Do Hummingbirds Eat More at Night?
I was recently asked if hummingbirds eat more at night. The person who asked me said that this was something they had been wondering about hummingbirds. This is what has inspired me to write this post, so I hope you will also find the information enjoyable and enlightening.
Yes, in fact hummingbirds do eat more at night. During the nighttime hours a hummingbird’s eating is all about survival and making it though the night. As a result, the hummingbird will eat as heavily as the nectar supply will allow in an effort to help it maintain its resting metabolic rate. In order to maintain that rate the hummingbird may store up to 1/3 of its body weight in nectar. This is the hummingbird’s way of striving to ensure that it won’t starve to death before dawn, which can happen in as little as two hours.
During the daytime, the hummingbirds will eat frequently for short periods of time, but this feeding isn’t as vital to their survival.