We have continued to record the hummingbird’s progress as she builds her nest in our playground. Take a look at the video highlights from day 2 and 3 and see some of the amazing behaviours we have observed as she creates her home.
It’s amazing how many times the hummingbird comes and goes in a day with nest materials. She also needs to eat about every 10 minutes throughout the day. Her main diet is sugar so while she’s away from the nest she must also be off searching for flower nectar and the odd bug or two to give her protein. Usually she is back and forth every few minutes or so but sometimes she is absent for quite long periods. I have 42 minutes of video from one recording, during which she did not once come to the nest. Each time we have only seen the female hummingbird at the nest. The male is more colourful and has a purple chest. He does not help with the nest building or with taking care of the chicks.
On Day 2 the hummingbird had a very busy day continuing to collect materials (cotton, small bits of bark and leaves, feathers, spider silk and hairs from leaves), weaving and binding them together with her beak and saliva. Look closely in the video below and you’ll notice that she often seems to rub her beak back and forth on the branch. I’m not sure why? Perhaps to spread her saliva across her beak before fixing the nest? Perhaps to wind up the gathered spider silk? See also how she seems to be opening her beak. Can you see her tongue? She can take up to 13 licks a second. Maybe in doing this, she creates lots of saliva to help stick the nest bits together? She’s certainly doing a great job with camouflaging the nest – it’s pretty difficult to spot on the branch, especially for those looking at it for the first time.
We have observed that the hummingbird sometime settles on a nearby palm branch to observe for dangers before approaching the nest. Often as she arrives and leaves the nest she makes a chirping sound. Maybe this is to ward off any potential predators or dangers and or establish her territory. There are sometimes a few cats around in the playground and did you know that hummingbirds are the only bird that has an insect that will eat it? The praying mantis thinks they are yummy! It’s is also known for female hummingbirds to steal nest materials from each other’s nests! And then of course there are all the children and teachers around watching her!
Today, on Day 3, the hummingbird seems to be staying in the nest for longer periods and appears to be using her body a lot more to shape the nest. She has added some very white fluffy fluff to the rim of the nest and the edge of the cup is beginning to curve inwards. This will help protect the eggs from tipping out in high winds (it certain seems a little breezy on that branch). The spider silk that she uses will not only help to bind the nest together. It will also gives it elasticity to enlarge as the hatchlings grow.
She may take upto 5 – 7 days to create her nest so we’ll continue to post further updates in the next few days.
A very nice hummingbird building its nest.