Hummingbirds are known for their super-speed, despite the fact that they are so small. In fact, hummingbirds fly so fast that they almost look like they are floating.
It’s rare to see a hummingbird that isn’t flying, so spotting one that is still can be incredibly alarming.
If you see a hummingbird in the wild that isn’t flying like it should be, chances are it could be injured or seriously ill.
How Can I Tell If a Hummingbird Is Injured?
Unfortunately, hummingbirds aren’t immune to injuries. Signs that a hummingbird is injured are pretty obvious, however. If you notice that a hummingbird has stopped flying and they have a drooped wing, chances are their wing is broken.
Sometimes, hummingbirds will accidentally run into windows and become stunned. This could happen as a result of a fight with another hummingbird, or if the hummingbird doesn’t see the window or wall it has flown into. If you notice a hummingbird down on the ground, it is likely it has become stunned.
If you notice that the hummingbird might need some help, be sure to get down with your hands covering it as closely as possible. This is because the hummingbird might decide to fly away at the last minute.
An injured hummingbird may have some blood on it, so be sure to carefully inspect it to see if you can find any blood spots on it. If you do, you may have to call a wildlife center to come and pick up the injured bird.
You can also try to feed the injured hummingbird to help it regain its strength. If this does not work or your hummingbird is still refusing to fly, place it in a box with a soft cloth inside and call in a professional.
How Do You Feed an Injured Hummingbird?
When a hummingbird is injured or too exhausted, chances are it won’t be able to feed itself. You can help feed the hummingbird so long as you do so carefully.
Typically, hummingbirds eat nectar from flowers. They are also known to eat small insects. Either of these is fine to feed your injured hummingbird.
When feeding the hummingbird nectar, be sure to use an eyedropper and place only a couple of drops onto the end of its beak. Be sure not to overfeed the hummingbird because you could accidentally drown it.
At first, you may not be able to tell whether or not the hummingbird is eating. However, you will start to notice air bubbles in the eyedropper that indicate the hummingbird is eating.
Adult hummingbirds may be able to eat on their own by using a hummingbird feeder. If its wing is broken or it is injured in any way, be sure to lift it up close to the feeder for it to eat. Don’t force the hummingbird to eat if it doesn’t want to.
A Fallen Nest
Many times, people come across fallen hummingbird nests. This can happen as a result of the weather or perhaps the birds accidentally pushed it to the ground. Either way, if you find a hummingbird nest on the ground or a baby hummingbird out of its nest, you can always put it back.
If you know where the nest came from be sure to place it in the same location that it originated. If the mother isn’t already there, it won’t be long before it returns.
If after 20 minutes the mother hummingbird hasn’t returned, call a wildlife center to come and collect the baby hummingbirds as they cannot survive on their own in the wild.
Sometimes a nest will unfortunately not survive a fall and will end up breaking apart. If this is the case, you can always try and fix the nest yourself.
If you find that you can’t reattach any broken off pieces, you can always make a makeshift nest using a small box or container lined with branches and leaves and place it back where the original nest was.
You can attach the surrogate nest using thumb tacks, wire, tape, or even rope. Make sure the nest is sturdy so that it doesn’t fall off again. Make sure that you don’t put any food inside of the nest, and watch from a distance for the mother bird to come back.
A Hummingbird Is Stuck in Your Home
It is not unusual for you to find a hummingbird in your home, particularly if you are keen on leaving your windows and doors open. If this happens, don’t panic. The more stressed out you are, the more the hummingbird will begin to panic and the harder it will be to get it out of your home.
The first thing you want to do is make sure that you keep any pets or small children away from the hummingbird for it to settle down. Once it does, it will be easier to help it escape your home.
Before you try and capture the hummingbird on your own, try to lure it out with food. Place a hummingbird feeder near an exit way and watch to see if this will attract the confused bird. If this hasn’t worked after a few minutes you will have to move on to plan B.
Your next course of action should be to turn off any lights in your home and cover up any light sources as hummingbirds do not like the dark. Leave an entryway open to attract the hummingbird.
If it doesn’t immediately escape using the exit you provided, chances are the hummingbird has found its way to the ground. Start looking for it using a flashlight and walk carefully so as not to accidentally step on it.
After you have successfully located the hummingbird, you can gently scoop it up using your hands. Whatever you do, do not try to catch the bird with a net, blanket, or towel as this could only injure the bird as a result.
A Hummingbird Is Stuck in a Spiderweb
Because of the fact that hummingbirds fly so quickly, they tend to run into things accidentally. Hummingbirds are also huge fans of eating spiders, so they will naturally be attracted to spiderwebs.
As a result, hummingbirds are constantly getting stuck in spiderwebs, which could be deadly for them if they can’t get out. If you see a hummingbird stuck inside of a spiderweb, you can help.
Using a soft cloth, reach for the hummingbird, being sure to cover its head to calm it down. Then you will want to try and remove the spiderweb from the hummingbird. It is best to use moist fingers to do this because it will keep the spider web from sticking to your fingers.
Be sure to remove any spiderweb that is constricting the bird’s beak first. If it looks weak, try and feed it using an eyedropper. If the bird looks like it is still in good health, you can place it in a box with a soft cloth underneath and then release it back into the wild.
If the bird seems to be injured badly, keep it in the box and take it to a local wildlife center for professional help.
Ben has a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering. When not constructing or remodeling X-Ray Rooms, Cardiovascular Labs, and Pharmacies, you can find him at home with wife and two daughters. Outside of family, He loves grilling and barbequing on his Big Green Egg and Blackstone Griddle, as well as working on projects around the house.
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sheilah wynn
Sunday 18th of June 2023
My hummingbird was sitting of my feeder overnight and up into the day. It was alive and very fat. I wondered if it might be pregnant or have eaten to much food. After several hours I went to touch it and it flew away into a tree but then hit the ground. I tried to pick it up but it flew back up in the tree and I couldn't see it anymore and was wondering what could have happened to it.