What do hummingbirds eat?

Question

My little sister found a baby hummingbird on the ground and I put it in a box with holes, We put it up in the tree, and there's no food. What do we feed it?

Answer 1

They eat nectar.

Baby hummingbirds are extremely tiny... you will need to look online for a wild bird rehabilitator in your town to raise it. It is extremely hard to raise a baby bird and its best chance of living is to let the professional take care of it.

Answer 2

If it's a baby hummingbird you found, which isn't able to fly yet, the mother will have to feed it. I hope it's an open box where the mother will be able to find her baby. There must be a food supply of flower nectar nearby, because the hummingbird chose to put her nest here. In addition to her wild foraging, you can feed the mother hummingbird with a hummingbird feeder hung in the area. The correct nectar solution is simple, directions further below:

4 parts water (preferrably filtered)
1 part sugar (crystal sugar, not powdered)

NEVER use honey--it is toxic to hummingbirds.
DO NOT use artificial sweeteners--they are not nutritious for hummingbirds.
DO NOT add red coloring to the nectar. The latest findings are that since the hummingbird drinks so much of the nectar solution, the dye has had detrimental effects. They don't need the red coloring to find the nectar. Nectar in the wild isn't colored. The color of the hummingbird feeder, especially if it has little flowers on it, will attract the hummingbirds without the nectar being dyed.

Put 2 cups of water in a saucepan and heat to boiling. While it is heating, add 1/2 cup of sugar and stir it until it dissolves clear. When the water boils, shut the heat, and fill a glass storage jar with half the nectar and cover it. Let the rest cool in the pan. After it is cool, fill the hummingbird feeder a little bit. It doesn't have to be completely full, especially for the first week or so until it is found and used. Store the rest in the glass jar in the refrigerator for refills. The nectar should be changed in the hummingbird feeder at least twice a week, along with cleaning the feeder. Put the hummingbird feeder out of the sun. If you can get one with a little sitting rim, it is better as the hummingbird can sit and rest while feeding. Try to find one that is easy to take apart and clean, also.

It may take the hummingbirds (more than one may find it) up to 2 weeks to find and actually use the feeder. But once they find it, you'll see them feed every 15 minutes or so.

Best regards,
ForestDweller

Answer 3

I don't think I have seen so many stupid answers as this question has.

Make hummingbird nectar by mixing 4 parts hot water to 1 part regular table sugar, then let it cool. Do not use honey, it causes a mold to grow on the hummer's beak that will kill it. Do not use red food dye. Yes they are attracted to red, but red dye is proving to cause tumors on hummers, and most feeders are bright enough to attract them already.

Chances are, the little guy is not going to make it. These birds are even more fragile than normal sized birds, and a baby will not be able to keep itself warm. And as for feeding a baby, you probably cannot feed it properly anyways. Some hummers in the world have to stock up on massive amounts of nectar before they sleep at night because due to their extremely high metabolism, they can actually starve to death in the middle of the night. Hummers also eat a lot of tiny bugs. I have watched them eat from clouds of gnats. You should try to find an avian rehabber to try and rescue the bird, I doubt you will be able to do it.

However, when baby birds fall from the nest, the parents will continue feeding it. It may take the baby a long time, but the parents can usually convince the baby to crawl to a bush or heavy grass, and there they will continue to feed and warm the baby. Your box is probably ok if you put it near where you found the baby. The baby will call for its parents, and they may do the work for you. I wish I could convince people not to interfere in baby bird rescues, but I know how hard it is to watch a baby bird die on your lawn.

Answer 4

Hummingbirds eat high sugar liquids for energy, and small insects for protein.

In nature the high-sugar liquid is the nectar from flowers. Humans provide it in the form of sugar water.

For a baby, you should probably contact the local wildlife management service. They will be better able to care for it.

Answer 5

go to a store say like walmart or a pet store of your choice and just ask someone they will be glad to help i am sure. now there is also that instant "nectar " for humming birds in a bag as well even has a picture of them too on it so that you can tell. Also if you can get your hands on a PLANT CALLED A "TRUMPET WILL OR IS SUPPOSE TO DRAW OR BRING OTHER HUMMING BIRDS AROUND AND THEN WHEN THIS YOUNG ONE IS READY TO LEAVE IT CAN GO WITH OTHERS LIKE IT. Also one more thing try to find someone with humming birds seeds it will grow those long vines with the red flowers on it and humming birds love that cause i have some and they love that nectar from it .Also if you will ask someone they will tell ya how to mix this nectar into one of those bird feeders it takes sugar and water i believe but don't remember how much to mix , that's why i say you will have to ask. HOPE THIS WILL HELP DON'T WAIT THOUGH I WILL DO IT RIGHT AWAY.

Answer 6

Hummingbirds, also known as Stellula calliope eats necture, However, the food that is placed in hummingbird feeders is just plain ole' water with some sugar mixed in. If you see the red food it is simply because there is colorant added to attract the hummingbird.

Answer 7

Do NOT feed hummingbirds sugar water or "nectar" for more than 24 hours. It will harm the bird. Babies fed sugar water or "nectar" may develop deformities or die.

They cannot regulate their body heat and depend on mom to keep them warm.
If you find a newborn hummingbird, do not attempt to feed it!!!
Get Help immediately! keep it real warm they can die without there mom to keep them warm!

Answer 8

Humming birds naturally eat nectar from flowers.

For a nectar solution, use fructose, NOT SUCROSE.
Look up a recipe for the solution.

Do not use the red dye as humming birds identify each other by color pattern and getting a red stain on it's plumage may confuse a potential mate and the bird will not breed.

They use red food colouring because they are attracted to the colour red.

Answer 9

sugar water go to the pet store and buy a hummingbird feeder and itll have the measurements in there

Answer 10

They'll eat water with a sugar mix that you can find at a store.. and they also eat nector from flowers. Good luck! =]