Mother hummingbirds feed their babies with remarkable dedication, acting as the sole providers for their young. The female assumes a solitary role after mating, building the tiny nest and taking on the entire responsibility of incubation and feeding. This requires the mother to maintain an almost non-stop foraging schedule to support the high metabolic demands of her developing chicks. Her efforts transform into a constant cycle of hunting and delivery to raise these miniature, fast-growing birds.
What Nutrients Baby Hummingbirds Need
The diet of a newly hatched hummingbird chick differs substantially from the nectar-based fuel consumed by an adult. While adults rely on flower nectar or sugar water for simple sugars, this carbohydrate-rich liquid lacks the complex building blocks necessary for growth. Baby hummingbirds require a diet high in protein and fat to quickly develop their feathers, muscles, and bone structure.
This protein is sourced entirely from tiny arthropods the mother captures, such as gnats, aphids, fruit flies, and small spiders. The mother forages for thousands of these insects daily, creating a nutrient-dense, high-protein slurry for her offspring. Without this steady intake of protein, the chicks cannot sustain their rapid growth.
The Mother’s Unique Feeding Technique
The feeding process involves the mother’s pre-digestion and regurgitation of collected food. She consumes both nectar for energy and insects for protein, partially breaking down this mixture in her crop. The mother then returns to the nest and inserts her long, slender bill deep inside the chick’s throat, a movement that can appear vigorous.
Using a forceful “pumping” action, she expels the concentrated bolus of partially digested food, a slurry that is a perfect blend of high-energy sugars and growth-promoting protein delivered directly into the chick’s digestive system. Due to the high metabolic rate of the young birds, the mother must repeat this process often, feeding the chicks every 15 to 20 minutes throughout daylight hours.
The Timeline of Parental Care
The mother’s commitment begins immediately after the eggs hatch, following an incubation period of about 15 to 18 days. The male plays no part in raising the young and leaves the female shortly after mating. The chicks remain in the nest for approximately three weeks (18 to 28 days), growing from creatures smaller than a dime to fully feathered juveniles.
Feeding duties do not cease once the young birds fledge, as they are not immediately able to forage for themselves. The mother continues supplemental feedings for an additional week, guiding the fledglings as they practice flying and learn to catch insects and probe flowers. Within about a month of hatching, the young hummingbirds are fully independent.