Hummingbirds drink the equivalent of half a liter of beer daily. How do they manage not to get drunk?

Anna's Hummingbird is a record-breaker in alcohol consumption. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Wine is often called the nectar of the gods, but for many birds and insects, flower nectar itself is a rather strong drink. Scientists from the University of California, Berkeley, decided to find out how much alcohol birds and insects that feed on nectar consume daily. For this purpose, they measured the amount of ethanol produced by yeasts living in flowers. The results of the new study are reported by The Telegraph.

Researchers analyzed nearly 150 nectar samples from 29 plant species in a botanical garden. Ethanol was detected in approximately half of all samples. It was found that the sweeter the nectar, the higher the alcohol concentration, as yeasts process sugar more actively in such an environment.

To understand the actual volume of consumption, scientists compared the obtained data with known indicators of daily animal nutrition. The results showed that hummingbirds are the largest consumers of alcohol. Due to their high metabolism, these birds drink a volume of nectar daily that is one and a half to two times their own body weight.

The highest result was shown by the Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna). These birds consume about 0.013 grams of ethanol per day, which corresponds to approximately 0.3 grams per kilogram of body mass. Other birds, such as some species of sunbirds, show similar values ​​— about 0.27 grams per kilogram.

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Hainan Sunbird (Aethopyga christinae). Photo: Wikimedia Commons

For comparison: a standard portion of alcohol for a person (about 0.25 liters of medium-strength beer) contains about 10 grams of ethanol. For a person weighing 70 kilograms, this is approximately 0.14 grams per kilogram of body mass. Thus, the relative dose for hummingbirds is twice this figure.

Bees receive significantly smaller absolute doses. Due to lower energy requirements, they consume about 0.000005 grams of ethanol per day. However, considering their tiny weight, this still amounts to approximately 0.05 grams per kilogram, which in human equivalent corresponds to approximately 0.125 liters of beer.

At the same time, the authors emphasize that bees have an incredible resistance to alcohol: in laboratory conditions, they voluntarily consumed solutions with an alcohol concentration of up to 20%.

Why don't animals get drunk?

Why don't birds and insects get drunk with such significant doses of alcohol? Scientists explain the absence of signs of intoxication in pollinators by several important factors.

First of all, it is the result of prolonged evolutionary adaptation: since fermentation processes have accompanied these creatures throughout their history, they have learned to metabolize alcohol extremely efficiently and quickly.

In addition, small concentrations of alcohol in nectar can act as a natural appetite stimulant, encouraging birds to actively search for food and, as a result, pollinate more flowers. Moreover, alcohol itself is a source of additional calories, which are vital for small creatures to maintain their colossal energy levels.

Thus, while humans seek a special state of consciousness in alcohol, for animals it is merely a useful byproduct of their relentless pursuit of energy, which they have learned to use to their maximum advantage.

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