and fly backwards. Their diet is unique and specialized to support their high metabolism and energy needs. While hummingbirds are attracted to the nectar in certain flowers, they do not actually eat fruit, including apples.
The Diet of Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds survive on a liquid diet consisting mainly of nectar from flowers. They have long slender beaks and tongues that are specially adapted to reach inside blossoms and extract the nectar. While hummingbirds drink the nectar for its carbohydrates, they cannot survive on sugar alone. They get other key nutrients from small insects such as gnats, fruit flies, spiders, and aphids which they capture in flight or pick off leaves and flowers.
Some key facts about the hummingbird diet:
- Up to 75% of their diet is consumed as floral nectars.
- The remaining 25% comes from insects and spiders for protein, vitamins and minerals.
- To support their rapid metabolism, hummingbirds eat the equivalent of 2-3 times their own body weight each day.
- Their long slender beaks allow them to access nectar deep inside tubular flowers.
- Their bifurcated tongues act as micropumps to quickly lap up nectar.
- They prefer nectar with higher sugar concentrations, typically from ornithophilous flowers.
While hummingbirds are strongly attracted by the nectar in flowers, they do not actually consume fruit. Fruit contains thicker nutrients that hummingbirds are not adapted to digesting. They lack the enzyme amylase which breaks down starch. Their specialized diet of floral nectar and tiny insects provides them with the right balance of carbohydrates and proteins to fuel their extreme metabolisms.
Why Hummingbirds Do Not Eat Apples
There are a few key reasons why hummingbirds do not eat apples or other fruits:
- Fruit contains complex carbohydrates – Hummingbirds thrive on the simple sugars found in floral nectars. They cannot properly break down or digest more complex carbohydrates like starch or fiber found in fruits.
- Lack of suitable enzymes – Hummingbirds lack digestive enzymes like amylase that are needed to break down starch and other complex carbs in fruit.
- Small body size – A hummingbird’s tiny body is specially adapted for a liquid diet. Fruits would be difficult for their small beaks to break down and digest.
- Rapid metabolic needs – The simple sugars in nectar are quickly converted to energy to power hummingbirds’ supercharged metabolisms and enable sustained hovering and flight.
Hummingbirds have coevolved with certain flowering plants, leading to specialized adaptations around nectar feeding. While they are attracted to bright colors and sweet smells, they do not have the physiology to digest, gain nutrition from, or survive on fruit.
Do Hummingbirds Eat Any Solid Foods?
While hummingbirds get most of their nutrition from liquids, they do supplement their diet with tiny solid food particles primarily in the form of small insects. Some examples of insects and bugs eaten by hummingbirds include:
- Gnats
- Mosquitos
- Fruit flies
- Aphids
- Thrips
- Spider mites
- Ants
- Beetles
- Caterpillars
These small insects provide key proteins, vitamins and minerals to balance out the carbohydrate-rich nectar portion of a hummingbird’s diet. While hummingbirds sometimes pick crawling and flying insects off of leaves and flowers, they more commonly capture them midair during flight. Their flying insect feeding strategy aligns with their other adaptations for aerial agility and hovering.
Flower Preferences of Hummingbirds
There are certain flowers that hummingbirds favor due to their nectar adapted specifically for pollination by these agile little birds. Some examples include:
- Trumpet vine – Large, attractive red tubular flowers containing ample nectar accessible by hummingbird beaks.
- Bee balm – Produces bright red flowers with a high concentration of sucrose-dominant nectar.
- Butterfly bush – Has very small flowers but prolific nectar production attractive to hummingbirds.
- Cardinals – Features vivid red, trumpet-shaped blooms perfectly suited for hummingbird pollination.
- Fuchsia – Dangling flowers provide rich nectar for hummingbirds all summer long.
Some other popular ornamental flowers that attract hummingbirds include lilies, morning glories, columbine, petunias, and sage. Hummingbirds are drawn to tubular flowers in shades of red, orange, and pink.
Providing Food for Hummingbirds
To help attract hummingbirds to your yard, consider adding some hummingbird friendly flowering plants. You can also supplement natural nectar sources using specialized feeders. Here are some tips on providing food for hummingbirds:
- Get feeders designed specifically for hummingbird feeding with suitable perch sites.
- Use a nectar concentrate with an appropriate 4:1 ratio of water to sugar.
- Avoid food dyes, honey, and artificial sweeteners.
- Clean feeders thoroughly every few days to prevent mold.
- Strategically place feeders in shady and sheltered spots.
- Consider using a feeding station with multiple feeder ports to accommodate more hummingbirds.
With the right flowers and feeders, you can turn your yard into a hummingbird hot spot. Just be sure not to put out any cut fruit, including apples, since hummingbirds will not eat it and it could potentially grow mold in the feeder.
Key Takeaways
- Hummingbirds rely on a liquid diet, consuming floral nectar and tree sap for carbohydrates and insects for protein.
- They lack digestive enzymes to properly break down complex carbs like starch found in fruit.
- Small body size, beak shape, and rapid metabolism make fruit unsuitable as food for hummingbirds.
- They prefer flowers with an abundance of sucrose-rich nectar such as trumpet vines and cardinal flowers.
- Specialized feeders with sugar water supplements natural food sources but cut fruit should not be provided.
