Yes, baby hummingbirds do poop outside of the nest. Hummingbird chicks, called nestlings, cannot hold their waste like adult birds can. They lack the physical sphincter muscles that allow adult hummingbirds to control when and where they poop. As a result, baby hummingbirds poop frequently and the waste simply falls out of the nest.
Why do baby hummingbirds poop so much?
Baby hummingbirds poop a lot for a few key reasons:
- High metabolism – Hummingbirds have extremely fast metabolisms, with heart rates up to 1,200 beats per minute. They need a lot of energy and therefore eat almost constantly. All that eating results in a lot of waste being produced.
- Liquid diet – Baby hummingbirds only drink nectar and juice from their mother’s crop. This liquid diet means their poop is runny and often drips out of the nest.
- Immature digestive system – A baby hummingbird’s digestive system is still developing. They are not yet able to extract all the nutrients and moisture from their food. So more of it ends up coming out as waste.
With their near constant need for nourishment, immature guts, and liquid diet, baby hummingbird poop quickly and frequently. Their nests would overflow with waste if it was all contained inside!
At what age do baby hummingbirds start pooping outside the nest?
Baby hummingbirds start pooping outside the nest right from day one. Here is a timeline:
- Day 1 – Newly hatched hummingbirds excrete their very first waste, called the meconium. This is made up of amniotic fluid and other debris ingested in the egg.
- Day 2 – By their second day, nestlings start producing normal poop as they eat crop milk from their mother.
- Week 1 – For the first week, all poop simply falls through the bottom of the nest. The nest stays clean as the female hummingbird eats or removes droppings.
- Week 2 – Around 14 days old, nestlings gain enough strength to start crawling, hanging their bottoms over the edge of the nest to poop outside.
So from their very first days, baby hummingbirds poop outside of the nest right up until they fledge.
What does baby hummingbird poop look like?
Baby hummingbird droppings are quite distinctive from adult poop. Here are the characteristics:
- Color – Whitish/clear with some dark green bile
- Texture – Liquid and runny
- Odor – Minimal to none
- Amount – Frequent, small droplets
Sometimes the poop crusts over forming a crystallized cap on plants and branches below the nest. But most of it is liquid due to their diet.
Do baby hummingbirds make a mess pooping outside the nest?
Baby hummingbirds can make quite a mess beneath their nests! Here’s why:
- High frequency – Baby hummingbirds poop every 10-20 minutes around the clock.
- Poor aim – Nestlings have little control where their waste lands as it streams out.
- Splatter – The liquid poop hits whatever is below and splashes, smearing onto plants, branches, walls, or ground.
The constant, erratic pooping results in accumulations of dried white splotches surrounding the nest. Hummingbird nests are notorious for the ring-shaped splatter stains underneath them.
Do parent hummingbirds clean up the poop?
Adult hummingbirds make some effort to keep the nest and surrounding area clean for their young:
- Eating droppings – Female hummingbirds will eat some waste from the nest, swallowing the liquid poop to get rid of it.
- Removing droppings – By gently grasping the nestlings’ bottoms, the mother may prompt additional pooping and remove some waste.
- Moving nestlings – Rotating the babies’ position in the nest ensures they aren’t laying in soiled bedding.
- Adding nest material – Extra spider silk and down can help absorb some of the moisture from the poop.
However, given the constant output, it’s impossible for parent hummingbirds to keep the nest pristinely clean. Poop happens!
Do hummingbird nests get very dirty?
Despite the frequent pooping, most hummingbird nests avoid getting too terribly dirty. Here are some reasons why:
- Female cleaning efforts – Her eating and removing of droppings helps.
- Nest placement – Nests on branches let most waste fall away rather than pool in the cup.
- Limited bedding – With little nesting material, there’s not much to soak up mess.
- Rapid development – Nestlings fledge in only 2-3 weeks, limiting time for buildup.
By the time the chicks are ready to leave, the nest is still quite soiled. But it doesn’t get as gross as you might expect given the sheer quantity of poop!
When do baby hummingbirds stop pooping in the nest?
Baby hummingbirds stop pooping inside the nest cup once they learn to fly at around 3 weeks old. Here is the timeline:
- Week 1-2 – Pooping happens only in the nest
- Week 2 – Nestlings start eliminating over the edge
- Week 3 – Fledglings fly and perch to poop away from the nest
By the time the babies leave the nest for good around 21 days old, they have mastered pooping far from their nest to keep it clean(er).
When does a baby hummingbird have its last poop in the nest?
A hummingbird chick will poop in the nest for the last time just before it fledges at approximately 20-22 days old. In the 12-24 hours before taking its first flight, the fledgling will poop one final time in the only home it has ever known!
Once it starts life outside the nest, the young bird will begin a cleaner pooping habit by seeking a new perch each time it needs to go.
Do adult hummingbirds poop in the nest?
Adult hummingbirds will not poop inside or on their own nests. Here’s why:
- Sphincter control – Mature hummingbirds have cloacal muscles allowing them to hold waste until an appropriate time.
- Cleanliness instinct – Hummingbirds do not want to foul their nesting area and eggs/babies.
- Nest guarding – Adults spend minimal time inside the nest, just for feeding young.
However, adult hummingbird poop may end up on the rim or nearby branches as they come and go from caring for the nestlings.
Where do adult hummingbirds poop?
When adult hummingbirds need to poop, they will seek out these optimal locations:
- In flight – Often they poop while flying between sources of nectar.
- High perches – Pooping happens on high bare branches away from food sources.
- Leaves – Males expel waste on leaves as they patrol territory.
- Red surfaces – Bright colors against green leaves help mark territory.
By pooping while airborne or on secluded high perches, adult hummingbirds keep waste away from key sites like their nests and flowers.
What does adult hummingbird poop look like?
Adult hummingbird droppings have a very different appearance from nestling poop. Identifying characteristics include:
- Color – White with dark center portion
- Texture – Chalky and more solid
- Odor – Earthy, pungent
- Amount – Larger volume each time
The dark center comes from the liquid portion separating out as it dries, leaving the white uric acid crystallized on the edges.
Conclusion
Baby hummingbirds begin pooping outside their nests right from day one. With no sphincter control, the nestlings produce frequent, runny waste that falls through the nest bottom. This results in a characteristic ring of dried splatter below the nest that parent birds cannot fully clean. While messy, most hummingbird nests avoid getting too soiled before the chicks fledge around 3 weeks. Once able to fly, fledglings quickly learn to seek new perches to poop from to keep their nest clean for mama hummingbird!
