Birds are counted among the important pollinators across the globe. Pollination is required so that pollen grains can be exchanged between the flowers and this would lead to fruit or vegetable production or blooming of wildflowers.
Commercial food crops might not depend on pollination to keep constant food production and to meet demand and supply. However, wildflowers do rely on the birds and these are an equal and important part of the ecosystem.
On the other side of the coin, if the wildflowers are destroyed, it affects the birds that pollinate them, and a decline in the bird population can be seen.
So, let’s dive in and get to know how birds pollinate flowers.
What is the Process of Pollination by Birds?
The process of pollinating flowers through birds is called ornithophily where the birds get attracted to the flowers due to their bright color and sweet-smelling nectar. So, when the bird perches on the flower or hovers around it for the nectar, the pollen grains being sticky get attached to the beak or feathers of the bird. Now, when the bird visits the next flower, the pollens are dropped on the flower and this pollinates them. Also, birds eat insects that might restrict the process of pollination.
Which Birds Help in Pollination?
All birds are not capable of pollination, only the ones that eat nectar or need to visit the flower to eat insects contribute to the process. There are more than 2000 species of pollinating birds. The most important pollinator is the hummingbird, which is found in North America. Other than this, some types of parrots, sunbirds, honeyeaters, sunbirds, and honeycreepers are also responsible for pollination.
Which Types of Flowers Attract Birds?
Flowers that attract birds are – Tubular-shaped flowers that have curved petals, bright colored, have a place for the bird to perch, and do not have a strong odor. Birds are mostly attracted to red-coloured flowers. These flowers, which are pollinated by birds, open during the day, and the ones that bloom at night attract insects or bats for pollination.
