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Even Hummingbirds Must Face Predators
Zoe Ann Hinds
Even though common sense tells you that all wildlife must struggle to stay alive, have you ever stopped to consider the hazards of survival that must be faced by the hummingbird? This is something that had never before even crossed my mind Until recently when someone asked me if the hummingbird had any enemies that would attack it. That question is what has prompted me to write this article. Through this article, you will discover that the hummingbird must face the normal hazards of survival including weather, humans, pesticides, and so on; you will also discover that predators are a significant source of risk to a hummingbird, due to the fact that they are so small in size.
Cats, both domestic and feral, are probably the most common predators of non-nested hummingbirds. People often make reports to the Hummingbird Society that their cats carry a hummingbird in their mouth--sometimes dead, sometimes not. The Hummingbird Society also often receives reports of tailless hummingbirds. This could indicate a hummingbird in molt or it could indicate a hummingbird that has narrowly escaped being caught by a cat. In the case of one hummingbird species, the Juan Fernandez Firecrown, which is found in Chile, cats are actually an important reason for the bird's being close to extinction.
To reduce the risks that cats may pose to hummingbirds, your feeders should be hung high, at least five feet above ground, and preferably positioned so that a stalking cat will be quite visible. If you have a cat and love hummingbirds, or any other type of birds, then you should keep the cat inside!
Hawks and Other birds have been documented catching hummingbirds. Even though most birds are far larger than the hummingbird, which typically only weighs 3-4 grams or 0.1 ounce, the larger birds have been known to attack the hummingbird. Many people have observed hummingbirds pursuing or confronting a hawk, most probably in defense of a nest. This fearless behavior even in the face of such overwhelming odds is just one of the numerous reasons that hummingbirds inspire our admiration.
The eggs and chicks that are found in the hummingbird nest are often an easy target for a variety of predators. In the United States, this includes other birds, such as blue jays and crows. Snakes, particularly in the tropics, are predators of the hummingbird.
Hummingbirds share some of the same predators as birds that are much larger in size then these tiny birds. However, due to their very small size, they have more predators that are often quite unusual.
It may surprise you, as it did me, to learn that praying mantis will successfully capture, kill, and eat a hummingbird. Usually, the praying mantis will position itself on a plant or a hummingbird feeder to which it observes a hummingbird coming repeatedly. Due to the lightning-fast manner in which the insect strikes it is often assured of success. It may take over a day for the bird to be consumed by the praying mantis, because of the relative size difference. While these insects are very beneficial in a garden, they should not be allowed on hummingbird feeders.
The spider can even be a predator of Hummingbirds. The hummingbird uses spider webs as a source of material in the construction of their nest, because it is necessary to bind the nest to the tree branch or other substrate and to hold the nest together. The hummingbird must be extremely careful while removing the pieces of webbing, for it may become entangled and be trapped there. The Spider's silk has a strength that is comparable to steel on a weight basis.
There are even more unusual predators of the hummingbird. This includes the frog and even a bass fish. Frogs can capture a hummingbird, although the result is probably death to both. According to The Hummingbird Society, there is at least one report in the literature of a bass fish capturing a hummingbird.
As this article clearly shows, all wildlife must face various predators. This is even true of the hummingbird, which is almost always in constant and perpetual motion. The cat is probably the most common predator of the hummingbird. It might have surprised you, as it did me, to learn that praying mantis, frogs, and even fish can all be unusual predators of the hummingbird.
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