Hummingbirds are small, active birds. Their tiny bodies house an incredibly fast metabolism, which can be up to 100 times faster than an elephant’s. This fuels their constant motion, including a heart rate that can exceed 1,200 beats per minute. To sustain such intense energy demands, hummingbirds must consume vast amounts of nectar and small insects, often eating 1.5 to 3 times their body weight daily. This continuous need for sustenance drives their behavior.
Hummingbirds and Rain: The Short Answer
Hummingbirds feed in the rain, particularly during light to moderate showers. Their survival hinges on a constant intake of food, as their high metabolic rate means they can only go a few hours without nourishment. Flying in rain increases their energy expenditure, making the need for calories even more pressing.
Rain can impact their food sources, as nectar in flowers may become diluted or washed away. Despite these challenges, hummingbirds make quick, targeted trips to reliable food sources, such as feeders or sheltered flowers. Feeders become important during rain, providing accessible, undiluted energy.
How Hummingbirds Adapt to Wet Weather
Hummingbirds possess several adaptations that enable them to navigate and feed in wet conditions. Their feathers are designed with a microscopic structure that minimizes water absorption, making them remarkably water-resistant. They meticulously preen their plumage, using their beak to apply natural oils from a gland near their tail, creating a waterproof barrier. When wet, they can also fluff up their feathers to trap a layer of insulating air close to their bodies.
Their aerial agility allows them to adjust their flight dynamics in precipitation. In light rain, their flight patterns remain largely unchanged. However, in heavier rain, they may alter their body and tail positions horizontally, increase their wingbeat frequency, and reduce the amplitude of their wing strokes to maintain control. Hummingbirds are also observed shaking off water droplets either mid-flight or while perched. These adaptations allow them to continue foraging when conditions are not severe.
Seeking Shelter During Heavy Downpours
While hummingbirds can tolerate light to moderate rain, they will seek shelter during heavy rain or severe storms. Their primary refuge often includes dense evergreen shrubs, thick deciduous bushes, or the sheltered canopies of trees. They may also utilize man-made structures, such as the eaves of houses or porch overhangs, seeking the downwind side.
During these periods of shelter, hummingbirds conserve energy by reducing their activity and remaining still. In extreme cases, especially during cold and wet conditions, they can enter a state of torpor.
Torpor is a temporary, sleep-like state where their metabolic rate, heart rate, and body temperature drop dramatically, sometimes with their heart rate slowing to 50-100 beats per minute and body temperature falling to as low as 68°F. This physiological adaptation allows them to survive periods of food scarcity or adverse weather by conserving their energy reserves. Waking from torpor is a gradual process, often taking 20 minutes to an hour, and involves shivering to generate body heat. After a storm subsides, an increase in feeding activity is common as they replenish their depleted energy.