Hummingbirds are particularly fond of feeding on insects and bugs.These tiny birds have an amazing appetite for many insect species and tend to catch their insect prey in the grandest fashion. While it is true that a large part of a hummingbird’s diet consists of nectar, they also need insects and bugs in order to maintain a healthy and well-balanced diet.Insects like spiders and fruit flies provide hummingbirds with the nutritional benefits that they require in their diet, and hence, form an integral part of the bird’s diet. In fact, a hummingbird’s life expectancy can be considerably shortened if there is a deficiency of insect species for it to feed on.If there are any hummingbirds in your neighborhood that you have been trying to feed, only putting some nectar in their feeder may not be enough. To provide a more balanced meal for your guests, make sure to put in some spiders, flies and other pests that you may have killed during the week. These insects are sure to make you your guests’ favorite in no time! Keep reading for more hummingbird facts and feeding tips!If you enjoy reading this article, why not also check out hummingbird facts and do house flies bite here at Kidadl?How do hummingbirds eat insects?Hummingbirds are insect-eating birds, although it can be quite difficult to spot these birds catching their prey.This is for a few reasons, starting with the fact that hummingbirds are too tiny. These birds are so tiny that people are often forced to use special gadgets in order to spot a hummingbird. Hence, finding out which foods attract hummingbirds and what their diet consists of can be quite the task! The second reason why it can get difficult to know what hummingbirds prefer to eat is that these birds are very fast, and they catch their prey in the most amazing and stupefying manner!Hummingbirds eat insects that they catch through a method known as hawking. In this method, the bird catches its prey from mid-air instead of picking at the ground for worms and insects. Hummingbirds also eat minute insects which can be particularly difficult to spot anyway!Human beings often think that, since hummingbirds are so tiny, they have small diets and appetites. However, this is hardly true. Hummingbirds have an exceptionally fast metabolism, and hence, they eat throughout the day. Some people are also of the opinion that hummingbirds only feed on nectar. This is hardly true since nectar does not have the nutritional content that hummingbirds require. Hence, to fill the gaps in terms of nutrients, hummingbirds catch insects such as gnats, aphids, and other flies.While hummingbirds carry out most of their preying through the hawking process, they often also make use of the more traditional methods. Although it may be very difficult to spot such actions while they are being carried out, a hummingbird often seeks large spiders, little bugs, and small beetles in places such as the tiny holes in tree bark. Such picking activities are usually reserved for occasions when there is a scarcity of food.Will hummingbirds eat mosquitoes?Hummingbirds do not discriminate when it comes to feeding on insects and true bugs. They live in moist areas of the world, where there are plenty of insects to prey on, and hence, hummingbirds eat several dozens to thousands of insects and flies every single day. When it comes to mosquitoes, you may well expect that a hummingbird will not refuse to eat them. If you have any feeders installed for any visiting hummingbirds, feel free to put in some random bugs and mosquitoes for the tiny bird to feast on.It might come as a surprise to many, but if hummingbirds weren’t so hard to spot around cities, their existence would actually help us out by controlling pest populations. The ornithology departments of various states often recommend people go ahead and install some feeders so that both human beings and these birds are benefited. If you have feeders installed in your backyard, not only will you be helping these birds by ensuring that they don’t have to be hungry, but even the hummingbirds are likely to help you out in talking flies and bugs around the house. It will be mutually beneficial!Hummingbirds often eat mosquitoes, aphids, moths, fruit flies, and gnats that get stuck in spider webs. In fact, these birds are likely to eat any insects that they find in their wild habitat.What kinds of bugs do hummingbirds eat?Hummingbirds are insectivorous birds, and they don’t discriminate much when it comes to choosing their foods. For the majority of the day, a hummingbird can be seen doing a couple of things, which include collecting nest materials, eating nectar from ripe fruit and flowers and finding insects to prey on.Hummingbirds can find their insect prey in all sorts of locations. Sometimes, they glean insects that are feeding on the nectar of flowers and fruits. Such insects are usually small and carry a lot of nutritional value, like tiny fruit flies and gnats.Hummingbirds also tend to find their way towards flowers that attract small insects so that they do not have to work much towards finding prey. At the same time, hummingbirds also eat insect eggs which can easily be found on tree leaves. In addition to this, hummingbirds often find their way to spider webs to find some beneficial insects that may have gotten caught. Even spiders provide amazing nutritional value to hummingbirds and help them in leading healthier lives.What insect kills hummingbirds?It is quite fascinating to know that insects can kill hummingbirds and also consume them. Praying mantids are insects that often kill and eat hummingbirds, such as the rufous hummingbird and bee hummingbird.Praying mantids often attack hummingbird feeders, both for nectar, small insects and the birds themselves. It, therefore, becomes very important to make sure that the feeders are well protected from such insects.There are certain tools that can come to our aid when hummingbird feeders are being attacked. It is sometimes very useful to place the feeder in places that are devoid of shrubbery. It is also helpful to attach a larger protective covering which keeps praying mantids away.Did You Know…Hummingbirds are preyed on by birds like hawks, eagles, and owls.Ruby-throated hummingbirds also eat insects such as spiders and aphids!Hummingbirds have special forked tongues, which they use to lap up nectar from feeders.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for ‘Do hummingbirds eat bugs? Here’s why they eat flying insects!’ then why not take a look at ‘11 amazing Shoemaker-Levy 9 facts for curious kids!’, or ‘Shape of Earth: is Earth round? Curious planet facts revealed for kids’?
Hummingbirds are particularly fond of feeding on insects and bugs.
