What is the ruby throated hummingbird drinking from the flower?

The ruby throated hummingbird, known by its scientific name Archilochus colubris, is drinking nectar from the flower. Hummingbirds have specially adapted long, slender bills that allow them to reach into flowers and extract the sugary nectar inside. The ruby throated hummingbird is the most common and widely distributed hummingbird species in North America. They are attracted to flowers with lots of nectar, particularly bright red or orange tubular flowers.

Quick Answers

The ruby throated hummingbird drinks nectar from flowers using its specialized long bill. It particularly favors bright red or orange tubular flowers which provide abundant sugary nectar. Some of its favorite nectar sources include cardinal flower, trumpet vine, bee balm, and coral honeysuckle.

Hummingbirds are known for their ability to hover in midair and for their rapid wing beats. They have high metabolisms and must consume a lot of energy in the form of nectar from flowers. The ruby throated hummingbird is the sole breeding hummingbird in Eastern North America. This article will explore the ruby throated hummingbird’s use of flowers as a food source, specifically looking at how the shape of its bill allows it to extract nectar and identifying some of its preferred nectar-producing flowers.

The Ruby Throated Hummingbird’s Bill

The most distinctive feature of the ruby throated hummingbird is its long, slender bill. At rest, the bill measures around 2.5 cm (just over an inch) which is approximately the same length as the entire head and body. However, the bill accounts for a quarter of the bird’s total length during flight. This specially adapted bill allows the hummingbird to delve deep into flowers and access the nectar within.

The hummingbird’s bill is perfectly designed for nectar extraction. It is long and narrow which allows it to fit into tubular flowers. The tip of the upper mandible overhangs the lower mandible, helping guide the bill into the corolla of the flowers. The bill itself is slightly flexible and can bend which enables it to carefully probe flowers. Strategically placed grooves along the inside edges of the mandibles allow nectar to run up the bill and into the hummingbird’s mouth.

While drinking, the hummingbird’s tongue darts rapidly in and out of the bill, enabling it to lap up nectar at a rate of approximately 13 licks per second. The tongue has forked tips which maximize nectar intake with each lick. Together, the specialized bill and tongue allow the hummingbird to efficiently exploit flowers with minimal energy expenditure.

Favorite Nectar Sources

The ruby throated hummingbird seeks out flowers with abundant nectar. Their preferred flowers tend to be tubular in shape which complements the shape of their long bills. Bright red colors and flower clusters also help attract hummingbirds. Some of their favorite nectar sources include:

Cardinal Flower

Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is a bright red wildflower that blooms in late summer. The tubular flowers provide an excellent food source for ruby throated hummingbirds, which are the main pollinators. Cardinal flowers grow in moist areas and produce multiple tall spikes covered in flowers with lots of nectar.

Trumpet Vine

Trumpet vine (Campsis radicans) is a climbing vine with large, orange, trumpet-shaped flowers. The blossoms open wide allowing easy access for the hummingbird’s bill. Trumpet vines produce flowers continually through the summer providing a reliable nectar source.

Bee Balm

Bee balm (Monarda species) is an herb with dense clusters of tubular flowers in shades of red, pink, or purple. The nectar-rich blossoms attract hummingbirds as well as bees and butterflies. Bee balm thrives in hot weather and blooms throughout summer into early fall.

Coral Honeysuckle

Coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) has long, arching stems covered in clusters of bright red flowers. The tubular blooms typically have more nectar at their base, perfectly suited for the ruby throated hummingbird’s bill shape. Coral honeysuckle is a native vine that blooms from spring to fall.

Pollination

As the ruby throated hummingbird feeds on nectar, it also serves as an important pollinator for many flowering plants. Pollen grains get stuck to the hummingbird’s head and bill as it moves from flower to flower. When it visits the next flower, some of the pollen rubs off which fertilizes the plant enabling it to produce seeds and fruit.

Ruby throated hummingbirds play a vital role in pollinating wildflowers and summer-blooming garden plants. Their preference for tubular shaped flowers with lots of nectar leads them to efficiently transfer pollen between compatible plant species. Maintaining habitat with an abundance of hummingbird-pollinated flowers helps ensure productive plant communities.

Range and Habitat

The ruby throated hummingbird breeding range covers most of the Eastern United States and Canada. In summer, it inhabits meadows, woodland edges, gardens, and parks. These environments provide the flowers, water sources, and nesting sites the hummingbird needs. In winter, ruby throated hummingbirds migrate to Mexico and Central America.

To attract ruby throated hummingbirds, incorporate tubular red flowers into gardens, window boxes, or landscaping. Ensure flowering plants bloom continuously spring through fall to provide a consistent nectar supply. Other habitat supports like water features, perches, and nesting materials may also encourage hummingbird activity and residence.

Diet

Ruby throated hummingbirds have a high metabolism and must consume large quantities of food. Their diet consists primarily of nectar and small insects or spiders. Nectar supplies carbohydrates while insects provide essential proteins. Here is a breakdown of the ruby throated hummingbird’s diet:

Nectar

• Main energy source
• Obtained from tubular or trumpet shaped flowers
• Preferred flowers are red in color with high nectar content
• Favorite nectar sources include cardinal flower, trumpet vine, bee balm, and coral honeysuckle
• Hummingbirds use their specialized long bill and tongue to extract the nectar

Insects and Spiders

• Provide essential amino acids not found in nectar
• Preferred prey includes small soft-bodied insects like gnats, aphids, fruit flies
• Also consume small spiders and insect eggs
• Forage for insects among flowers and foliage

Ruby throated hummingbirds supplement their diet with sap from wells they drill into trees using their bills. They obtain important minerals from the sap. By meeting its nutritional needs from nectar, insects, and sap, the ruby throated hummingbird can power its rapid flight and high metabolism.

Behavior and Characteristics

The ruby throated hummingbird displays many interesting behaviors and adaptations related to its diet:

• Aggressive defense of nectar sources – will confront other hummingbirds or bees
• Highly territorial of feeding areas
• Use rapid wing beats up to 53 beats per second to fly and hover
• Extendable tongue darts at 13 licks per second to collect nectar
• Frequently visits hundreds of flowers per day seeking nectar
• Migrates 500+ miles in spring and fall between breeding and wintering grounds
• Unusual daily torpor reduces energy needs by lowering body temperature and metabolism at night

The ruby throated hummingbird’s adaptations allow it to efficiently use flower nectar as an energy source. Behaviors like defending feeding patches and lap nectar ensure it can meet its extremely high metabolic demands.

Threats and Conservation

Ruby throated hummingbirds face a few key threats related to their reliance on flower nectar and suitable habitat:

• Pesticide and herbicide use reduce insect populations and nectar sources
• Climate change disrupts timing of flowering cycles and insect hatches
• Urbanization and logging degrade or destroy meadow and forest habitat
• Outdoor cats kill millions of birds each year including hummingbirds

While still a widespread and common species, ruby throated hummingbird numbers have declined by an estimated 35% since the 1960s. Supporting hummingbird conservation includes:

• Providing natural or pesticide-free gardens with native plants
• Installing hummingbird feeders especially during migration
• Educating others about threats to hummingbirds and how to help
• Participating in citizen science surveys like the Breeding Bird Survey

Simple actions can make a big difference in sustaining the ruby throated hummingbird population and its essential pollination services.

Significance to Ecosystem

As a major pollinator, the ruby throated hummingbird contributes significantly to its ecosystem. Here are some of its key ecological roles:

• Pollinates wildflowers like cardinal flower and bee balm which provide food for other wildlife
• Pollinates garden plants including petunias, fuchsia, and columbine
• Disperses seeds of native plants by pollinating the flowers
• Helps control insect populations by preying on many small flying insects
• Plays a role in plant evolution through selective pollination
• Provides food for insect-eating birds when young hummingbirds are preyed upon

Ruby throated hummingbirds serve as a key connector species in their habitat by linking flowering plants with the insects and birds that rely on them. Protecting hummingbirds and their habitat helps maintain biodiversity and a healthy, functioning ecosystem.

Comparisons with Other Species

The ruby throated hummingbird relies more heavily on flower nectar than any other North American hummingbird species. Here is how it compares:

The ruby throated hummingbird relies much more on nectar from flowers like cardinal flower, trumpet vine, and bee balm than western and high elevation species. Insects likely make up a larger portion of the diet for Rufous hummingbirds and Broad-tailed hummingbirds.

Conclusion

With its specialized bill and tongue, the ruby throated hummingbird is perfectly adapted to extracting sugary nectar from tubular flowers. It favors bright red tubular flowers like cardinal flower and trumpet vine which provide abundant, easily accessible nectar. As it feeds, the ruby throated hummingbird also pollinates plants enabling their reproduction. This important pollination service supports biodiversity and a healthy ecosystem. By understanding details like the hummingbird’s diet, behavior, and ecological roles, we can better protect this unique bird and its habitat into the future.