Hummingbirds are amazing little creatures. Their tiny bodies and fast wings allow them to hover in midair as they drink nectar from flowers. Hummingbirds are found only in the Americas, with over 300 different species. While they are small, hummingbirds are fierce competitors for food and nesting spaces.
Do hummingbirds build nests?
Yes, hummingbirds build tiny nests to lay their eggs and raise baby hummingbirds. The female hummingbird is solely responsible for nest construction. She uses soft plant fibers, spider webs, lichens, and moss to build a cup-shaped nest about the size of a walnut.
Hummingbird nests are engineering marvels. They stretch to accommodate the growing chicks while still maintaining their structural integrity. The outsides are camouflaged with lichens and plant materials to avoid predator detection. On the inside, the female lines the nest with soft plant down to insulate the eggs and chicks.
Where do hummingbirds build their nests?
Hummingbirds nest in trees and shrubs, usually on lower hanging branches. This makes it easier for the female to access the nest for feeding the chicks. Hummingbirds may reuse a nest or build a completely new one each season.
Tree forks and horizontal branches are popular nest locations. The female may build her nest at the very end of a drooping tree branch or tuck it into thick shrubbery. She often chooses a site near a food source, so she can easily access nectar for the energy-taxing chore of feeding nestlings.
How do hummingbirds build nests that survive rain?
Hummingbird nests are exposed to the elements, including rain. However, hummingbirds use several strategies to build nests that withstand typical rainfall:
- Tightly woven nest materials – The spider silk and plant down hold together even when wet.
- Nest placement – Nesting under overhanging branches or leaves provides some protection.
- Water-resistant materials – Lichen and moss naturally repel water.
- Nest anchoring – The female ties the nest to branches and smears it with sticky spider webs.
- Draining materials – The nest cup is made from looser materials, allowing rain to drain through.
Do hummingbird nests ever fail due to rain?
Although hummingbird nest architecture is designed to survive rain, extremely heavy downpours can sometimes cause nest failure. Nestlings may drown or get chilled if the nest floods and cannot drain properly. High winds during storms may also loosen nest anchoring and cause blowing rain to soak the nest.
However, total nest failure from rainfall is uncommon for hummingbirds. The main threat to hummingbird nests comes from predators like jays, squirrels, and snakes. Hummingbird eggs and chicks have little defense against these nest raiders.
How can you help hummingbirds nest successfully?
Here are some tips to support nesting hummingbirds in your yard:
- Provide shelter – Plant trees, shrubs, and vines that offer protected nesting spots.
- Put up feeders – Give hummingbirds a nearby food source to feed their chicks.
- Include rain-resistant materials – Incorporate fluffy seeds and water-resistant mosses in your garden for nest building.
- Limit insecticide use – Spider webs are an important nest material, so avoid killing spiders.
- Deter predators – Use deterrents to keep jays, squirrels, and snakes away from nests.
Do male hummingbirds help build the nest?
No, male hummingbirds do not assist with nest building or incubating eggs. The female hummingbird is entirely responsible for selecting the nest site, gathering materials, constructing the nest, laying and incubating the eggs, and feeding the chicks after they hatch.
The male’s role is to entice a female to mate by performing elaborate courtship displays. His flashy plumage and aerial dances advertise to watching females. Once the female chooses a mate, the male will follow her back to the nest site. But his participation ends after mating.
This behavior is common among hummingbird species. The high energy demands of hovering flight make nest building and chick rearing extremely taxing for the small hummingbird body. Because the female alone incubates eggs, a male would have difficulty finding enough food if he shared in these duties.
How long does it take hummingbirds to build their nests?
On average, it takes a female hummingbird between 5-10 days to build her nest. However, the construction period can vary from as little as 3 days to as many as 14 days depending on factors like weather, predation, and available materials.
Building starts with the female hummingbird gathering tiny fibers from downy plants like thistles. She combines these with spider silk strands and pieces of lichen, meticulously weaving a nest cup structure on her chosen site.
The outer part of the nest takes the longest, as the female camouflages it using lichen, moss, and attached debris. She spends the most time decorating the part of the nest that faces outward. This helps conceal it from predators.
Do hummingbirds reuse nests?
Whether hummingbirds reuse nests varies by species. In most cases, females build a completely new nest each breeding season. However, some hummingbird species may repair and reuse an old nest, or build a new nest on top of an existing structure from a previous season.
Examples of hummingbird species known to reuse nests include Anna’s hummingbird, Costa’s hummingbird, and broad-tailed hummingbird. Reusing a nest frame saves time and energy that the female can invest into laying and incubating more eggs.
On the other hand, species like ruby-throated hummingbird and black-chinned hummingbird always build new nests from scratch. This may help reduce parasite levels that accumulate in old nesting material.
Do hummingbirds nest in the rainforest?
Yes, over 100 different hummingbird species live and nest in rainforest habitats throughout Central and South America. These hummingbirds have uniquely adapted to handle high rainfall while breeding.
One rainforest nesting adaptation is foliage nest placement. Many tropical hummingbird species attach their nests to leaves, ferns, or epiphytes such as bromeliads. The vegetation provides natural shelter from heavy downpours.
Another strategy is to nest during the drier seasons. In equatorial regions, this might mean timing breeding around wet and dry cycles. For higher elevation tropical hummingbirds, nesting occurs in late summer when rainy conditions have subsided.
Hummingbirds may also select rainforest nest sites protected by overhanging rocks, dense moss mats or vegetation, tree cavities, or human-made structures. This keeps the nesting hummingbirds and their chicks safely dry.
How many times can hummingbirds reuse a nest?
For hummingbird species that reuse nests, a single nest may be repaired and reused up to three seasons in a row. The sturdy cup-shaped structure of silk, lichen, and plant down holds up well over multiple years.
Females will carry out repairs and maintenance on an old nest. This includes adding new lining, weaving over holes, and reinforcing stretched edges. Decorating with lichens and debris is also refreshed annually.
However, even sturdy hummingbird nests have a lifespan. Exposure eventually causes structural weakening and increased parasite load. After 2-3 seasons, the female is better off building a brand new nest for optimal safety and breeding success.
Do hummingbird nests survive winter?
In most cases, hummingbird nests do not survive the winter. The majority of hummingbirds migrate seasonally to warmer climates. They abandon their breeding territory nests during this travel south.
The exposed nests deteriorate when battered by winter weather. Snow, wind, rain, and ice storms take their toll over the course of several months.
A small number of hummingbird species, like Anna’s and rufous hummingbirds, push the northern limits of their range. Some individuals overwinter in these areas rather than migrating. For nests to survive at the breeding grounds over the winter, the site needs excellent cover from the elements.
Surviving winter nests are rare. Almost all hummingbird nests are built fresh each spring. The few overwintered nests provide a handy base for rebuilding and reuse by returning hummingbirds.
Do hummingbird nests survive high winds?
Hummingbird nests are very vulnerable to damage from high winds. Their small size and exposure on branches makes them prone to being dislodged and blown to the ground.
Strong winds may rip the nest right off its anchoring or break the branches it is attached to. Even if the nest stays intact, severe gusts can still blow the eggs and chicks out of the nest cup.
Survival depends greatly on the nest location. Nests in very protected sites, like in the fork of a sturdy tree or tucked into dense thickets, have better wind resistance. Still, winds above 40 mph often cause failure regardless of placement.
Hummingbirds do prefer to orient their nests facing away from the prevailing wind direction. This offers a bit of aerodynamic protection. They also anchor the nests very securely using sticky spider webs.
What is the smallest hummingbird nest ever recorded?
The smallest hummingbird nest ever documented measured just 1.5 inches wide and 0.5 inches tall. This tiny nest was built by a hummingbird called the bee hummingbird, the smallest hummingbird species in the world.
Bee hummingbirds live in Cuba and build peanut-sized nests using spider silk, moss, and lichens. The whole nest is about the size of a U.S. quarter coin. It is carefully anchored onto thin branches in low shrubs and trees.
Despite its miniscule dimensions, this little nest still holds two pea-sized white eggs. The female bee hummingbird is dedicated to incubating her eggs and raising chicks even in such cramped quarters.
What is the largest hummingbird nest on record?
The largest hummingbird nest reliably measured was built by a female blue-throated hummingbird. It was found in Arizona and measured 7 inches tall and 4 inches wide.
Large hummingbird species, like the blue-throated, build nests at the upper limits of hummingbird nest dimensions. Their nests may be over twice as big as those of tiny species like the bee hummingbird.
It’s unusual to find hummingbird nests over 6 inches tall or 4 inches wide. Nest size correlates closely with the body size of the female builder. She must be able to settle her body into the nest for incubating the eggs.
What materials do hummingbirds use to build nests?
Hummingbirds are resourceful in utilizing a diverse array of natural materials for nest building, including:
- Spider silk – Provides stretch and flexibility to the nest structure.
- Soft plant down – The tiny seeds of thistles and other fluffy plant fibers create a soft inner lining.
- Moss – Absorbs water and insulates eggs and chicks.
- Lichen – Camouflages the nest with its color and texture.
- Buds and petals – Adhere to the nest exterior, adding camouflage.
- Tree sap and resin – Act as natural adhesives to firmly attach nest materials.
- Leaves – Large leaves like those from palms or calatheas help form the nest cup shape.
Do hummingbirds fight over nesting spots?
Yes, hummingbirds can be quite territorial and aggressive over prime nesting locations. Females will actively defend a chosen nest site from intruding females looking to build their own nests nearby.
Any encroaching female will be chased off by diving attacks and loud chirping. The aggressive behavior escalates the closer the intruder gets to the existing nest.
Established females are also known to destroy the nests of competitors. They may poke holes in unattended nests under construction or even knock them to the ground.
Of course, the same female shows nurturing care and dedication while building her own nest. The contrast illustrates how vital securing a quality nesting spot is for reproductive success.
Do hummingbird nests attract parasites?
Unfortunately, yes – hummingbird nests commonly attract parasitic insects and arachnids. Examples of unwelcome nest visitors include:
- Mites
- Fleas
- Ants
- Beetles
- Fly larvae
- Ticks
These parasites feed on the female hummingbird, her eggs, or the nestlings. They can transfer diseases and negatively impact chick health and survival.
Reusing old nests from year to year allows more time for parasite populations to become established. Building a fresh new nest helps minimize parasites.
Do bigger hummingbirds build bigger nests?
There is a clear correlation between hummingbird body size and nest dimensions. Larger hummingbird species construct bigger nests on average compared to smaller hummingbirds.
For example, a calliope hummingbird is one of the tiniest species at just 2-3 inches long. Its nest is only about 1 inch tall and 1.5 inches wide – scarcely larger than a quarter coin.
On the other hand, a blue-throated hummingbird can reach 5 inches in length. Its nest is sizable at 4 inches tall and 3 inches wide.
The female hummingbird’s body needs to fit into the nest to incubate, so nest proportions scale up along with the bird’s bulk. Large hummingbirds couldn’t fit into tiny nests, and vice versa.
How does nest size relate to number of eggs?
As a general rule, larger hummingbird nests contain more eggs. The extra interior space can better accommodate a bigger clutch size. The table below shows average clutch size for hummingbirds of different body sizes:
| Hummingbird Size | Average Clutch Size |
|---|---|
| Extra small (2-3 in) | 1-2 eggs |
| Small (3-4 in) | 2 eggs |
| Medium (4-5 in) | 2-3 eggs |
| Large (5-6 in) | 2-4 eggs |
However, habitat quality also impacts reproductive rates. Abundant food resources support larger clutch sizes regardless of nest size. And higher predation or competition may limit clutch size despite ample interior nest space.
Do hummingbird eggs survive freezing temperatures?
No, hummingbird eggs are very vulnerable to freezing. Exposure to temperatures below 32°F is almost always fatal to the delicate developing embryos inside the eggs.
If overnight frost is predicted, female hummingbirds will often roost on the nest to provide warmth with their bodies. Their high metabolic rates can raise nest temperature significantly.
In extreme cold, the adult hummingbird may abandon the nest if her efforts fail to prevent freezing. The energy demands of egg incubation become too great.
Freezing risk is lower for species that nest further south or at warmer lower elevations. But for many northern nesters, cold snaps can quickly destroy entire clutches of eggs.
Conclusion
Hummingbirds are talented nest architects that skillfully use a variety of plant and arthropod materials to build durable exposed nests. They carefully select sheltered locations and orient nests to promote drainage and minimize wind damage.
While hummingbird nests are resilient to normal rainfall, extremely heavy downpours or high winds can overwhelm nest integrity in some cases. Freezing temperatures are also a severe threat, especially for species nesting near the limits of their range.
Overall, hummingbird nest construction techniques allow their delicate eggs and chicks to survive and thrive in some exposed and difficult conditions. But favorable nest placement is key to elevating that survival rate against the elements.
