Many people will never have the opportunity to see a hummingbird nest firsthand. I myself have never personally had the opportunity to do so and I am certain that my mom also never had the opportunity to do so either. As I sit here writing this, I cannot help think of my mom, because this is something that we both would have enjoyed. Who knows, maybe one day I myself will be fortunate enough to witness this marvel of nature and construction firsthand.
You may be wondering why it is that many people never witness a hummingbird’s nest personally. Well, I have the answer for you. The reason for this is usually because people do not know where to look for a nest or what to look for. With this in mind, I thought I would share with you some basic facts about a hummingbirds nest.
Most hummingbird species build a cup-shaped nest which is located on the branch of a tree or shrub, but there are a few tropical species of hummingbirds which normally attach their nests to leaves. The size of the nest will depend on the size of the species of hummingbird. The nest can be smaller than half of a walnut shell to several centimeters in diameter.
Many hummingbird species use spider silk is used to bind the nest material together and secure the structure to its support. Silk is used because it allows the nest to expand with the growing young. Usually, a hummingbird will lay two white eggs. Incubation lasts 15 to 19 days, depending on the hummingbird species, ambient temperature, and female attentiveness to the nest.
The mother feeds the nestlings on small arthropods and nectar by inserting her bill into the open mouth of a nestling and regurgitating the food into its crop.