Hummingbirds are small, fast-moving birds that are specialized nectar feeders. Their long, slender beaks and tongues allow them to access nectar from flowers that other birds cannot. Fireweed is a perennial flowering plant found across North America that produces abundant nectar, leading many to wonder if hummingbirds visit these flowers.
Fireweed as a Food Source
Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium) is a common wildflower that grows in a variety of environments across North America. It thrives in recently disturbed areas and is often one of the first plants to establish itself after events like wildfires or clearcutting. Fireweed gets its name from its tendency to proliferate in burned areas.
This hardy perennial grows 3-6 feet tall on a single stalk. The leaves are long and lance-shaped. Fireweed produces showy pink flowers from midsummer through early fall. These flowers are arranged in a spike at the top of the stem. Fireweed is recognizable by its bright pink flowers that bloom progressively up the stalk as the season advances.
Fireweed flowers produce copious amounts of nectar. Their primary pollinators are bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. The high sugar content of fireweed nectar makes it an attractive source of food for pollinators across its range. In fact, fireweed is considered a major nectar source for pollinators in western North America.
Fireweed Nectar Production
Researchers who have analyzed fireweed nectar have found:
- Fireweed flowers produce between 1.5 – 8.5 µl of nectar per flower per day.
- Nectar sugar content ranges between 18-43%.
- The sugar in fireweed nectar is primarily sucrose, glucose, and fructose.
These characteristics make fireweed an excellent source of sugars and carbohydrates for pollinators. The abundant nectar with moderately high sugar content provides efficient energy for pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Hummingbirds and Fireweed
Many hummingbird species have been observed visiting fireweed flowers, attracted by the promise of a high-quality nectar meal. Here are a few hummingbirds known to feed on fireweed:
- Rufous Hummingbird
- Anna’s Hummingbird
- Allen’s Hummingbird
- Calliope Hummingbird
These small birds rely heavily on nectar from flowers like fireweed to meet their high metabolic demands. Hummingbirds have extremely high heart rates and body temperatures, requiring them to consume more than their body weight in nectar each day. The abundance of fireweed across western North America makes it a vitally important nectar source for migrating and breeding hummingbirds.
How Hummingbirds Feed on Fireweed
Hummingbirds have specialized physical adaptations that allow them to access the nectar tucked deeply inside tubular fireweed flowers:
- Long, slender beaks can reach deep into flowers
- Extendable, forked tongues with fringed tips lap up nectar
- Small size and maneuverability lets them hover and perch in flowers
When feeding, hummingbirds insert their long beaks all the way into the fireweed blossoms. Their forked tongue darts in and out of the nectar, lapping it up with the fringed tips. The nectar moves through grooves on the surface of the tongue to the back of the mouth by capillary action. Their small size allows hummingbirds to easily hover near flowers while feeding.
Importance of Fireweed for Hummingbirds
Research suggests fireweed is a vital nectar source for hummingbirds in certain regions. A study in Canada found that fireweed provided up to 62% of the total nectar resources used by hummingbirds in sub-boreal forests during July and August. The timing coincides with hummingbird migration and nesting in this habitat.
In Alaska, fireweed flowers sustained Anna’s hummingbirds both on their breeding grounds and during fall migration. The blooming of fireweed extends the availability of nectar after the flowering of other plants has declined. Plants like fireweed help provide a continuous food source for hummingbirds across the seasons.
Beyond nectar, fireweed offers hummingbirds additional benefits:
- Dense patches attract more insect prey
- Red flowers provide camouflage from predators
- Tall stems serve as perches and nest sites
By supporting hummingbirds during energetically demanding periods of migration and breeding, fireweed plays an integral role in their life history. The plant’s distribution across disturbed areas may be especially important in providing reliable food as climate change alters habitats.
Conclusion
With its abundant nectar production and distribution across North America, fireweed is an important flower resource used by foraging hummingbirds. Multiple hummingbird species have been observed visiting fireweed flowers to drink the nectar. This rich food source helps sustain hummingbirds as they migrate and establish breeding territories.
The long blooming season of fireweed extends the availability of flowers after other plants have stopped flowering. This steady nectar supply helps hummingbirds meet the high metabolic demands associated with migration and nesting. By providing essential nutrition during critical life cycle stages, fireweed supports the survival and reproduction of migrating hummingbirds across their range.