Hummingbirds are active, vibrant birds. Their small size belies a powerful metabolism, driving a constant search for sustenance. This high metabolic rate means they are always on the move, continually needing fuel for rapid movements and processes.
A Day of Fueling
A hummingbird’s day revolves around feeding due to its high metabolic rate, among the highest of any warm-blooded animal. To sustain rapid wingbeats and hovering, they consume vast amounts of energy-rich nectar daily. Hummingbirds typically eat roughly half their body weight in food, visiting 1,000-2,000 flowers. They feed frequently, often every 10 to 15 minutes, as going without food for hours can lead to starvation.
Their feeding mechanism is specialized: hummingbirds possess a forked tongue with tiny, hair-like lamellae. As the tongue extends into a flower, the lamellae unfurl and trap nectar through capillary action. Upon retraction, these lamellae fold back, bringing nectar into the bird’s mouth. This rapid tongue movement, extending and retracting up to 13 times per second, allows quick nectar consumption.
While nectar provides sugars for energy, hummingbirds also require protein and nutrients. They supplement their diet by consuming small insects and spiders, caught in mid-air or gleaned from plants. These tiny creatures, such as gnats, fruit flies, mosquitoes, aphids, and small caterpillars, are a protein source, especially during breeding seasons. This diverse diet ensures all necessary nutrients for growth and health.
Mastering the Air
Hummingbirds are known for their flight capabilities. Their wings beat at an astonishing rate, typically 50 to 80 times per second, though smaller species can reach up to 200 beats per second while hovering. Their rapid wing movement is not a simple up-and-down flap; instead, wings rotate in a figure-eight motion. This pattern generates lift on both the upstroke and downstroke, enabling them to hover motionless.
Their wing structure and powerful pectoral muscles, accounting for 30% of their body weight, give them remarkable agility. They can fly forward, backward, sideways, and even upside down, changing direction instantly. Their ability to fly backward is crucial for navigating complex floral structures, allowing them to back out of flowers. This aerial mastery supports daily activities, from foraging to defending territory.
Beyond the Bloom: Other Daily Activities
Beyond feeding and flight, hummingbirds engage in other behaviors. They frequently perch and rest, often choosing a spot near food sources to conserve energy. These perching periods allow them to survey their surroundings and quickly intercept rivals.
Preening and grooming maintain delicate feathers. They use their beaks to align and clean their feathers, removing dirt, dust, and parasites. This process helps maintain flight efficiency and regulate body temperature by spreading natural oils from a preen gland. Hummingbirds may also bathe by hovering near misters, flying through water droplets, or dipping into shallow pools.
Hummingbirds are known for territorial behavior, defending food sources like flower patches or feeders from rivals. Defense involves high-speed pursuits, aggressive vocalizations like chattering calls, and sometimes physical contact. Males may use displays, including high-speed dives, to assert dominance. While primarily using high-pitched chirps and whistles for communication, some species can also produce sounds with tail feathers during courtship displays.