Do Hummingbird Regurgitate Their Food When Feeding Chicks?
Yes, Hummingbirds (specifically the females) regurgitate food to feed their young.
Mother hummingbirds collect nectar and small insects/spiders, store them in their crop (a pouch-like extension of the esophagus), and partially digest the mixture there. They then regurgitate this nutrient-rich slurry directly into the chicks' mouths by inserting their long beak deep into the nestlings' throats. This happens frequently—often every 20-30 minutes or so—especially when the chicks are very young, as they need easily digestible food high in protein and energy. As the chicks grow older, the mother may start providing more whole insects.
This behavior is well-documented across species like the Ruby-throated Hummingbird and Anna's Hummingbird.
Why do they do this?
Chicks are altricial (born helpless and blind), so they can't forage on their own.
Regurgitation allows the mother to transport and pre-digest food efficiently while foraging over a wide area.
The crop acts as a temporary storage and initial digestion site, turning the meal into a soft, liquid-like mixture suitable for tiny digestive systems.
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Which other birds regurgitate food?
Regurgitation for feeding young is common in many bird species (it's a standard parental care strategy, not "vomiting" in the sickness sense). Birds often store food in the crop and bring it back up for chicks. Examples include:
Seabirds and waterbirds: Penguins (both parents feed chicks regurgitated fish/krill), albatrosses, petrels, frigatebirds, boobies, gulls, and puffins (though puffins sometimes carry fish in their beaks too).
Raptors (birds of prey): Many hawks, eagles, owls, and falcons tear prey and regurgitate softened food for nestlings. Owls are especially famous for also regurgitating pellets (compact masses of indigestible bones, fur, and feathers) after digestion.
Other common groups:
Corvids (crows, ravens, jays)
Kingfishers
Herons, egrets, and shorebirds
Parrots and some songbirds (e.g., bluebirds, hornbills in some cases)
Suliformes (boobies, cormorants, etc.)
Many birds also regurgitate for courtship (e.g., males feeding females as part of bonding) or to expel indigestible material as pellets. Frugivorous birds sometimes regurgitate seeds after eating fruit pulp, aiding plant dispersal.
In pet birds like parrots, cockatiels, or lovebirds, regurgitation can be a normal courtship/bonding behavior (toward mates, chicks, or even owners/toys), but excessive or unhealthy-looking regurgitation may signal illness and should be checked by an avian vet.
Note: This is distinct from pellet-casting (regurgitating indigestible parts like bones/feathers), which is common in owls, hawks, and many other species but serves a different purpose—clearing the stomach rather than feeding young.
Hummingbird mothers are remarkably dedicated, given their tiny size and extremely high metabolism! If you're observing them, it's a fascinating (if slightly gross) example of avian parenting.