#Hummingbird nest full#

To stumble upon this hummingbird nest was such an incredible treat! I think they have one of the most beautiful nests. We have two hummingbird feeders in our backyard and have been enjoying the company of the hummingbirds every year for the last several years. I looked on the internet to confirm what I suspected to be a hummingbird nest.

#Hummingbird nest full#

I had never seen a nest like this before and my heart was full of joy like a boy scout on his first adventure. It seemed so much a part of the branch and was decorated with bits of lichen all over it. The nest was the smallest and the most beautiful I had ever seen. The sticks were the beaks pointed upwards. Awestruck to say the least, I had stumbled upon a nest with two nestlings. My eyes widened as I saw two sticks coming out of two fuzzy balls. I stopped, went back a few feet, and examined the moss ball more closely. One of the moss balls caught my eye because it seemed more conical than round. We crossed some low hanging oak branches with several moss balls. Two weeks ago we were walking our regular route, which takes us up and down neighborhood streets and past many wonderful live oaks. We Austinites are so fortunate to live in a city in the midst of so much greenery which gives the sense of living in a forest. This story is about an adventure that started off during our everyday evening walks in the neighborhood, which have been a regular feature that we look forward to after being home most of the day. However, the change also brought our twin girls back home from college – much to their chagrin and our pleasure! We also have more time now to try our hand at some new things like organic gardening in our backyard using permaculture practices. Interact with nature, relax and build memories that last a lifetime by conveniently ordering from life is all about travel, and the COVID-19 pandemic brought a sudden halt to all my travel plans – Costa Rica, Botswana for work (birding trips) and personal travel trips to Ecuador and Peru. Perky-Pet® and K-Feeders wild bird products are trusted brands to bird lovers everywhere. is the top destination to find quality Wild Bird Feeders and Accessories. Ruby-throated Hummingbird chicks spend a good deal of their time stretching and “buzzing” their wings while sitting in the nest – these exercises are meant to strengthen their flight muscles.Ĭhicks remain in the nest about three weeks before taking their earliest test flights and then venturing into the world on their own. As the chicks grow, their nest expands with them – all thanks to the elasticity of the nest’s construction materials. The mother then feeds her chicks with small, protein-rich insects and nectar throughout the day. Ruby-throated Hummingbird ChicksĮxcept in rare circumstances, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds will lay two eggs, which hatch about two weeks later. and Canada, there’s only enough time to raise one brood before seasonal changes hit and the birds begin to migrate. In the southern U.S., female Ruby-throated Hummingbirds can have up to three broods per year. The nests can take up to 10 days to complete. Nests are normally located 10 to 40 feet above the ground on a downward sloping tree branch, usually in a deciduous tree. Once the shape of the nest is set, the female camouflages it with lichen and other plant items. The silk is especially important since it allows the nest to expand as soon-to-be-hatched chicks grow. The Ruby-throated Hummingbird nest is typically constructed of spider silk and plant materials. Unlike some other birds, the duties of creating the nest, incubation and feeding the chicks are entirely up to the female Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Once mating is complete, the male moves on while the female begins nest-building in earnest. Nesting habits of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird If the female Ruby-Throated hummingbird ultimately likes what she sees, she indicates her willingness to mate. If the display attracts a female Ruby-throated hummingbird, she will perch nearby and continue to judge her potential suitor. In an effort to court females in his territory, a male Ruby-throated hummingbird will perform U-shaped diving displays, rising up to 50 feet above the female and swooping down. Doing so allows him to focus his efforts on courtship. While generally allowing females in his feeding territory, he will drive off competing males. This provides him time to stake out territory for feeding. Courtship habits of the Ruby-Throated HummingbirdĮach spring, the male Ruby-throated hummingbird is the first to arrive in a nesting area.