What are the Enemies of Hummingbirds?

Woe, the life of a hummingbird. As if struggling through life's never-ending search for nectar wasn't tough enough, hummingbirds also have many natural enemies. Some actively hunt hummers while others simply disrupt their world. The plight of hummingbirds inspired literary icon D.H. Lawrence to wonder about a world in which hummers reigned supreme. The poem ended with: "We look at him through the wrong end of the telescope of Time,/ Luckily for us."

  1. Death from Above

    • Crows hunt hummingbirds.

      Hummingbirds share the airways with much larger birds, some of which target hummingbirds due to their diminutive size and relatively slow speed. For example, the average crow is five to six times larger than the average hummingbird. Crows, jays, hawks and other birds overlap the natural habitats of most hummingbird species. Even if these birds don't eat the hummingbird, they will feast on hummingbird eggs.

    Critters

    • Arboreal small mammals like domestic cats also hunt hummers.

      Hummers also have to worry about earthbound predators. In natural environments, these enemies include four-legged, arboreal animals such as mice, rats, cats and weasels. Hummers also have to watch out for one of the most threatening natural enemies of most flora and fauna: humans. Though animals like domestic cats or wild mice hunt hummingbirds for food, humans often destroy or alter hummingbird's natural living and feeding environments with expanding developments and construction.

    Insects

    • Spider webs can trap a hummingbird.

      Spider webs present a constant danger to hummingbirds. Because of their relatively small size, some hummers are in the same weight class as large moths and butterflies. They can fly right into an unseen web and become the perfect prey for a spider. Hummingbirds can also fall prey to larger, predatory insects such as dragonflies and praying mantises.

    The Environment

    • Nature itself threatens hummingbirds. Because they require a seemingly endless supply of nectar to keep their tiny wings beating between 12 and 90 beats a second, hummers are subject to the fickleness of the seasons. Though hummingbirds can enter into an energy-conserving stage called "torpor" when there isn't enough food, this makes them especially susceptible to the predators. Hummingbirds also literally run into trouble around windows. According to allbirds.com, hummingbird feeders should be placed at least 15 feet from a window, or within a few inches of one.