Woman Spots Legless Hummingbird-and Her Warning Could Help Others
Everybody and their mother is getting Hummingbird feeders right now. We all want to try and see some, since this is their peak time, and they're gorgeous. However, in our rush to see something so beautiful, a lot of us don't always stop to consider every possibility.
Unfortunately, sometimes, that means the beautiful things suffer for it. Recently, when a bird lover caught a glimpse of a legless Hummingbird, the reason was immediately clear to her. It was totally avoidable and provided an opportunity for a much-needed warning:
@rebel13ink please ensure the outside of your feeders are sticky free. This poor boy came in, and it seems his legs are missing. He will lay on the regular feeders and eat. #Becka#birds#nature#fyp#hummingbird
original sound - Becka
Becka sees a ton of Hummingbirds every year, so she's no stranger to things like this, but it doesn't make it any less heartbreaking. If you look down toward the bottom of his body, you can see that his legs are missing. While it might not be entirely clear at first, his feathers point to why.
They're stiff and stuck together around the spots where his legs were. That's a combination of dried blood and sticky nectar, which was ultimately the culprit of his losing his legs. Now, when he wants to use the feeder, he either has to keep flapping his wings or lie on it.
Related: Woman Reveals the Best Flower for Attracting Hummingbirds-and It's Gorgeous
Hummingbirds have very small, very delicate legs and feet. Their feet are too small to even walk on: they can literally only perch on them. Becka actually has a great video that shows them off:
@rebel13ink Anna Hummingbird #Becka#hummingbird#fyp#nature#bird
original sound - Becka
See them? There's almost no leg there. They're very thin and extremely delicate: even the smallest altercation with something can cause them to lose a limb.
Sticky Perches Are Bad for Hummingbirds
Hummingbird feeders are full of sugar water or another sweet, syrupy nectar. Hummingbirds love and need it, but you know what else loves sweet stuff? Ants. Bees. Fruit flies. Unfortunately, a lot of feeders are plagued with them.
In an attempt to mitigate the issue, people will buy "sticky" feeders with built-in glue traps to stop insects from getting to the nectar. However, that can actually be detrimental to the Hummingbirds you're trying to attract. If they get stuck in the strong glue, they could:
- Starve if they can't get out and you don't find them in time.
- Rip out some of their feathers, leaving them susceptible to skin infections.
- Rip out their legs.
Instead of sticky traps on your Hummingbird feeders, invest in a Hummingbird feeder that keeps the nectar in a saucer below the feeding port: the bees won't be able to reach it. As for ants, try hanging it several inches away from a structure, or if you can't, look for an ant moat to put around your feeder.
Hummingbirds are awesome. The only thing more awesome is making sure you do everything you can to keep them safe!
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This story was originally published May 20, 2026 at 4:00 PM.