H.J. Ruiz – Avian101

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Last week I wrote about some hummingbirds that visit my feeders and briefly described some of their activities. One of them was well illustrated via photographs. I should have  given more information about the diet these birds are used to.

Nectar from flowers and flowering trees, as well as small insects and spiders, are its main food. Although hummingbirds are well-known to feed on nectar, small arthropods are an important source part of protein, minerals, and vitamins in the diet of adult hummingbirds. Hummingbirds show a slight preference for red, orange, and bright pink tubular flowers as nectar sources, though flowers not adapted to hummingbird pollination (e.g., willow catkins) are also visited. Their diet may also occasionally include sugar-rich tree sap taken from sapsucker wells. The birds feed from flowers using a long, extendable tongue and catch insects on the wing or glean them from flowers, leaves, bark, and spiders’ webs.
Young birds are fed insects for protein since nectar is an insufficient source of protein for the growing birds.

I have some photos for you that fit the above narrative. They depict a hummingbird that has been in contact with a sticky cow web most likely trying to get a laborious spider.

Photo Gallery

© HJ Ruiz – Avian101