Bees and Birds Are Drinking Alcohol From Flowers

UC Berkeley researchers found ethanol in nectar from most flower species they tested, indicating many pollinators regularly ingest small amounts of naturally fermented alcohol.

The study estimates some hummingbirds could consume alcohol at roughly the level of one human drink per day.

Birds tolerated low ethanol levels but reduced feeding at higher concentrations, showing alcohol can influence foraging behavior.

Published in Royal Society Open Science, the findings point to subtle but widespread effects on pollination ecology and plant-pollinator interactions.