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Yes, it is also peeing.
Yes, this bird is peeing. "Don't they normally use the cloaca?" you might ask. Well, hummingbirds expel a lot of their body weight in clear urine daily. Because their diet consists entirely of massive amounts of water-heavy nectar, their kidneys filter excess liquid to keep them lightweight enough to fly.
Source: https://www.audubon.org/magazine/do-birds-pee-hummingbirds-do-lot
I always thought it might be cool to have a hummingbird land on me. Just changed my mind. π
It's only warm for a second; then it's cool!
So it's like AC/sweat, neat.
Adult hummingbirds prefer to perch on a twig, so you can get it to perch on your finger. The pee will miss you and fall to the ground.
The cutest golden shower ππ€£.
Imagine finding a raspberry as big as you.
The dream.
Maybe then I can avoid getting seeds stuck in my teeth
So small and delicate it's a wonder it isn't crushed by the weight of our gaze.
Urinating tiny etc etc.
That's a small bird and a large raspberry
Need a banana for scale.
I always wonder how can an animal get protein, minerals, and vitamins from such a restricted diet?
Well, all plants are protein-complete and also the little guy probably doesn't need much haha
They don't eat plants. They suck nectar. My curiosity got the better of me.
"Although a high-quality source of energy, nectar is deficient in many macro- and micronutrients it tends to be low in lipids, and although it may contain trace quantities of amino acids, some essential acids are severely or entirely lacking. Though hummingbird protein requirements appear to be quite small, at 1.5% of the diet, nectar is still an inadequate source most if not all hummingbirds therefore supplement their diet with the consumption of invertebrates."