From the ordinary lovebird to the exotic parrot, pet birds can be affordable and happy in small quarters despite their unique obstacles.
Additionally, owners will vouch to their devotion, intelligence, and trainability. Still, not all pets are good. The cute and bustling hummingbird may seem like a perfect pet, but keeping one would be expensive.
A hummingbird can fly 23 miles daily. An enclosed space denies this species freedom and could kill it. Due to its rapid metabolism, the far-traveling bird depends on nectar and insects, making its diet challenging to duplicate.
Hummingbirds eat around three times their weight daily. Anusha Shankar, a Cornell Lab of Ornithology postdoctoral fellow, told Birds & Blooms, "If we had their metabolic rate, we'd need to eat 300 hamburgers a day to survive!"
Laws, space, and diet make hummingbirds expensive pets. Instead, having one visit your garden may be the best way to bond with your bird.
Hummingbirds aren't good pets, but you can still be friends with one. A homeowner can attract hummingbirds by planting beebalms and sages in their garden.
Purchase a hummingbird feeder if you don't have a vast garden to attract them. For bird health, use boiled sugar water and avoid colors, honey, and artificial sweeteners.
Seeing a hummingbird up close may inspire a desire to own one. In the above TikTok video from Hum Daddy, there are smart DIY ways to get a close look at the spritely feathered buddies (a cat would be happy with a window view).
Keep the magnificent hummingbird in its native surroundings; the best anyone can do is establish a safe setting to attract it.