Our previous post - What is the smallest bird in the world - prompted this question. Most people think that hummingbirds eat nectar from sweet flowers. They’re right. But they do not gain nutrition from the nectar. If all a humming bird ate was nectar, it would starve and die!
Nectar - or the sugary water solutions we add to feeders for hummingbirds - is a rich source of energy but it completely lacks protein and other nutrients hummingbirds need to grow, breed and survive. But a hummingbird’s metabolism and energy requirements are so high that it requires the energy from nectar to survive as well. So where does it get protein, vitamins and nutrients? Insects and spiders, same as other small birds.
So when you think of what hummingbirds eat, think of it this way - hummingbirds eat nectar to power their ability to hunt and eat bugs!
To read more about hummingbirds, what they eat and how to attract and feed them visit the Hummingbird Feeding Guide.