Hummingbird Feeding FAQs
Trochilidae Family
By Connie S. Soto
What kind of food does a
Hummingbird eat?
A combination of sugars called
nectar is obtained from flowers and home feeders. Nectar consists of glucose,
fructose, and sucrose which are table sugar rich in carbohydrates. It contains
only a small amount of protein and not all flowers contain the same values of
each ingredient.
A little more than 25 percent of a
Hummingbirds diet consists of flying insects, spiders, gnats and sap.
How do they obtain the protein
that they need if they only get a little amount from the nectar?
The Hummingbird is able to obtain
their protein requirements from insect sources.
.
How much does a Hummingbird need
to eat each day?
A Hummingbird needs to eat more
than their body weight in food each day. I would guess that to be an average of
between 8,000 to 10,000 calories required per day.
Does this mean a certain number
of meals or so many meals each hour?
No, the amount of food is
dependent upon the content of what they eat and not the number of meals eaten.
How critical is the frequent
feeding for the Hummingbirds survival?
Due to its small size and
metabolism a Hummingbird could easily starve if they cannot obtain sufficient
meals. A Hummingbird has to store up extra calories for overnight survival.
Are some flowers more beneficial
than others and if so would the Hummingbird have to eat more to adjust to the
caloric differences?
Yes, the calories in flowers
greatly differ and the Hummingbirds need to eat more often when the flowers are
not as rich.
What if a Hummingbird cannot get
enough food?
If a Hummingbird is close to
starvation it can conserve energy by using their ability to lower their body
temperature.
Does it matter what ratio of
water to sugar is used in the home feeder?
The typical caloric differences in
flowers fluctuate which means the ratio used in a home feeder will only
determine how often the Hummingbird needs to replenish his intake. A high
concentrate is about one part sugar to one part water. A suggested rule of
thumb might be to have the little Hummingbird visit four to five times in an
hour. This might be equivalent to two parts water to one part sugar.
If there is more than one feeder
should all the water to sugar ratio be the same?
No, different mixes of higher and
lower content water to sugar ratio should be used. Hummingbirds are typically
territorial and because of that the most dominant birds will more aggressively
protect the higher content feeders. This provides a chance for the less
dominant Hummingbirds to feed.
What makes these tiny birds
aggressive and territorial?
Hummingbird’s high metabolism and
high demand to replenish their energy requirements is literally a life and
death necessity for their basic needs. Due to this fact it is easy to
understand their aggressive behavior to protect their food sources.
What should be avoided for proper
home feeders?
Artificial sweeteners can starve a
Hummingbird as the high need for calories are not met.
Honey should also not be used as
it can be dangerous to Hummingbirds, due to the process of decomposition. Honey
causes micro organisms to form; these are too small for the naked eye to see.
It is a normal decomposition process and typically consists of algae, bacteria,
fungi, protozoa or parasites.
Red dyes use to be a popular addition
to the nectar which has no beneficial value and in fact can possibly be
dangerous to the tiny birds.
How often should the feeder be
cleaned and replenished?
How often a feeder has to be
cleaned and filled has a lot to do with where the Hummingbird feeder is hung.
If the feeder does not have enough shade it might need attention daily. Another
factor is temperature; the colder outside the less often it will need to be
changed. Take these facts into consideration and adjust the routine cleaning
and filling accordingly. As a rule of thumb, if the conditions warrant the feeder
could be cleaned and refilled about once a week. Hummingbirds will find a
different source of nectar and will not come to the feeder if they are not
clean.
Hummingbird feeders are
frequently hard to clean and mold seems to grow, what can be used to help clean
the feeder?
It is not my suggestion to use
soapy water to clean the Hummingbird feeder although it can be done
successfully and is a personal choice. The important point here is to be sure
not to leave any soapy residue behind that can harm the Hummingbirds.
Bleach is sometimes used when
black spots of mold appear, again no bleach residue should be left behind.
Frequent washings help to prevent
mold in the first place and is by far the easier method to help with the cleaning.
This is not to say that mold will never form but it does make the job much easier.
The cleaner the feeder, the better quality nectar you can provide for these tiny
gems.
A variety of brushes are useful to
get into the nooks and crannies for cleaning. A tooth brush is probably the
most common but not the most versatile. A little plastic toothpick can help for
the hard to reach area; the little wooden toothpicks seem to break too easily
to be very useful.
Popcorn or uncooked rice can be used for
cleaning the inside of the glass of the feeder. Add the corn or rice with some water,
shake vigorously, empty and rinse.
What flowering plants attract
Hummingbirds?
This list is from some notes that
I have kept over the years. I dabble at gardening and I try to note when they
attract the little Hummers and I hope it is helpful.
Abutilon, Chinese Lantern Indian paintbrush
Agastache, Firebird Lantana
Aloe Larkspur,
Scarlet
Beard Tongue Lilac
Bee Balm Lupine
Begonia Monkey
flower
Bottle Brush Nasturtium
Bromeliads
Cardinal Pentas
Columbine Petunia
Coral Bells Prairie
Blazingstar
Delphinium Red Hot Poker
Eucalyptus Rosemary
Flowering Guince Rose
of Sharon
Flowering Maple Sage,
Anise, Scarlet,
Foxglove Scarlet
runner bean
Fuchsia Shrimp plant
Hibiscus Silk Oak
Hollyhock Silk
Tree, Mimosa
Honey Suckle Trumpet
Vine
Impatiens Verbenas
Wild Bergamot