Can you eat hummingbirds?

In this brief article, we will answer the question, “Can you eat hummingbirds?”. We will discuss whether hummingbirds are safe to consume or not and how we can predate them.

Can you eat hummingbirds?

Yes, we can eat hummingbirds. Their egg is of a tiny size which is considered safe to consume, the size of the egg is hardly smaller than a pea. Hummingbirds are edible but in some regions, it is considered illegal to kill them such as in the United States.

Some of the unique and interesting qualities of Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds are considered mighty interesting creatures that have many unique qualities. These unique qualities might be of their physical appearance or behaviour that may be quirky. 

Some of the interesting facts that will surprise below are stated below:

Many species

All of us are most familiar with only one species of a hummingbird but as it is prescribed once over the National Geographic television especially focusing on the hummingbirds that there are approximately 330 species of this bird. Most of us just know about a single species which is called the Ruby-Throated species.

They are mostly located in Western Hemisphere, with half of the species which are almost located surrounding the equatorial region. In hummingbirds, almost 5 per cent of its species resides in the North of Mexico, two dozen of its species visit Canada and the U.S. 

And a very few species of hummingbirds stay for full time in the U.S. alongside the coast of the pacific ocean.

They eat a lot

It is said that the metabolism of hummingbirds is so fast and high that they should have to eat for a full day just to survive. They also feed upon nectar and bugs in half of their body weight, and consume approximately after every 10 to 15 minutes and visit the flora area for the sake of feed which is 1000 to 2000 in numbers. 

Hummingbirds visit these high numbers of flowers per day. Hummingbirds also consume beetles, small insects, gnats, mosquitos, ants, wasp, and aphids along with the nectar and feeders from flowers. Depending upon their nutritional requirement, hummingbirds are mostly found in the backyards or floral areas.

They are the smallest

Hummingbirds are small in size in overall bird species. It is a logical reason for tiny-sized eggs due to the small size of the birds themselves. For instance, if the egg of Ruby-throated hummingbirds is pea-size then the size of the nest will almost be equal to a walnut shell. 

These hummingbirds love to build their nest or homes in gardens because they are peace lovers, quiet and secluded. So, always check the branches of trees whenever you clean your yard, especially in spring.

Female builders

It is quite an interesting fact that nests are only built by female hummingbirds, and they always lay two eggs only. The male species of hummingbird is not involved in raising young ones’ and sometimes it also happens that they search for another mate as the eggs are hatched. 

After hatching, baby hummingbirds rest in the nest for approximately three weeks, and during this period, they come outside.

They travel

Another surprising fact about hummingbirds is that they can migrate from one place to another. Some hummingbirds might travel 2,000 miles in one year. It is claimed that they spend the winter in Mexico, or Central America and move towards the north where breeding grounds are available, in the late winter season and also in the early spring season.

Hummingbirds preserve food in their body almost 25 to 40 per cent before migrating to other sites or before the start of their trip. They usually fly alone on the same pathway which they have covered earlier in their live session. 

Hummingbirds mostly focus on food so they prefer to travel in the daytime when the sources of nectar are abundant. They also fly slowly because they tend to notice the food supplies along with their travelling. It is also described through recent research that a single hummingbird can fly over 23 miles per day.

The benefits of hummingbirds

It is described in research that hummingbirds are peaceful which is correlated with the health benefits for mental and physical behaviour. Their health benefits are associated with both nature and animals. 

Watching them make a flight is a very soothing, relaxing, and calm process. They appear just in the air making a flight towards their destination or enjoying a date with flowers.

Conclusion 

In this brief article, we have provided an answer to the question, “Can you eat hummingbirds?”. We have discussed whether hummingbirds are safe to consume or not and how we can predate them.

References

https://www.adirondackcouncil.org/page/blog-139/news/10-facts-about-hummingbirds–and-other-interesting-tidbits-1101.html

https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=29582

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