Hummingbirds build nests that are engineering wonders designed for safety and expansion. Their home is typically no larger than a golf ball or a half-dollar coin. These nests are notoriously difficult to find, often camouflaged so expertly that they appear to be nothing more than a natural knot or a bump on a branch.
Who Builds the Nest and Where it is Located
The entire process of nest building, incubation, and raising the young is undertaken solely by the female hummingbird. After mating, the male bird plays no role in the family unit and provides no assistance with construction or feeding.
The female selects a location that offers cover and protection from predators. Nests are often situated on thin, downward-sloping branches, frequently in trees like oak, birch, or poplar, generally between 10 and 40 feet above the ground. The choice of a slender branch is strategic, as it makes the nest less accessible to heavier, climbing predators.
The female begins by securing a foundation of spider silk to the chosen branch, creating a sturdy anchor point for the structure. She then uses her body, feet, and bill to meticulously shape and compact the developing cup. The finished nest is a compact, deep cup, usually placed a foot or so out from the trunk, where the surrounding foliage offers natural concealment.
The Materials Used in Construction
The hummingbird nest is built with materials that give it both strength and elasticity. The main structural component is soft, pliable plant down, which the female collects from sources like thistles, dandelions, or cattails. This fluffy material is packed tightly to form the bowl, providing excellent insulation for the small eggs and hatchlings.
The use of spider silk is crucial, which the female painstakingly gathers by plucking strands from spiderwebs with her beak. This silk acts as a powerful, flexible glue, binding the plant fibers together and firmly anchoring the nest to the branch. The silk’s inherent stretchiness is purposefully incorporated into the design to allow the nest to expand as the chicks grow.
The final layer of the exterior is covered with tiny flakes of lichen, moss, or small chips of bark. These fragments are carefully “glued” onto the surface using more spider silk, providing the final touch of camouflage. This makes the nest blend seamlessly with the bark of the host tree.
From Egg to Fledgling: The Nesting Timeline
Once the nest is complete, the female typically lays a clutch of two tiny white eggs, which are about the size of a small jelly bean. The eggs are laid one at a time, usually separated by a day or two, and the female begins the incubation period immediately. She is a dedicated sitter, leaving the nest only for brief periods to quickly feed herself.
Incubation generally lasts between 14 and 20 days until the hatchlings emerge. The nestling phase is a period of intense growth fueled by a demanding feeding schedule maintained by the mother. She feeds the young a high-protein diet of partially digested insects and nectar multiple times per hour.
The chicks develop rapidly, and after about two weeks, they begin to exercise their wings while still perched in the nest cup. The fledging period, when the young birds finally leave the nest, typically occurs between 18 and 28 days after hatching. Once they take their first flight, they will continue to be fed by their mother for up to a month before gaining full independence.