What color are the eggs of a hummingbird?

Hummingbirds are some of the smallest and most colorful birds in the world. Known for their ability to hover and fly backwards, hummingbirds have captured the fascination of people for centuries. One interesting fact about hummingbirds is the vibrant colors of their tiny eggs, which vary across different species.

Eggs Come in Different Shades

The eggs laid by hummingbirds are very small, similar to the size of a jellybean. But don’t let the small size fool you – the color diversity among hummingbird eggs is astounding. While chicken and robin eggs are commonly white or light blue, hummingbird eggs come in a rainbow of shades.

Some species lay eggs that are solid white, resembling white pearls. Other species have eggs that are speckled in brown or tan. Some of the most vibrant hummingbird eggs are brightly colored all over in shades of blue, green, or even red-orange.

The specific colors and patterns vary between the over 300 different hummingbird species. Here are some examples of the diverse egg colors:

• Ruby-throated Hummingbird – White
• Black-chinned Hummingbird – Pale blue or green with dark speckles
• Anna’s Hummingbird – Milky white with blotches or spots
• Costa’s Hummingbird – Creamy white
• Rufous Hummingbird – White with fine reddish speckles
• Allen’s Hummingbird – White with heavy reddish-brown speckles
• Broad-tailed Hummingbird – White
• Buff-bellied Hummingbird – Pale green
• Blue-throated Hummingbird – Bright turquoise blue
• Amethyst Woodstar – Pinkish
• Green-breasted Mango – Green
• Giant Hummingbird – Creamy or yellowish with reddish spots

Egg Color Significance

The vibrant egg colors are not just for show – they serve important purposes for the survival of the chicks. The speckles and blotches provide camouflage to hide the eggs from potential predators when the mother hummingbird is away from the nest.

Hummingbirds build very small, compact nests in trees and shrubs, so the mother cannot sit on the eggs constantly. The colored patterns help the eggs blend in with their surroundings. Species that live in dark forests tend to have darker egg markings, while birds in lighter meadows have lighter eggs.

The pigments may also strengthen the egg shell and provide protection against bacteria that could harm the developing chicks. Overall, the diversity of hummingbird egg colors reflects the wide variety of environments that different hummingbird species inhabit.

How Egg Color Is Determined

The specific colors and markings that end up on a hummingbird’s eggs are influenced by both genetics and environment. The mother’s genes control the basic palette from which the egg colors can be chosen. However, factors like the mother’s health and diet during egg formation also affect the final egg color.

Hummingbirds that eat plenty of colorful pigment-rich foods like berries, flowers, and insects during egg development will lay more vividly colored eggs. A hummingbird in poor health may produce paler eggs than normal.

The mother is able to selectively deposit pigments onto the egg as she forms it inside her body. So while her genes limit the overall possibilities, the mother hummingbird has some control over the specific speckles and markings that camouflage the egg based on her habitat.

Hummingbird Nesting and Egg Laying

Hummingbirds go through an elaborate nesting and egg laying process to produce their colorful eggs:

1. The mother hummingbird chooses a nesting site in a protected location such as a tree branch or shrub.
2. She collects soft plant down and spider webs to build a tiny nest about the size of a walnut.
3. The mother lays two pea-sized eggs per clutch, usually on consecutive days.
4. She incubates the eggs for about 2 weeks before they hatch.
5. Once hatched, the tiny hummingbird chicks are fed regurgitated food by the mother.
6. After a month in the nest, the chicks are ready to fledge and leave on their own.

Female hummingbirds put a tremendous amount of energy into producing eggs and rearing the chicks. As solitary parents without the help of a male hummingbird, they must build the nest, lay the eggs, incubate them, and find enough food to feed the chicks once they hatch.

Given their small size, laying just two eggs per clutch is biologically taxing. But it allows the mother to give adequate care and nourishment to ensure both chicks survive.

Threats and Predators

Hummingbird eggs face many threats in the wild after being laid:

• Severe weather such as hail or high winds can knock nests from trees and shrubs.
• Nests may be raided by snakes, squirrels, jays, crows, or cats if camouflage fails.
• Parasitic insects may lay eggs in the nest alongside the hummingbird eggs.
• Fungus or bacteria could infect the eggs, causing them to rot.
• If the mother hummingbird is killed, the eggs will be abandoned.

With all these potential dangers, hummingbird eggs have relatively low odds of survival. But the dynamic colors and camouflaging patterns give them a higher chance of making it through the incubation period intact.

Hummingbird Egg Identification

If you find a tiny colored egg in a nest, how can you identify if it belongs to a hummingbird? Here are some tips:

• Size – Hummingbird eggs are very small, about half the size of a jellybean. Any egg bigger than a pea is not a hummingbird egg.
• Shape – Hummingbird eggs are oval or elliptical rather than spherical.
• Color – Look for solid or speckled colors besides white or blue. Green, orange, red and pinkish indicate a hummingbird egg.
• Nest – Confirm the egg is in a very small cup nest made of plant down and spider webs.

If you find an egg matching this description, observing from a distance is recommended. Getting too close could disturb the mother and cause her to abandon the nest.

What to Do if You Find an Egg

If you find a hummingbird nest with eggs, here are some tips:

• Do not touch or move the eggs – this can cause the mother to abandon them.
• Avoid visiting or photographing the nest frequently, which can stress the mother.
• Do not remove natural nest camouflage or vegetation around the nest.
• Check from a distance to see if a hummingbird is still actively caring for the eggs.
• Avoid the use of flash photography or prolonged time near the nest.

Unless the eggs appear damaged, dead, or clearly abandoned, the best option is to leave the nest undisturbed. This gives the eggs the greatest chance to hatch and the hummingbird chicks to safely fledge under their mother’s care.

If you have evidence the eggs have been abandoned, contacting a local wildlife rehabilitation center is recommended. They have the proper training, permits, and resources to try incubating abandoned hummingbird eggs if viable.

Incubating and Hatching Hummingbird Eggs

Incubating hummingbird eggs to achieve hatching is extremely challenging for the average person. However, wildlife rehabilitators sometimes incubate eggs to help propagate endangered species or repopulate areas after disasters.

Here are some key tips for properly incubating hummingbird eggs:

• Use an incubator that allows maintaining a temperature of 99-102°F with stable humidity around 60%.
• Turn the eggs at least three times per day by hand to prevent sticking to the shell interior.
• Candle the eggs periodically to check viability – non-viable eggs will be opaque all over.
• Disinfect the incubator between batches to prevent disease transmission.
• Once hatched, the chicks need specialized hand-feeding round-the-clock every 20 minutes.

Without proper training and permits, incubating hummingbird eggs at home is not recommended. But authorized facilities can have success rates of 65-75% hatching and rearing hummingbirds.

Key Challenges of Incubation

Some key challenges faced during hummingbird egg incubation include:

• Their tiny size makes the eggs extremely fragile and susceptible to errors.
• Maintaining precise temperature and humidity levels 24/7 is critical but difficult.
• Turning the tiny eggs without harming them requires specialized tools.
• Hummingbird chicks have very specific nutritional needs that must be met for them to survive once hatched.

Without the mother’s constant body heat and turning of the eggs during natural incubation, reproducing the process artificially in captivity is immensely tricky. But it can be done successfully by experts to help conserve rare hummingbirds.

Conclusion

While all hummingbird eggs are very small, their colors are surprisingly varied across different species. The vibrant colors serve as camouflage while also being determined in part by the mother’s health and diet. Hummingbird eggs face many threats so must be laid in protective nests and incubated constantly to hatch successfully. While difficult, authorized facilities can successfully incubate abandoned hummingbird eggs in captivity. So next time you see a hummingbird, admire its bright colors, but also appreciate the beauty of its well-camouflaged eggs!