What To Look For In A Hummingbird Nest

Helpless young hummingbirds need constant food

Hidden Nest
It wasn't near the marshes the Baylands are known for. If I hadn't had directions, I wouldn't have known where to look. Hummingbird nests are tiny cups of fine stems and plant down, held together by spiderweb strands and ornamented with lichen. This one hid behind a small tree's branches and leaves.

Tiny Nestlings
The wispy cup looked empty until I moved for a different view. Then I noticed the long bill and bright black eyes. Young hummingbirds are altricial - they need constant feeding, since they're helpless for nearly four weeks after hatching. Only the female bird tends them. So she's constantly foraging and returning with small invertebrates for her two chicks. She brings food about every ten or fifteen minutes for the 25 days it takes for young feathers to develop.

Keep Your Distance
If you find a nest, keep a discrete distance. Too much disturbance keeps Mom away. She may abandon the nest and leave the nestlings to starve.