Hummingbirds are remarkable creatures that have adapted in amazing ways to survive in a range of environments. When it starts to rain, hummingbirds need to quickly find shelter and food to make it through the storm. Their small size and high metabolisms mean they are vulnerable in bad weather. However, hummingbirds have evolved some clever behavioral and physiological strategies to help them endure rain showers.
Seek Shelter in Vegetation
When rain begins, one of the main things a hummingbird will do is seek shelter. With their small bodies and rapid heartbeats, hummingbirds lose heat quickly when soaked. Therefore, getting out of the rain is critical for their survival. Hummingbirds will dart under the cover of trees, shrubs, awnings, porches, or any other available cover. Here they can stay dry, conserve energy, and wait for the rain to pass.
Thick, leafy vegetation is prime shelter for hummingbirds in the rain. The branches and leaves act as an umbrella, allowing rain to drip off while creating a drier space below. Bushes and trees with dense foliage are favorites during downpours. In one study of Anna’s hummingbirds in California, researchers found the birds favored sheltering in coast live oak trees which have an especially thick canopy.
Interestingly, hummingbirds may remember specific shelters they have used in the past. Researchers have discovered hummingbirds returning to the exact same stopping points repeatedly during rainstorms rather than choosing new spots each time. This suggests excellent spatial memory, allowing hummingbirds to recall effective shelters used previously.
Seek Shelter on Man-Made Structures
In addition to vegetation, hummingbirds will take cover anywhere they can find it. Porches, garage overhangs, underneath playground equipment – if it seems like it will keep them dry, hummingbirds will tuck themselves beneath it. Paths with extensive roof coverage are especially desirable. One clever study found that hummingbirds even recognize rain-proof human clothing as potential shelter during storms. The birds were observed perching on the brims of hats and backpack straps, presumably for cover.
Interestingly, male Anna’s hummingbirds have been observed “rainbathing” during light drizzles. Rainbathing is when birds deliberately expose themselves to moisture, fluttering through rain showers and allowing their plumage to get soaked. Scientists are unsure of the purpose of this unusual behavior. Some experts believe it may help clean parasites or dirt from feathers. Whatever the reason, after a brief rainbath, the hummingbirds still must seek shelter before true heavy rains arrive.
Increase Feeding
Rain showers limit the amount of time hummingbirds can spend foraging. At the same time, colder and wetter conditions cause hummingbirds to burn more calories trying to maintain their body temperature. As a result, hummingbirds often increase their food intake when rains arrive so they can take in enough energy to survive the storm.
Flowers do not produce nectar when rain saturates their petals. To adapt, hummingbirds seek out feeding stations, nectar feeders, fruit trees, and any other concentrated food source they can find. Homeowners may notice more hummingbirds than usual visiting their nectar feeders during summer rains. The birds rely on these high-energy food reserves to replace the usual flowers on their route.
Interestingly, one study found Anna’s hummingbirds have adapted an expanded range of diet in urban areas where more feeding stations are available. Urban birds ate more sugar-water, tree sap, and fruit compared to wildland birds during storms. This demonstrates how wildlife like hummingbirds can modify behavior based on localized resources.
Energy Requirements Increase in Rain
Hummingbirds require immense amounts of energy due to their small size and fast metabolism. When it rains, keeping warm burns even more calories causing hummingbirds to up their intake:
- At rest their hearts beat 200-12,000 beats per minute
- In rain, heart rate increases by 10-15% while exposed or sheltering
- May consume up to 2-3 times their body weight in nectar per day
- Require 1-2 times more calories on cold, rainy days
Given their energy demands, having consistent food sources becomes especially crucial during storms.
Seek Nighttime Shelter
Hummingbirds have high metabolisms that require them to eat frequently throughout the day. At night when they cannot forage, they enter a hibernation-like state called torpor. Their heart rate and breathing slows, body temperature drops, and they become still and unresponsive. At sunset or when poor weather arrives, hummingbirds seek a safe place to settle in and ride out the night.
Cavities in trees, nests, thick vegetation, and crevices underneath overhangs provide essential overnight shelter. Here the hummingbirds can safely enter torpor without danger from predators or exposure to the elements. During rain showers, having a place to hunker down overnight is just as crucial as shelter during the day.
Torpor Conserves Energy
Becoming torpid at night allows hummingbirds to conserve huge amounts of energy:
- Breathing drops to 1/16th of normal rate
- Heart rate drops to 50-180 beats/minute (from 200-1000 bpm normally)
- Body temperature plummets from 105°F to around 65°F
- Metabolic rate decreases to 1/25th of active rates
Without torpor, hummingbirds would starve before morning since they cannot actively feed at night. Sheltering safely overnight is therefore imperative for surviving storms.
Puff Up Their Feathers
Another strategy hummingbirds use when caught in the rain is puffing up their feathers. By fluffing up their plumage, they trap more air near the skin creating a more insulated layer.
You may see hummingbirds grooming and repositioning feathers when on a perch during rainfall. The birds also fluff while flying, allowing rain to slide off the feathers more easily. Having properly preened, water-resistant feathers is essential for their survival during wet weather.
Interestingly, researchers discovered hummingbirds can intentionally trap air in their plumage. Most birds only passively trap air and have no muscle control over this process. However, hummingbirds have chest muscles allowing them to actively control feather puffing when needed most.
Prefer to Avoid Flying in Rain
Hummingbirds have extremely high metabolism, and flying requires immense amounts of energy. When it rains, they limit unnecessary flying to conserve their fuel reserves. Besides merely being uncomfortable, flying in wet weather causes them to burn more calories staying warm and keeping their feathers functioning properly for flight.
During light drizzles, hummingbirds may continue foraging as long as some flowers are still producing nectar. However, in heavy downpours they prefer to hunker down under shelter. Here they can wait out the rain while minimizing unnecessary energy expenditure.
If caught in a rainstorm far from shelter, hummingbirds will fly at full speed to try reaching cover before their tiny bodies become saturated. You may see hummingbirds flying recklessly fast and directly during storms as they make a beeline for somewhere dry. Minimizing the amount of time spent exposed is their goal.
Rain Impacts Hummingbird Flight
Several factors make flying in rain more energetically expensive for hummingbirds:
- Wet feathers require more effort to flap properly
- Lose body heat rapidly when soaked
- Require 20% higher metabolism even at rest in wet conditions
- Rapid heartrate (500 bpm) makes keeping warm tough
Avoiding unnecessary flights helps conserve their limited energy when it’s raining.
Wait for the Flowers to Refill
Flowers are unable to produce nectar when their petals are soaked with rain. Hummingbirds know this and will simply wait for the plants to come back after a storm. Rather than wasting energy flying from flower to flower, hummingbirds wait out the rain under cover.
Research in California found that after a heavy rain, Anna’s hummingbirds waited nearly an hour on average before returning to depleted flowers. This allowed time for the plants to dry out so they could begin making nectar again. The birds sheltered nearby and minimized unnecessary foraging attempts in saturated flowers.
Once the rain stops, hummingbirds quickly go back to feeding on the newly refilled flowers. Mutualists flowers even appear to generate nectar faster to reward the resident hummingbirds who pollinate them.
Refilling Flowers After Rain
Flower Type | Refill Rate After Rain |
---|---|
Honeysuckle | 45 minutes |
Fuchsia | 1 hour |
Salvia | 1 hour 30 minutes |
Hummingbirds are experts at waiting out the rain until the flowers they depend on can produce more nectar.
Take Short Bursts Outside
Hummingbirds have some of the highest metabolic rates in the animal kingdom. As a result, they can starve quickly if unable to actively feed. While sheltering during rain is important, hummingbirds occasionally need to brave the weather to take quick foraging trips.
You may see a hummingbird dart from cover, take a few quick slurps of nectar from the nearest flower, then zip straight back to its sheltered perch. By minimizing time spent flying in the rain, they reduce energy expenditure and exposure.
Interestingly, researchers found hummingbirds resume foraging at lower rainfall rates than songbirds. A light drizzle may discourage most birds from leaving shelter, but hummingbirds are willing to brave greater precipitation if it means avoiding starvation.
Their raindrop avoidance style has been described as “not getting constantly wet” rather than strictly “staying dry.” Having the smallest bodies comes with trade-offs, and taking regular quick foraging trips is necessary to survive storms.
Adapt Torpor Cycles
Hummingbirds have mastered the use of torpor to conserve huge amounts of energy overnight. Interestingly, studies show they can adapt their torpor patterns to weather conditions. After a full day’s exposure to rain, hummingbirds adjust their torpor cycles to include extra rest.
In various experiments, hummingbirds altered their torpor rhythms based on poor weather:
- During rainstorms entered torpor earlier in the evening
- Rested longer through the night
- Took shorter and fewer feeding trips the following day
By adapting their energy cycles to get extra rest following bad weather, hummingbirds can recover faster even with limited daytime foraging.
Benefits of Adapting Torpor Cycles
Torpor Adaptation | Benefit |
---|---|
Enter early | Conserves energy as soon as possible |
Longer overnight torpor | Maximize energy savings into next day |
Shorter/fewer daytime trips | Prevents overtaxing limited reserves |
Adjusting their torpor and foraging rhythms helps hummingbirds recover faster after weathering storms.
Choose Shelter Near Dependable Food Sources
Hummingbirds do not settle for sheltering just anywhere when storms arrive. Given their extremely high metabolic needs, they are selective in choosing cover near reliable nectar supplies.
Even when fleeing a downpour, hummingbirds will ignore closer shelter if it does not offer sufficient food availability afterwards. Their tiny size means a steady source of energy is non-negotiable. Research demonstrates hummingbirds intelligently select shelter close to the best feeding options.
If you notice hummingbirds sheltering in a particular tree or shrub during storms, chances are there is a good reason. Look closely, and you will discover an abundant nectar source nearby that they are targeting.
Ideal Rain Shelter for Hummingbirds Has:
- Thick vegetation to stay dry
- Enough room to maneuver
- Nectar/fruit source within approx. 100 ft
- Clear view of food source from shelter
Choosing just the right strategic shelter spot is key to hummingbird survival in storms.
Conclusion
Rain presents clear challenges for hummingbirds given their small size and extreme energy needs. However, they have evolved a range of behavioral adaptations allowing them to successfully endure all types of storms. Seeking shelter in vegetation, increasing feeding, entering torpor overnight, puffing feathers, and choosing cover near food sources are just some of their strategies. The next time you see hummingbirds bouncing in the rain, remember they are not playing but working hard to employ clever survival techniques.