What Do Ruby Throated Hummingbirds Eat and How to Attract Them

Ruby-throated hummingbirds are attracted to flowers with long, tube-shaped structures that allow them to easily access nectar.

They are particularly drawn to trumpet-shaped flowers like honeysuckle and fuchsia.

Nectar is the most abundant source of food for hummingbirds, providing the necessary energy for their high metabolism and swift flight.

Hummingbirds need a balanced diet that includes protein, amino acids, and vitamins and minerals, which nectar does not provide.

To make hummingbird nectar, mix 1 cup sugar with 4 cups water until the sugar dissolves, and don't add any dye or additives.

Hummingbirds typically don't drink from other water sources, so nectar serves as their primary water source as well.

If nectar is scarce, hummingbirds will sip tree sap from wells drilled by woodpeckers, which provides an adequate source of sucrose for energy.

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Hummingbird nectar is the go-to food source for these tiny birds. It's made from a simple mixture of sugar and water.

The large amount of sucrose in nectar gives hummingbirds the energy they need for their high metabolism and swift flight. This is especially important for their energetic lives.

Hummingbirds don't typically drink from other water sources, so nectar serves as their main source of water too. They rely heavily on nectar for hydration.

To make hummingbird nectar, you'll need to mix 1 cup of refined white sugar with 4 cups of water until the sugar dissolves. This is the precise recipe they need to thrive.

Any extra sugar water can be stored in the refrigerator for use in the feeder in the next few days. This way, you can keep a steady supply of nectar for your hummingbird friends.

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Hummingbirds will sip tree sap from wells drilled by woodpeckers when nectar is scarce.

This alternative source of energy is not as sweet as floral nectar, but it's still adequate for a hummingbird's needs.

Sap that has dripped down and hardened on the tree trunk is useless to the birds, but they may pick insects from the sticky residue.

Ruby-throated hummingbirds are attracted to nectar-rich flowers, and the right types of food can make a big difference in their visitation. Planting native flowers like honeysuckle and coral bells is a good start, as they produce red, tubular blooms that hummingbirds love.

To create a hummingbird-friendly garden, consider removing flowers that don't produce nectar well and replacing them with better options. This will ensure an adequate nectar supply for months.

Hummingbirds also need insects to eat, so avoid spraying for pests in your garden and around your home. Instead, let the birds and other insect-eating birds provide natural pest control.

To feed hummingbirds, use a sugar solution that's closest to natural nectar, with a 4:1 ratio of water to sugar. Red feeders will attract them, but be sure not to use honey, molasses, fruit juice, or artificial sweeteners, as they're not safe for the birds.

A hummingbird feeder can hold a lot of sugar water - up to a gallon a day! But the amount consumed by a single bird will vary depending on the sugar concentration. A ruby-throat might drink about 2 fluid ounces per day.

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Here's a rough estimate of the number of hummingbirds that might be fed by a gallon of sugar water:

Keep in mind that this is just an estimate, and the actual number of birds could be higher or lower due to factors like evaporation and insects.

Mosquitoes are a snack for hummingbirds, not the other way around. Hummingbirds eat small insects like mosquitoes as part of their high-protein diet.

They also eat other types of bugs, such as fruit flies, gnats, midges, and leaf hoppers. These insects are a vital source of nutrition for hummingbirds, especially for baby hummingbirds preparing for migration.

In fact, hummingbirds are so resourceful that they'll even forage for insects in the sap wells drilled in trees by sapsuckers.