05/12/2020
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---- Look BEFORE You Lop ---
Are you pruning your shrubs or trimming your patio plants? Be on the lookout for these tiny, walnut-sized nests.
Mother hummingbirds spend about 4 hours each day for 5-7 days to make perfect nests for their babies. After finding a spot that is the right temperature, under cover to protect from rain, and safely tucked away from strong winds, mother hummingbirds will set out to find the best materials for her nest.
She likes to use soft material like moss and lichen, bits of cotton, soft plant pieces, dryer lint, and leaf hairs. Mother hummingbirds will camouflage the nest with small sticks, seeds, and plant pieces. She will hold it all together with spider webs which allow the nest to stretch and flex as the baby hummingbirds grow.
Mother hummingbird will usually lay 2 eggs which are about the size of a small jellybean. Incubation is 16-18 days. When her babies hatch, they will weigh about 0.62 grams or 1/3 the weight of a dime. In a little over 3 weeks, the babies will fledge. Mother hummingbirds may then begin preparation for a second brood.
Photo Credit US Fish and Wildlife.
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