Last updated on April 30th, 2022 at 12:16 am
Ants might seem harmless, but what damage they can do is surprising. Even some birds are prey to ants. But can ants kill baby hummingbirds?
Ants can swarm hummingbird nests and kill baby hummingbirds. They may also destroy their incubating eggs. Additionally, ants can invade hummingbird feeders, die in the nectar, and then spread disease to adult hummingbirds when they’re eaten.
How Ants Kill Baby Hummingbirds
Ants have been known to invade hummingbird nests and eat both the eggs and the new baby hummingbirds.
They do this by swarming the nest where they’re sleeping or incubating and then attacking.
You can only deter ants using an ant moat or with regular cleaning of a hummingbird nest box.
Other Creatures That Kill Baby Hummingbirds
All of the following are predators that prey upon baby hummingbirds:
- Ants
- Cats
- Blue Jays
- Roadrunners
- Crows
- Squirrels
- Chipmunks
- Frogs
- Snakes
- Lizards
- Fish
- Dragonflies
- Praying Mantises
- Large flies (e.g., Robber Fly)
Because baby hummingbirds are so defenseless, they are easy prey when their parents aren’t around.
Thankfully, there are numerous things you can do to keep hummingbirds safe during their early years.
How To Keep Baby Hummingbirds Safe
The best way to keep baby hummingbirds safe is by constructing a nest box, keeping it clean, and proofing it for unwanted visitors.
You can also protect your hummingbird feeder from insects, which will indirectly help hummingbirds as well.
Hummingbird Nest Boxes
Hummingbirds appreciate a solid nesting box.
Typically, a hummingbird nesting box is small and hangs from a tree branch or other surface, such as the Winemana Hanging Hummingbird House (available on Amazon.com).
Hanging hummingbird houses like this one have the added benefit of being compatible with ant moats, which prevent ants from swarming the nest.
You can also make a DIY nest box for hummingbirds at home with just a cedar post or log, wood glue, a dowel, a drill, and a saw. Simply follow the steps below.
How To Make a Hummingbird Nest Box at Home
Here are the steps on how to make your own hummingbird nest box:
- Cut a small log or post about 4-5 inches long, then cut a second piece about ½-inch long. Make sure that you wear eye protection while completing this step.
- Drill out the inside of the log with a large drill bit, stopping half an inch from the bottom of the log.
- Drill an entrance hole and a small hole for the dowel rod perch into the front of the hollowed-out log.
- Glue the small piece of log onto the top of the bigger piece to cap it off.
- Insert a small dowel rod into the small drill hole with a dot of wood glue, then hold it as it dries.
- Use a small eye screw and chain to hang up the nest box in a good location, somewhere near-natural vegetation but inaccessible to predators.
- Consider adding a baffle to keep predators from getting to the nest inside. You can get a baffle that attaches above a hanging nest box, such as the EasyGo Baffle Guard (available on Amazon.com), or you can get a baffle that attaches to the pole beneath a mounted nest box, such as the Woodlink Audubon Torpedo (available on Amazon.com). Both are effective means for keeping most predators away.
- To keep ants away, install an ant moat above your hanging feeder. This will prevent ants from getting to your nest box because they cannot swim.
Why It’s Important To Keep Ants Off of Your Hummingbird Feeder
Ants can be a threat to not only baby hummingbirds but also adults. Here’s how ants pose a risk to adult hummingbirds.
Spread of Disease
Ants can spread disease to hummingbirds by climbing into the nectar of a sugar-water feeder.
This is especially true if they die and leave their carcasses floating in the sugar water.
Hummingbirds will try to avoid eating ants because of the taste, but they may still ingest some if they’ve taken over a usual feeder.
Nectar Theft
Ants are notorious nectar thieves, and even though they’re small, a swarm of ants can quickly deplete your nectar stores.
This prevents hummingbirds and other wanted visitors to your nectar feeder from accessing the food.
That puts hummingbirds and other species at risk of food scarcity.
How To Keep Ants Off of Your Hummingbird Feeder or Nest Box
There are numerous ways to keep ants off a hummingbird feeder or nest box.
But the most common and most effective is to install a moat that acts as a barrier for ants and other insects.
Of course, another alternative to maintaining a hummingbird feeder or nest box is to plant natural food sources like flowering shrubs.
Hummingbirds tend to be attracted to colorful, tubular flowers, but the most important thing is that you find native species to plant in your area.
Native plants do the best job of supporting the ecosystem overall, including hummingbirds.
Ant Moats
The best way to keep ants off your hummingbird feeder or nest box is to install an ant moat.
Some feeders have one built-in, but you can also buy them separately from Amazon.
For example, you can use Hummer’s Galore Ant Moats to keep insects from crawling into any nectar feeder for hummingbirds.
Use Fishing Wire
Another method you can use to keep ants off your hummingbird feeder or nest box is hanging the feeder with fishing wire.
Ants can’t climb fishing wire, so they’ll be left unable to access your feeder without any disruption to the hummingbirds or need for dangerous chemicals or contraptions.
Avoid Insecticides
You must avoid insecticides when ant-proofing your feeder and nest boxes. Insecticides can poison the hummingbirds in addition to the intended targets.
Because hummingbirds have no sense of smell, they won’t distinguish between poisoned and non-poisoned nectar.
Fix Leaks
Leaky hummingbird feeders attract more ants than nectar feeders that are intact.
Check your feeder regularly, and be sure to replace it if there’s any evidence of a leak.
You should also clean the feeder off after filling it to ensure there are no spills on the outside of the feeder.
Any loose nectar on the outside of the feeder can attract ants.