What Hummingbirds Eat in the Wild

Nectar gives hummingbirds quick energy, but they also eat small insects and spiders for protein, especially while raising young, and some drink tree sap from holes drilled by sapsuckers. A pesticide-free yard with native plants supports all of it.

2 guides in this collection.
Updated on October 2, 2026

Guides

A hummingbird hovering beside red tubular flowers in a garden.

What Hummingbirds Eat How Much Do Hummingbirds Eat in a Day?

A hummingbird may eat about half its weight or more across nectar, sugar water, insects, and spiders, spread through many tiny meals all day.

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A hummingbird hovering at red tubular flowers with garden foliage and tiny insects nearby.

What Hummingbirds Eat What Do Hummingbirds Eat? The Complete Diet

A complete guide to what hummingbirds eat in the wild: nectar, insects, spiders, sap, native flowers and safe 4:1 supplemental nectar.

Read guide What Hummingbirds Eat