If you’re lucky enough to have a baby hummingbird in your care, congratulations! These tiny creatures are absolutely fascinating to watch. Here are a few tips on how to feed them, so they can grow up healthy and strong.
Foremost, you’ll need to purchase some special hummingbird food mix from your local pet store or online. You’ll also need a very small syringe or eyedropper for feeding.
Fill the syringe with food mix and then carefully insert it into the side of the hummingbird’s beak.
Slowly squeeze out a few drops at a time until the bird appears to be full.
- Fill a small bowl or cup with sugar water, using four parts water to one part sugar
- Place the bowl or cup near where you think the hummingbird nests are
- Watch for baby hummingbirds to come to the sugar water
- If they don’t seem interested, try moving the bowl or cup closer to the nest
- Once the baby hummingbirds start drinking from the bowl or cup, continue to fill it as needed so they always have fresh sugar water available
How Do You Take Care of an Abandoned Baby Hummingbird?
Assuming you have found an abandoned baby hummingbird, the best thing you can do is to take it to a local wildlife rehabilitator. If there are no wildlife rehabilitators in your area, you can try contacting a local veterinarian, as they may be able to help or point you in the right direction.
Before taking the hummingbird to a rehabilitator, there are a few things you should do:
- First, make sure that the hummingbird is actually abandoned and not just being cared for by its parents. Baby hummingbirds will often be left alone for long periods of time while their parents go off to search for food. If the bird appears healthy and well-fed, it is probably best to leave it where it is.
- If you are sure that the bird is truly abandoned, gently pick it up with cupped hands and place it in a small box or container with ventilation holes. Make sure that the container is lined with soft material such as cotton balls or tissue paper, as baby birds have delicate skin.
- Do not attempt to feed the bird yourself! Feeding baby birds is a delicate process that should only be done by experienced professionals. Giving the wrong food or feeding them incorrectly can cause serious health problems or even death.
Once you have taken these steps, find a local wildlife rehabilitator (you can search online or call your local animal shelter) and take the container with the hummingbird inside. The rehabilitation specialist will then assess the bird’s condition and decide what course of treatment is necessary.
How Do You Hand Feed a Baby Hummingbird?
Hand-feeding a baby hummingbird is a rewarding experience, but it requires patience and care.
The first step is to find a healthy nestling. Look for an energetic bird with bright eyes and clean feathers. If the nestling appears weak or sick, contact a wildlife rehabilitator for help.
Next, gather some supplies. You will need nectar (a sugar water solution), a small paintbrush or cotton swab, and a dropper or syringe without the needle attached.
Fill the dropper or syringe with nectar and gently touch the tip to the corner of the nestling’s mouth. The bird will instinctively start to suckle on the sweet liquid. Slowly release the nectar into its mouth, taking care not to overload its tiny stomach.
Continue feeding until the nestling appears full and content. Then simply brush away any excess nectar from its beak and feathers, and watch as it flutters away!
What Does a Baby Hummingbird Eat?
A baby hummingbird eats a variety of small insects and spiders. They will also consume nectar from flowers, which provides them with the necessary energy to grow and develop.
In the wild, hummingbirds typically eat every 10-15 minutes, but they can eat up to twice per minute when feeding their young.
How Often Does a Baby Hummingbird Eat?
A baby hummingbird eats approximately every 10-15 minutes.
During the first week after hatching, they will double their weight each day. After two weeks, they will only gain about half an ounce each day.
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Found Baby Hummingbird on Ground
If you find a baby hummingbird on the ground, don’t worry! It’s not unusual for young birds to take a tumble. Just follow these simple steps to help the little one get back to its nest.
First, make sure that the bird is actually injured. Young birds are often clumsy and may just need a little time to rest before continuing their journey.
If the bird does seem hurt, gently pick it up and place it in a small box or container with some holes punched in the top for ventilation.
Next, call your local wildlife rehabilitation center or veterinarian for advice. They will be able to tell you whether the bird needs medical attention and can give you further instructions on how to care for it.
Finally, if possible, try to locate the hummingbird’s nest. This can be tricky, but if you’re successful, simply place the container with the bird inside next to the nest so that it can climb back in on its own.
If you can’t find the nest or if it’s too high up for you to reach, don’t worry – just keep an eye on the bird until nightfall, when they typically sleep. Come morning, hopefully, it will have made its way back home!
Conclusion
If you’re lucky enough to have a hummingbird visiting your yard, you may want to help it out by putting out a feeder. But what kind of food do baby hummingbirds eat? Firstly, don’t worry, baby hummingbirds are not delicate creatures.
They can eat the same food as adult hummingbirds. However, they will need more frequent meals, since they have higher metabolisms. The best food for hummingbirds is simple sugar water.
You can make this yourself by mixing four parts water with one part sugar. Boil the mixture for a minute or so to dissolve the sugar, then let it cool before filling your feeder. You can also buy commercial nectar mixes that are designed specifically for hummingbirds.
Whichever type of nectar you use, be sure to clean your feeder regularly. Sugar water can go bad quickly, especially in warm weather.
Cleaning your feeder with a weak bleach solution (one teaspoon of bleach per cup of water) once a week will help keep it bacteria-free and safe for the birds to use.
