Hummingbirds can live in specially designed hummingbird houses, but not in regular birdhouses meant for other species. Hummingbirds have very specific habitat and nesting requirements that are different from most birds. Offering them an appropriate hummingbird house is one way to attract these special birds to your yard.
What Kind of Nest Do Hummingbirds Need?
Hummingbirds build very small, compact nests out of soft plant fibers, spider webs, feathers, and bud scales. Their nests are typically only 2-3 inches wide and about 1 inch deep. They prefer to build their tiny nests in protected locations like tree branches, eaves, or other overhangs.
The entrance to a hummingbird’s nest is only about 1-1.5 inches across. This tiny opening allows the petite hummingbird to easily enter and exit while helping to deter predators and protect babies inside. The nest is neatly woven into a sturdy cup shape so eggs and hatchlings don’t fall out.
Hummingbirds also line their nests with soft down feathers for insulation. This helps keep eggs and babies warm. Female hummingbirds dedicate a lot of time and effort into building a secure, cozy nest in a sheltered spot before laying eggs.
Unique Needs of Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds have exceptional metabolic requirements compared to other birds. Their wings beat up to 80 times per second, allowing them to hover in midair and fly backwards or upside down. This rapid flight requires an immense amount of energy.
To survive, hummingbirds need to consume half their body weight in nectar every single day. They eat every 10-15 minutes from dawn to dusk. Hummingbirds also eat many small insects, which provide essential protein. They have very fast metabolisms and high body temperatures around 105°F.
As a result, hummingbirds are sensitive to their environment. Exposure to wind, rain, or cold can rapidly deplete their energy reserves and become life-threatening. Access to an adequate food supply and protected shelter sites for nesting and roosting are critical.
Challenges of Nest Site Selection
Hummingbirds face many risks when selecting a nest location. Ideal sites provide shelter from weather and camouflage from predators. However, good real estate is limited.
Competition for prime spots can be fierce. Larger species like jays, crows, and squirrels may claim potential nest sites first or destroy existing hummingbird nests. Once a nest is built, predators like snakes, cats, and hawks threaten adults and chicks.
Building an exposed nest leaves hummingbirds vulnerable, but suitable protected sites are scarce. Cavities, crevices, dense vegetation, and overhangs offer safety, but are not always available. This is where specially designed hummingbird houses can help.
Benefits of Hummingbird Houses
Providing an appropriate artificial nesting structure extends safe habitat for hummingbirds in your yard. Benefits of properly constructed hummingbird houses include:
- Protection from weather and predators
- Durability and stability
- Good ventilation
- Easy access for birds via a small, circular entrance hole
- Sufficient interior space
- Allows monitoring and observation from a distance
Offering hummingbirds a supplemental nesting site supports local populations and gives you a unique opportunity to watch nesting behaviors.
Key Differences From Regular Birdhouses
It is important not to confuse hummingbird houses with regular birdhouses intended for other species:
- Entrance hole is much smaller, around 1-1 1⁄4 inches diameter
- Overall interior space is more compact
- Perch area at entrance is very minimal or absent
- Hanging method allows cords and wires to pass freely around entrance
- Construction prioritizes weather protection over ventilation
- Designed to be cleaned and maintained annually
While bluebird houses have ventilation gaps and overhangs to deter sparrows, hummingbird houses have enclosed tops and side panels to protect from cold rain. They also contain built-in elements for hanging and cleaning.
Ideal Design and Placement for Hummingbird Houses
To create a suitable home, hummingbird nest boxes should:
- Be made of durable, non-toxic wood, plastic, or fiberglass
- Have a circular entrance hole 1-1 1⁄4 inches in diameter
- Include a shallow, smooth interior floor 2-3 inches wide
- Provide adequate interior height for nest building
- Have a removable top panel for monitoring and cleaning
- Exclude perches which allow predators to access nests
- Be painted or stained for weather protection
- Have small drainage holes in the floor
- Be securely mounted 10-20 feet high on a stable, sheltered object
- Face away from prevailing winds, rains, and sun exposure
Ideally, place multiple hummingbird houses around your yard to provide options. Make sure to separate houses from feeders to reduce territorial disputes.
Tips for Attracting Hummingbirds to Nest Boxes
Here are some tips to encourage hummingbirds to use the nesting sites you provide:
- Have feeders up by early spring before migration
- Use a 1:4 ratio of sugar water
- Select red, orange, or yellow feeders
- Situate feeders and houses within habitat hummingbirds prefer
- Plant colorful native flowers and shrubs hummingbirds are drawn to
- Position houses away from disturbances and predators
- Keep structures clean and well-maintained
- Avoid using pesticides and herbicides
With a proper hummingbird house in a strategic location, plus plentiful flowers and feeders, you are likely to attract a breeding pair. Observe nesting behaviors from a distance and enjoy these special birds!
Monitoring Hummingbird Nests
One advantage of hummingbird houses is the ability to monitor activity. Follow these guidelines to observe nesting behaviors with minimal disturbance:
- Watch nests from at least 10 feet away
- Avoid approaching the nest until chicks fledge
- Prevent pets from disturbing nest areas
- Use binoculars to look inside nesting boxes
- Limit monitoring to 5 minutes at a time
- Never handle eggs or baby birds
- Do not tap on or shake nesting structures
Females may abandon nests or young if they feel threatened. With careful observation from a distance, you can gain fascinating insight into hummingbird reproduction without causing harm.
Caring for Hummingbird Houses
Proper maintenance keeps artificial nests clean, dry, and safe for hummingbirds. Recommended care includes:
- Checking exterior in fall and replacing deteriorated houses
- Cleaning interior in winter using soap and water
- Removing old nesting material and debris
- Allowing houses to air dry completely before re-mounting
- Evaluating and replacing any damaged or rusty hardware
- Reapplying protective stains or paints
- Ensuring structures are securely reattached in early spring
With annual cleaning and replacement as needed, quality hummingbird nesting boxes can remain usable for many years.
Potential Dangers To Avoid
To keep hummingbird houses safe, it is important to avoid these common hazards:
- Using toxic paints or treated woods
- Mounting boxes on unstable surfaces like fence posts
- Allowing boxes to become wet or deteriorated inside
- Permitting strands of rope, wire, or hair to dangle near entrance holes
- Letting spiders, wasps, or ants colonize houses
- Positioning houses too close to feeders or nests of larger birds
- Failing to clean out old nests which can harbor mites, lice, and fungi
Ensuring hummingbird houses remain clean, dry, securely installed, and separate from potential threats contributes to nesting success.
Signs of Nesting Activity
Watch for these clues that hummingbirds are using nesting structures:
- Birds gathering soft nest materials and carrying to the site in their beaks
- Female regularly resting on or entering nesting box
- Increased aggressive behaviors around the nesting area
- Observing the female perched on edge of nest with wings spread incubating
- Food caching of tiny insects stuck to interior walls
- Sounds of chicks begging for food inside the box
- Small feces on the exterior below entrance
Seeing the female come and go to feed hatchlings is a sure sign of nesting success. Listen for high-pitched peeping from chicks!
Discouraging Unwanted Species
Larger birds may occasionally explore hummingbird houses. To deter them:
- Ensure entrance holes are 1 1⁄4 inches or less
- Coat interiors with a thin layer of petroleum jelly
- Plug holes with a cork during off seasons
- Immediately remove partially built nests of other species
- Place multiple houses to reduce competition
- Mount boxes on hangers or add baffles beneath to prevent perching
Monitoring your hummingbird houses frequently increases chances of a successful hummingbird nest.
When to Remove Hummingbird Nests
Hummingbird chicks typically fledge between 18 to 28 days after hatching. Once the young have left the nest, remove old nest materials to prepare the house for the next nesting attempt. Ideal timing is:
- Early in the morning when cooler
- On a cloudy or rainy day
- After eggs hatch for minimum disturbance
- During late summer and fall before migration
- When no refurbishing or reuse of the nest is underway
Discard old nests in compost or trash securely tied in a bag. Then clean boxes thoroughly.
Troubleshooting Hummingbird Nesting Problems
Issues sometimes arise with hummingbird nesting. Here are solutions to common problems:
- Wasps: Apply petroleum jelly inside and plug holes until wasps leave
- Ants: Use borax powder lightly dusted around the mount
- Mold: Replace house, use a wire brush on wood, or apply borax
- Excess heat: Add ventilation holes, reposition for shade, or add a heat shield
- Leaks: Seal holes, gaps, and joints with caulk
- Insufficient use: Relocate to a better site, increase nearby flowers and feeders
- Predators: Eliminate perches or add baffles, coat pole with petroleum jelly
Addressing issues promptly allows hummingbirds to successfully and safely use nesting structures.
Conclusion
Providing hummingbird houses offers supplemental nesting habitat for these captivating birds. With a properly constructed and maintained hummingbird-friendly design placed in a strategic spot, you can attract breeding pairs to utilize the nesting sites. Observe their behaviors carefully from a distance and take steps to reduce risks so hummingbirds can safely raise young. An appropriate hummingbird nest box in your yard allows you to participate directly in their remarkable nesting process!
