"P. gigas" regularly feeds from the flowers of the genus "Puya" in Chile, with which it enjoys a symbiotic relationship, trading pollination for food. As a large hovering bird, particularly at high altitudes, "P. gigas" has extremely high metabolic requirements. It is known to feed from columnar cacti, including "Oreocereus celsianus" and "Echinopsis atacamensis ssp. pasacana", and "Salvia haenkei". We do not know the exact scope of its diet, but inferring from the large amount of nectar required to be routinely ingested by such a large hummingbird, it is safe to say it is a generalist out of necessity: the more different flowers it will feed from, the more efficiently it can collect energy.