Hummingbirds have a fascinating life cycle. The time baby hummingbirds spend with their mother varies depending on the species. Here’s a quick look at how long hummingbird babies stay with their mom:
Quick Facts
- Most hummingbird babies leave the nest in 18-22 days
- They are cared for exclusively by their mother
- Mothers feed their babies every 10-20 minutes from dawn to dusk
- Babies are ready to leave the nest once they can fly and feed themselves
- After leaving the nest, the mother continues to care for them for a few days
Hatching and Early Development
Hummingbird eggs are tiny, often no larger than a jellybean. The mother incubates the eggs for 14-23 days before they hatch. Once the chicks hatch, they are blind, featherless, and completely dependent on their mother for survival.
For the first week, the chicks are unable to lift their heads and can only gape their mouths open when their mother arrives to feed them. At this stage, the chicks rely on their mother to position them properly in the nest so they don’t accidentally fall out.
Within a week, the chicks develop pin feathers and down. They start to look more like hummingbirds. Their eyes open, and they become more alert and active in the nest. From two weeks onward, their flight feathers grow in.
Learning to Fly
Most hummingbird nestlings are ready to attempt their first flight around 18-22 days after hatching. They’ll stand on the edge of the nest and start flapping their wings. At first, their flights are unsteady and fluttering.
The mother continues to feed the chicks as they learn to fly over the course of several days. She leads them to flower patches and watches over them as their flight skills strengthen.
Leaving the Nest
By 3-4 weeks of age, the young hummingbirds can fly well enough to forage on their own. At this point, they no longer return to the nest. The mother hummingbird stops feeding them, and they fully separate from her to live independently.
Exceptions and Special Cases
In warmer climates, hummingbird babies may leave the nest a bit sooner, as early as 16-18 days after hatching. Species like Anna’s hummingbird have a shorter fledging period compared to Ruby-throated hummingbirds.
If food is scarce or the habitat conditions are stressful, the mother may force the chicks out of the nest sooner than they are ready. This decreases their chances of survival.
In some cases, the mother hummingbird may continue feeding a fledgling for several weeks, especially if there are no flowers available or if the young bird has a deformity or injury that limits its foraging ability.
Key Takeaways
Here are the key points on how long hummingbird babies stay with their mom:
- Chicks hatch after 2-3 weeks of incubation
- They remain in the nest for 18-22 days
- The mother feeds them every 10-20 minutes from dawn to dusk
- They fledge once they can fly and feed on their own
- The mother continues to care for them for a few days after fledging
- By 3-4 weeks of age, they live independently
What Do Baby Hummingbirds Eat?
Baby hummingbirds eat a liquid diet provided by their mothers. Here’s a look at hummingbird diet by growth stage:
In the Nest
Mother hummingbirds feed their chicks a diet of regurgitated nectar and insects. The nectar provides carbohydrates and some nutrients. The insects provide protein which is vital for growth and development of muscles, feathers, and other tissues.
Some common insects eaten by baby hummingbirds include:
- Mosquitoes
- Fruit flies
- Spider
- Aphids
- Gnats
The female hummingbird consumes these insects whole. She stores them in a special pouch called a crop. At the nest, she regurgitates the nectar and insects directly into the chicks’ mouths.
Fledglings
Once hummingbird babies leave the nest, they supplement their diet with sap, tree resin, and pollen. Their mothers continue to bring them regurgitated food too. This high-protein diet helps them grow strong enough to forage on their own.
Juveniles
By 3-4 weeks of age, juvenile hummingbirds feed themselves entirely. Their diet mimics an adult hummingbird, consisting of:
- Nectar from flowers
- Small insects like fruit flies, spiders, and tree sap
- Sugar water from bird feeders
- Tree sap
- Pollen
This balanced, high-energy diet provides the calories they need to power their rapid heartbeats and fast metabolism.
How Often Do Baby Hummingbirds Eat?
Baby hummingbirds eat very frequently because of their extremely high metabolism. Here’s an overview of their feeding frequency:
In the Nest
- 1st week – Every 30 minutes from dawn to dusk
- 2nd week – Every 15-20 minutes from dawn to dusk
- 3rd week – Every 10-15 minutes from dawn to dusk
Since their crop capacity is so small when they first hatch, the mother has to refill it frequently. As the chicks grow, they can be left alone for slightly longer between feedings.
Fledglings
The mother continues to feed fledglings every 10-20 minutes during the first few days after they leave the nest.
Juveniles
Once juveniles feed themselves, they need to eat every 10-15 minutes throughout the day. This frequent feeding continues into adulthood for hummingbirds.
How Do Mother Hummingbirds Feed Their Babies?
Mother hummingbirds have an ingenious method for feeding their chicks. Here are the steps:
- The mother catches tiny insects and drinks nectar from flowers.
- She stores this food in her crop, an expandable pouch in her throat.
- The mother returns to the nest and regurgitates the insect/nectar mixture directly into the chicks’ mouths.
- To stimulate regurgitation, the chicks pump their heads and flick their tongues.
- The mother assists by moving each chick into the proper position for feeding.
- Over time, the amount of food per feeding increases as the chicks grow.
This regurgitation method allows the mother to quickly deliver the calories and nutrients the chicks need to fuel their high metabolisms and rapid growth.
How Do Hummingbird Mothers Care for Their Babies?
In addition to providing food, hummingbird mothers perform all the following parenting duties:
Incubating the Eggs
The mother hummingbird sits on the eggs for 14-23 days to keep them at optimal temperature and humidity.
Protecting the Nest
Mother hummingbirds defend the nest aggressively. They may dive-bomb or attack perceived threats.
Keeping the Babies Warm
Hummingbird mothers brood their newly hatched chicks to keep them warm since they lack feathers.
Providing Shelter
The nest provides safety from predators and harsh weather while the chicks are immobile.
Positioning the Chicks
The mother uses her body to maneuver younger chicks into place for feeding.
Preventing Hypothermia
On colder nights, mother hummingbirds may hunker down in the nest with wings spread over the chicks.
Teaching Self-Feeding
As the fledglings learn to fly and forage, the mother shows them flower and feeder locations.
Hummingbird mothers are single parents. All the parenting duties fall on her until the chicks can live independently.
Do Male Hummingbirds Help Care for Babies?
Male hummingbirds play no role in caring for eggs or chicks. Here are some reasons why hummingbird dads don’t help:
- Female hummingbirds lay eggs with or without a mate.
- They may mate with multiple males in one season.
- Male hummingbirds do not remain paired with a female to raise offspring.
- Their high-energy lifestyle prevents them from settling down to nest.
- Male hummingbirds may actively chase away females and attack chicks.
With no long-term bonds between specific males and females, it makes sense male hummingbirds are not involved parents. The females take on all parenting duties themselves.
Do Multiple Baby Hummingbirds Share a Nest?
It’s common for multiple baby hummingbirds to share a nest. Here’s an overview:
- Hummingbird clutch sizes are typically 2 eggs (range 1-3 eggs)
- The eggs hatch a day apart, yielding sibling nestmates
- The chicks are fed, brooded, and cared for together
- They leave the nest within a day of each other once ready
Sharing a nest helps keep the chicks warm. It also ensures they develop social skills and feeding competition before independence.
In rare cases, a female hummingbird may reuse a nest and lay new eggs before the current chicks have fledged. This results in chicks of different ages sharing the nest.
Can You Hold Baby Hummingbirds?
It’s best not to touch or handle baby hummingbirds. Here are some reasons to avoid it:
- The mother won’t feed chicks that have human scent on them.
- It can expose the chicks to diseases and parasites.
- The chicks are very fragile and can be injured easily.
- Handling may cause them to fledge prematurely.
- Stress from handling can be fatal to the tiny chicks.
If you must handle a baby hummingbird, adhere to these guidelines:
- Wash hands thoroughly first to minimize scent transfer.
- Cup the chick gently without restricting movement.
- Never turn them upside down as this can be harmful.
- Return them to nest quickly so the mother can resume feeding.
- Avoid handling chicks younger than 1 week old if possible.
It’s safest for the babies to remain in the nest undisturbed as much as possible.
How Do You Identify Baby Hummingbird Sex?
It’s extremely difficult to determine the sex of baby hummingbirds. Here are some key points:
- Nestling hummingbirds look identical regardless of sex.
- Juvenile males and females have similar plumage.
- Distinct dimorphism in adults doesn’t emerge until first molt.
- DNA testing is the only reliable method to sex young hummingbirds.
- Banding leg numbers may reveal sex once adult plumage appears.
For nestlings and fledglings, observation of behaviors like aggression or vocalizations can provide clues to sex. Otherwise, sexing young hummingbirds is a guessing game until their adult feathers grow in.
Do Baby Hummingbirds Spend Winter with Their Mother?
Baby hummingbirds do not overwinter with their mothers. Here’s why:
- Most hummingbirds are solitary outside of breeding season.
- Young hummingbirds depart on their own fall migration.
- Each hummingbird needs its own feeding territory in winter.
- There is no further parental care after the babies fledge.
- Their high metabolisms require them to keep moving and feeding.
Hummingbirds don’t maintain family units or flocks. The bond between mother and chick is temporary, ending once the young can survive solo.
Conclusion
To summarize, baby hummingbirds remain under their mother’s attentive care for 3-4 weeks. After hatching, they develop in the nest for 18-22 days until fledging. The mother feeds them regurgitated food every 10-20 minutes during this period. Once they can fly well, the hummingbird chicks leave the nest. The mother still feeds and watches over them for a few days but soon leaves them to live independently. At this point, the young hummingbirds disperse to find their own food and shelter.
