Last Updated on January 11, 2023 by Cristina
Do hummingbirds like watermelon? Take a look at this article; you might be surprised to find out the answer.
The hummingbird family Trochilidae consists of approximately 350 incredible species, with new individuals being discovered every year. Known for their delicate bodies and colorful and colorful feathers, this family includes some of the smallest birds on the planet. Did you know that the smallest members weigh significantly less than the smallest coins?
They are amazing in every possible way. The same applies to their diet. It is known that the main part of their daily menu consists of sweet nectar, but what about some specific fruits and veggies, that is, do hummingbirds like watermelon? Keep reading this article to find out.
Do Hummingbirds Eat Fruit?
You may already know this or you may be hearing this for the first time, but either way, these world’s smallest birds are quite voracious. Did you know that they have to consume half of their body weight each and every day just to survive all their adventures?
As for their diet, it is anything but boring and monotonous. It consists of nectar, soft-bodied insects, tree sap, a little, but not too much pollen, and in some cases even grit, to assist with digestion. However, what about fruit? Will these birds resist the fruit or will they rather pass it by?
As you can imagine, nectar alone is not enough for hummingbirds to satisfy all their daily nutritional needs; therefore, they will more than just gladly land on various fruits to sweeten their tongues.
Do you know what else is good about serving fruit to these birds? If you lay it on the ground anywhere in your yard, ripe and even slightly rotten fruit will attract a variety of insects. In addition to fruits, tiny hummers will also be able to reach insects more easily. So this move can easily be considered as killing two birds with one stone, right?
We want to reveal one secret of your success. Since these birds like bright colors, it is best to always choose red fruit, as this will more easily attract them to visit your instead of your neighbor’s yard.
Take Out Time to Also Read:
- Brown Sugar For Hummingbirds: Give It A Chance Or Run Away?
- The Best Electric Hummingbird Feeder: 4 This Season’s Favorites
Do Hummingbirds Eat Watermelon?
Here is a fun fact to get you started. Did you know that the famous watermelon is a member of the Cucurbitaceae plant family of gourds, the same family that cucumber, squash, and pumpkin belong to?
We are particularly interested in the dilemma of whether a watermelon is a fruit or a vegetable. Most of you will agree that it is a sweet fruit that can refresh you even on the hottest summer days. You know what? You aren’t wrong as it develops from the plant’s ovary after flowering and holds the seeds. However, it is possible to grow it as a vegetable crop using a vegetable production system. Therefore, you can safely say that it is considered both a fruit and a vegetable at the same time, there is a wiggle room.
If you don’t want this topic to bother you anymore, check out this article and find out what Dr. Lynn Brandenberger, a horticulturist at Oklahoma State University, has to say.
Now back to the question that brought you here. Generally speaking, hummingbirds don’t eat watermelon, to be more precise, they sip its juice. Okay, they will be happy to feast if served, however, do hummingbirds like watermelon? Find out below.
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Do Hummingbirds Like Watermelon?
Hummingbirds love sugar and that is undeniable, and to be honest, we are not that far behind. When in their natural habitat, they are unlikely to choose to actually eat a watermelon because the rind is too hard for their delicate beak to penetrate. However, if they find a piece of watermelon, believe us they will go crazy for it.
Can You Give Hummingbirds Too Much Sugar?
Yes, it is true that sugar is an essential ingredient in a tiny hummer’s diet. It’s no wonder they can almost always rely on its effectiveness, that is, they will get the required energy to maintain their rapid metabolism from just one meal.
Maybe some of you will think of increasing the amount of sugar in the sweet solution to satisfy their hungry and eager tummies, but is that really a smart idea? We, like most experts, ornithologists, and enthusiasts, would disagree with that. Just as you can kill a plant if you give it too much insecticide, you can kill a little hummingbird if you give it too much sugar. Rather avoid it; sometimes too much care can be extremely harmful.
Unlike us humans who can change our diet as and when we feel like it, most animals of the flying kingdom have a fixed diet and stick to a plan for life. This is exactly why we advise you not to try to “help” them by experimenting with ingredients and their amounts when making a DIY nectar solution for hummingbirds.
Can You Make Hummingbird Food Too Sweet?
Yes, it is very easy to make too sweet nectar. It’s enough to make a small mistake in the ratio of water and sugar to cause their liver to fail.
You may read somewhere that sometimes it is okay to change the ratio to 1:2, but then know that this solution will attract a lot of unwanted visitors and thus pollute the feeder and perhaps worst of all, drive hummingbirds away from your yard.
That’s it, now you know the definitive answer to the question “do hummingbirds like watermelon?”, as well as everything related to sugar in their diet.
Abstract
There’s nothing quite like watching hummingbirds hovering around your yard, there are no words to describe that experience. Having a variety of food sources for them to enjoy is a proven formula for attracting them to your property. So, let’s repeat what we learned, do hummingbirds like watermelon? The answer is yes! However, we must remind you that never look at watermelon as their primary food source, it is better to think of it as something like a dessert.
Have some questions! Excellent! Tell us more below.
Read more about Male And Female Anna’s Hummingbirds – A Birdwatchers Identification Guide
