The Lucifer Hummingbird is a small yet fiery species native to the southwestern United States and Mexico. These tiny birds get their name from the iridescent reddish-orange feathers on the male’s throat that seem to glow like fire in the right light. Though diminutive in size, Lucifer Hummingbirds are aggressively territorial and will defend their nests fiercely against intruders.
Lucifer Hummingbird nests are intricate structures woven together with spider silk, lichen, and plant down. The nest’s cup-like shape with thick walls provides insulation and protection for the eggs and chicks within. Hummingbirds are resourceful builders, using flexible materials that allow their nests to shift and stretch as the young birds grow. Nests are typically built on branches away from the main trunk, safely out of reach from most predators.
Understanding where and how Lucifer Hummingbirds build their nests provides insight into their behavior and breeding habits. This article will explore the key requirements, placement, materials, and construction process that makes the Lucifer Hummingbird’s nest special.
What is the preferred location and placement?
Lucifer Hummingbirds usually build their nests along canyon bottoms, creekbeds, or desert washes where water and flowering plants are readily available. Though they occasionally nest in trees, they prefer constructing their nests low down on horizontal branches or in shrubs and cacti around 3-10 feet above ground.
This lower placement likely serves multiple purposes. Staying closer to the ground helps stabilize the nest in windy canyon conditions. It also makes it easier for the female to access the nest while sitting on eggs or brooding young chicks. Lower placement away from dense foliage further allows sunlight to warm the nest.
In terms of specific location, Lucifer Hummingbirds often select nest sites near the cover of rocks, crevices, or overhangs. This allows birds to dart quickly into hiding if threatened by predators. The male Lucifer Hummingbird will aggressively defend the area around the nest, chasing away any encroaching males or perceived threats.
What materials do Lucifer Hummingbirds use?
Lucifer Hummingbird nests are made from a variety of plant-based materials collected from the surrounding habitat. The bulk of the outer nest is built with soft plant down, spider silk, flowers, lichens, and bound together with sticky saliva. This forms a flexible cup-shaped base able to stretch and expand.
The interior is then lined with finer materials like feathers, wool, and the silky fibers from plant seed pods. This inner lining provides a soft, warm, and comfortable environment for the eggs and chicks. Lucifer Hummingbirds are opportunistic in utilizing available local materials.
Some common materials include:
– Plant down from cottonwood, willow, cattails, thistles
– Spider silk
– Lichens and mosses
– Feathers
– Leaf fibers
– Fine grasses
Lucifer Hummingbirds use their bill to precisely weave these materials together into a durable exposed nest. Nest thickness varies from 1⁄4 inch on the exterior to 1⁄2 inch at the base. The finished size is typically 2-2.5 inches across and 1.5-2 inches tall.
What is the typical nest construction process?
Female Lucifer Hummingbirds take the lead in nest construction with males occasionally assisting with material collection. Building the nest can take between 5-10 days depending on the availability of materials.
The process generally follows these steps:
1. Select a nest site – Female investigates potential sites and chooses one meeting key criteria like stability and shelter.
2. Make the outer shell – Female weaves together a loose cup-shaped base of down, spider silk, lichens using sticky saliva.
3. Line the interior – Softer feather and plant fibers added for cushioning. Materials pressed in with the female’s body.
4. Add camouflage – Lichen and flowers meticulously attached to the exterior help the nest blend in.
5. Consider climate control – On hot days, the female may weave a canopy over the nest for shade.
6. Inspect and adjust – Female continues adjusting and firming up the nest right up until the eggs are laid.
Lucifer Hummingbird nest construction takes time and energy, but the result is a durable, expandable structure ready to safely harbor the next generation. The nest must withstand strong desert winds and sudden rainstorms while keeping the tiny occupants warm and dry.
How are the nests reused?
Lucifer Hummingbirds exhibit some interesting nesting behaviors including occasionally reusing and repairing old nests from previous years. A study observing banded Lucifer Hummingbirds over multiple seasons found that females returned to the same general nesting areas.
Females were observed adding material to old nests or fully reusing intact nests from previous years to lay their new clutch of eggs. At high quality nest locations, reuse may occur for 2-3 consecutive years.
There are several potential benefits to reusing an old nest:
– **Saves time and energy** – A repaired nest takes less effort than building a new one from scratch. The female can allocate more energy to laying eggs.
– **Utilizes a proven site** – Returning to an area with good food, shelter and safety makes sense. The old nest is a sturdy pre-tested structure.
– **Offers insulation** – An old nest likely has a thicker wall and interior lining providing better insulation than a new nest.
– **Deters competition** – Other female hummingbirds may avoid trying to claim an occupied nest.
However, there are also risks to reusing an old nest including:
– **Higher parasite load** – Old nests may harbor more mites and other parasites.
– **Limited expandability** – An old nest’s walls are less flexible to accommodate growing chicks.
– **Discovery by predators** – Nest locations can become known to predators over time if not adequately camouflaged.
To balance the trade-offs, a female Lucifer Hummingbird may elect to build an entirely new nest periodically even when suitable old nests are available. Like all things in nature, adaptive nesting strategies help ensure the health and success of future generations.
How many broods does a nest typically support?
The Lucifer Hummingbird nest is built to withstand the elements and safely harbor their eggs and chicks through multiple breeding attempts in a season. While they can have up to 3-4 broods annually, 2 broods is more common in a mating period.
Here are some insights on activity within a single Lucifer Hummingbird nest during a breeding season:
– **1st brood** – The initial clutch contains 2 tiny white eggs averaging 0.3 inches long. The female incubates for 14-16 days. Hatchlings fledge in 18-22 days.
– **Nest maintenance** – The female picks old feathers and waste from the nest after the 1st brood fledges before the next use.
– **2nd brood** – Within a few weeks, the female lays another clutch of 2 eggs, incubates and raises another brood in the same nest.
– **Abandonment** – The nest is sturdy but degrades with exposure to weather. After raising 2 broods, the female abandons the nest and may build a new one the next year.
With multiple clutches, a Lucifer Hummingbird nest may support 4-6 eggs and hatchlings in a single breeding season. The durable cup-shaped structure with insulating walls protects the little developing hummingbirds through each brood.
How long do the nests and eggs survive?
A Lucifer Hummingbird nest can endure for multiple brooding cycles within a breeding season if not damaged by weather or predators. But most nests do not survive far past that due to degradation. Exposure to sun, wind, and rain slowly weakens the nest materials. Spider webs and delicate lichens become brittle and start falling away.
Nests may survive for 2-3 breeding seasons if repaired and maintained by the female each year prior to egg laying. But most are built anew annually. Fragile eggs can only survive 2-3 weeks at most before hatching or being predated if the nest is abandoned. In nature, the continuation of the species depends on new nests built and new eggs laid each spring.
Conclusion
The Lucifer Hummingbird’s specialized nest is a key part of its reproductive success and survival in the demanding desert environments of the southwest. Selecting sturdy, insulating materials and diligently weaving them into a durable exposed cup-shape helps protect their eggs and offspring.
Females exhibit remarkable precision and adaptability when building, rebuilding, and siting nests in optimal locations across territories and breeding seasons. Understanding the materials, construction techniques, placement strategy, and reuse behaviors gives us a glimpse into the Lucifer Hummingbird’s behavioral patterns.
While small, the Lucifer Hummingbird has clearly mastered the architecture and engineering required to raise new generations. Their skillfully built nests serve as protective cradles ensuring the continuation of the species in the wild.
