Hummingbirds are well known for drinking nectar from flowers using their long, slender beaks and tongues. However, nectar alone does not provide all the nutrients and calories that hummingbirds need to thrive. Here is an overview of what else hummingbirds eat besides nectar.
Insects
While nectar is the primary food source for hummingbirds, they get most of their protein, fat, vitamins and minerals from eating insects. Some species obtain 60-80% of their diet from insects. Hummingbirds eat a wide variety of small invertebrates including:
- Flies
- Mosquitoes
- Gnats
- Aphids
- Caterpillars
- Ants
- Bees
- Spiders
Hummingbirds use their sharp vision to precisely locate tiny insects both in flight and while perched. They catch bugs on the wing and as well as pick them off leaves and flowers. Their nibble-like feeding is well suited for consuming small insects.
Tree Sap
Hummingbirds will drink sap from holes bored by sapsuckers on various species of trees. Favored sap sources include:
- Birch
- Maple
- Hickory
- Willow
- Alder
- Ash
The sap provides an important source of carbohydrates and nutrients. Hummingbirds have been observed waiting in line for their turn to drink from sap wells.
Fruit
Hummingbirds supplement their diet with fruit when it is available. They prefer small, pulp-rich fruits with some examples being:
- Berries
- Currants
- Cherries
- Grapes
- Pomegranate
- Banana
- Apples
Unusual food sources include the lemons and tomatoes from backyard gardens. Hummingbirds poke their beaks into ripe fleshy fruits to obtain the nutritious juice inside.
Flower Parts
Hummingbirds will sometimes pick apart flower parts in addition to drinking nectar. They consume petals, pistils and pollen for protein, minerals and carotenoids. Some examples of flowers utilized include:
- Marigold
- Impatiens
- Delphinium
- Nasturtium
- Gladiola
- Lilies
- Fuchsia
Hummingbirds have been observed plucking petals from flowers and eating them while perched.
Tree Cambium
The cambium layer of trees provides an additional food source for hummingbirds. These resourceful birds will scratch away bark with their feet to access the moist cambium layer underneath, licking up the sap within. Species of trees where this behavior has been noted include:
- Oak
- Poplar
- Hackberry
- Ficus
- Eucalyptus
- Willow
The cambium provides sugars, starch and nutrients to supplement the hummingbird diet. This tree scratching behavior is more common in certain species like Allen’s and Rufous.
Minerals and Salt
Hummingbirds will seek out minerals and salt to meet nutritional requirements particularly during nesting and molting. Excellent sources include:
- Tree sap
- Flower nectar
- Fruit
- Water from rain and mist
- Dirt and sand
- Wood ash
- Salt licks
One unique behavior is that hummingbirds will gather near the ocean where sea spray provides essential minerals.
Nectar
Despite eating a wide array of food, the key energy source for hummingbirds is still flower nectar. The main components of nectar are sucrose, fructose and glucose in water solution. Hummingbirds favor nectar with higher sugar concentrations such as:
- Trumpet Creeper – 35%
- Cardinal Flower – 32%
- Red Morning Glory – 30%
- Scarlet Gilia – 25%
In terms of volume, nectar generally composes 25-40% of a hummingbird’s daily intake. However nectar cannot supply all the energy, protein, vitamins and minerals required, thus the need for insects and other food sources.
How Much Food Do Hummingbirds Require?
Hummingbirds need prodigious amounts of food to supply the energy for hovering flight and their rapid metabolism. Here is an overview of their daily nutritional requirements:
- Nectar – Up to half their weight per day
- Insects – Hundreds to thousands per day
- Sugar – Up to 3 times their body weight
- Water – Approximately double their body weight
To meet these needs, hummingbirds spend an incredible amount feeding. They visit 1,000 to 2,000 flowers per day obtaining nectar. They also consume thousands of tiny insects each day to obtain sufficient protein. Their feeding schedule is demanding, requiring visits every 10-15 minutes throughout the day.
What Do Hummingbird Nestlings Eat?
Newly hatched hummingbirds are completely dependent on their parents to supply food. The nestlings initially obtain food by sticking their tongue into the parent’s throat as they regurgitate nectar and insects. Within a week, the nestlings start poking their head from the nest as the parent perches and feeds them mouth-to-mouth.
Hummingbird nestlings obtain the following food from their parents:
- Regurgitated nectar
- Pre-digested insects
- Fruit pulp
- Flower parts
- Tree sap
This nutritious diet allows the nestlings to grow rapidly, often doubling their weight every 24 hours. By two to three weeks of age, the young hummingbirds are ready to leave the nest.
What is the Best Artificial Nectar for Hummingbirds?
While hummingbirds obtain most of their nutrition from natural nectar and insects, backyard bird enthusiasts can also supplement their diet with artificial nectar. Here are some tips for the best homemade nectar recipe:
- Use a 4:1 ratio of water to white granulated sugar
- Do not use honey, brown sugar, artificial sweeteners or red food dye
- Bring water to a boil first to dissolve the sugar completely
- Store unused nectar in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks
- Change nectar in feeders every 2-4 days; more often in hot weather
- Clean feeders thoroughly before refilling
This basic sugar-water recipe approximates natural flower nectar. Offering artificial nectar provides vital supplementary energy for hummingbirds.
Summary
While hummingbirds rely on nectar for the majority of their nutritional needs, they also consume a wide variety of other food sources:
- Insects – For protein, fat, vitamins and minerals
- Sap – For carbohydrates, nutrients and minerals
- Fruit – For supplemental carbohydrates and nutrients
- Flower parts – For protein, minerals and carotenoids
- Tree cambium – For sugars, starch and nutrients
- Minerals and salt – For essential micronutrients
These diverse food sources provide complete nutrition and allow hummingbirds to maintain their incredible metabolisms and energetic flight. Understanding what hummingbirds eat besides nectar provides deeper insight into their feeding behavior and ecology.
