Ruby throated hummingbirds are one of the most common species of hummingbirds found in North America. They are known for their bright metallic green backs and ruby red throats, which gives them their name. When these tiny birds have babies, providing food for their fast-growing chicks is a full time job for the parents.
The Nesting and Breeding Habits of Ruby Throats
Ruby throats build very small, compact nests out of spider webs, lichen, and bud scales. The nests are only about 2 inches wide and are built on the branches of trees or shrubs. The female ruby throat lays 2 tiny white eggs in the nest. She incubates the eggs for about 2 weeks before they hatch.
Once the chicks hatch, both parents take turns feeding them. Ruby throated hummingbird chicks have enormous appetites. They eat up to their entire body weight in nectar and insects each day! The chicks reach adult size in only 2-3 weeks, so the parents work tirelessly to find enough food.
The Diet of Ruby Throated Hummingbird Chicks
Here is what ruby throated hummingbird parents feed their chicks:
Nectar
Nectar is the main food source for hummingbirds of all ages. Ruby throated hummingbird chicks get most of their nutrition from sugar-rich nectar. The parents visit flower after flower, collecting the nectar in their long bills. They then return to the nest and regurgitate the nectar directly into the chicks’ mouths.
Ruby throats prefer red tubular flowers, such as cardinal flowers, trumpet vines, and bee balms. These flowers provide the most nectar. The parents also get nectar from columbines, lilies, honeysuckles, and coralbells. They seek out both wildflowers and nectar from backyard gardens and feeders when feeding their chicks.
Insects
While the bulk of a ruby throated chick’s diet is nectar, they also need protein from insects. Their parents hunt for tiny insects like fruit flies, mosquitoes, gnats, spiders, and aphids. The most common insects in a chick’s diet are:
| Insect | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Fruit Flies | High in protein |
| Mosquitoes | Protein and B vitamins |
| Spiders | Protein and fat |
| Aphids | Protein, amino acids, and antioxidants |
The parents capture the tiny insects in mid-air or glean them from leaves and branches. They often pick insects directly off flowers as they are nectaring. The parents carry the insects back to the nest in their bill and feed them to the hungry chicks.
How Often do the Parents Feed the Chicks?
Caring for fast-growing ruby throated chicks is a full time job. Here is how often the parents make feeding trips:
- Nectar feeds – Up to 20-30 times per hour
- Insect feeds – Around 5-10 times per hour
The parents take turns feeding so one can be collecting food while the other tends to the chicks. They work from first light in the morning until after dusk to keep the hyperactive chicks fed.
As the chicks near the two week point when they’ll leave the nest, the feeding pace increases even more. The parents are tirelessly provisioning them to achieve maximum growth before fledging.
How Do the Parents Feed the Chicks?
Ruby throated hummingbird parents have a unique method of feeding their chicks. Here is the process:
- The parent arrives at the nest with a bill full of nectar or insects.
- The chick begins begging and chirping loudly, signaling it is hungry.
- The parent inserts its bill into the chick’s open mouth and pumps its throat to regurgitate the food.
- The chick swallows the nectar or insects, often shaking its body in excitement.
- This process is repeated every few minutes as the chick rapidly consumes the food.
The chick assistance with begging and swallowing is needed for successful feeding. The regurgitation method allows parents to safely transport large amounts of small meals back to the nest.
What Happens Once the Chicks Leave the Nest?
Ruby throated hummingbird chicks are ready to fledge around 14-18 days after hatching. At this point they are almost indistinguishable from adults, just a little smaller. The fledglings still beg for food from their parents after leaving the nest.
The parents continue feeding them for another 2-3 weeks as they master flying, hovering, and nectaring on their own. By about 21-25 days of age, the young birds are proficient at feeding themselves and no longer rely on their parents.
At this stage, the parents often drive their offspring away from the nesting territory. This encourages independence and reduces competition over food sources. The juveniles then disperse to find their own feeding habitats.
Unique Adaptations for Feeding Ruby Throated Chicks
Ruby throated hummingbirds have many unique adaptations that allow them to feed their fast-growing chicks:
- Needle-like bill perfect for drinking nectar
- Hinged tongue that extends to lap up nectar
- Ability to hover in place for quick insect hunting
- Enhanced color vision to spot flowers and prey
- Swiveling neck provides greater feeding range
- Ability to enter torpor to conserve energy overnight
- Extremely fast metabolism and heartrate to power their activity
These adaptations allow the parents to collect vast quantities of insect and nectar meals. Their unique bills and tongues let them efficiently siphon nectar to bring back to the hatchlings. The ability to hover precisely positions them to snatch thousands of tiny insects each day.
Conclusion
Ruby throated hummingbird parents provide a diet of nutrient-rich nectar and protein-packed insects to fuel their chicks’ rapid growth. They feed the chicks regurgitated food up to 40 times per hour, visiting hundreds or thousands of flowers and prey sites daily. This incredible provisioning results in the chicks growing from hatchlings to almost adult size in just 2-3 weeks! The ruby throated hummingbird’s unique adaptations allow them to succeed as parents despite being the smallest bird in North America.
