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Humming Bird FoodIt is easy to assume that Humming bird food consists only of nectar, since this is how we usually encounter Humming birds – when they are feeding from flower blossoms. The truth is however that for most species, the Humming bird food is made up largely by insects. The Humming bird uses the energy rich and comparatively easy attainable nectar to be able to hunt insects that contain valuable protein and other necessary nutrients. When breeding, the Humming bird must catch more insects than ever since it must provide food for its offspring. |
Humming bird food in the form of nectar is found in many different flowering plants. The preferred flower species will naturally depend on the particular habitat of each Humming bird species. Humming birds are found from Alaska and Canada to the southernmost tip of the South American continent. The Humming bird seems to be particularly attracted by red flowers and man made containers filled with Humming bird food are therefore often painted red. The beak of the Humming bird is highly suitable for reaching into deep-throated flowers and the nectar of such flowers will often end up as Humming bird food. The Humming bird is an important pollinator since it becomes dusted in pollen during feedings and can visit hundreds of different flowers during just one day.
One example of a flower species that we know is appreciated as Humming bird food is the Mexican Shrimp Plant (Justicia brandegeeana), and the Humming birds will also feed from many types of bromeliads, fuchsias, heliconias, verbenas and penstemon flowers. If you want to attract Humming birds to your garden, it is a good idea to provide them with Humming bird food in the form of nectar filled plants. The ornamental Mexican Shrimp Plant will for instance do well in well-drained loamy or sandy soil, and is comparatively low maintenance. It should preferable be planted in the shade, since the flowers can fade when exposed to full sun. The plant is famous for attracting not only Humming birds, but butterflies as well.
The Humming bird requires a lot of Humming bird food since a flying Humming bird has the highest metabolism of all birds. In the entire animal kingdom, only certain insects can show a higher metabolism than the Humming bird. This is not hard to understand when you watch the intensity of the wing-flapping. A hovering Humming bird can flap its wings 15-80 times per second (the exact number depends largely on the size of the bird) and the heartbeat of a Humming bird be up to 1260 beats per minute. This extreme heartbeat was measured in the Blue-throated hummingbird (Lampornis clemenciae).
The Humming bird will usually eat more Humming bird food that its own weight each day. If the bird can not find suitable Humming bird food, it will rapidly starve to death. A Humming bird can actually die of starvation within just a few hours if it keeps flying around searching for food in vain. Migratory Humming birds must fatten up a lot before they can embark on any longer journeys.
The Humming bird does not need Humming bird food at night, since it can survive by keeping still and slowing down its metabolism. A Hummingbird can also try to endure a temporary lack of suitable Humming bird food by decreasing its metabolism in this manner. The bird will enter a state somewhat similar to hibernation, where its hearth rate is decreased to between 50 and 180 beats per minute. The breathing will also slow down significantly. This state is known as torpor.
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