Tiny Treasures: The Thimble-Sized Nests That Could Be Hiding in Your Garden

Some hummingbird species are endangered, they are absolutely tiny, fragile birds are only a few inches long and their eggs are smaller than a jelly bean.

image

Here’s some tips on how to spot them

Wildlife experts explain why everyone needs to check for tiny bird nests before pruning in garden - Good Times

“Hummingbird eggs are tiny, about the size of jelly beans! Please remember to carefully check for nests before you trim trees and shrubs.’

image

34 hummingbird species (10%) are listed as “critically endangered,” which means they have a 50/50 chance of extinction within the next ten years.

So keeping an eye out for their tiny nests while pruning is essential for their survival.

image

The nests usually are usually built on a branch with a downward-slant, and often you will find them on a branch hanging over running water or open space, according to The Hummingbird Project.

They construct their nests out of spider webs, lichen and plant matter, meaning they are extremely delicate. The lichen also does a good job of camouflaging their nests.

image

Hummingbirds, on average, flap their wings between 50-80 beats per second, making them a literal blur to the human eye, if you have ever seen a hummingbird’s wings flapping, its usually because the video has been slowed down or the hummingbird is landing.

Their metabolism is just as speedy as their wings, and their weight can change drastically over the day as they eat and burn up energy; because of this, they consume anywhere between half to 8 times of their weight in sugar daily, and the average hummingbird feeds 5-8 times per hour, thats a lot of their waking day spent feeding!

image

Their hearts can beat over 1200 times per minute! If you compare that to the average human whose heart beats around 80 times per minute, that means every time our heart beats once, the hummingbirds heart beats 20 times, it’s crazy!

Related Posts

Desert Gold Rush: The Million-Dollar Cacti Collectors Can’t Resist

Rare cactuses taken illegally from the driest place on Earth are finally going home. Cactuses in the genuses Copiapoa and Eriosyce grow in arid regions in northern Chile, such as the Atacama Desert, and a number of these species are highly …

Read more

Once-in-a-Lifetime Wonder: Giant ‘Queen of the Andes’ Flower’s Rare Century Bloom

Extremely rare and endangered, this ancient marvel known as the “Queen of the Andes” is the largest bromeliad in the world. Photo: Waldemar Niclevicz Among the 3,000 species of bromeliads out there, this one is definitely the king! At over …

Read more

Nature’s Winged Wonders: 22 Flowers That Trick Your Eyes into Seeing Birds

The easiest way to attract birds into your yard is with a colorful garden made of native plants. Meanwhile, you can enjoy the beauty of both plants and avifauna with these 22 gorgeous flowers that resemble birds: 1. Moon Orchid  Scientific …

Read more

Aurora Takes Flight: Photographer Captures Mythical Bird in Northern Lights

Below is a series of incredible photographs of the northern lights (aurora borealis), with one forming the outline of a phoenix, a mythical fire-eating bird common in a variety of ancient mythologies. Wings outstretched, the striking profile …

Read more

Cracking the Code: Mauritius’s Mysterious Underwater Fall

The іsland nаtion of Mаuritius рossesses one of the moѕt mаgnificent lаndscаpes іn the world: Underѕea wаterfаlls. However, іs thіs reаlly а wаterfаll? Mаuritius іs аn іsland сountry іn the Indіan Oсean, аbout 2,000 km from the Afrіcan сontinent. …

Read more

Earth’s Ancient Spheres: 150-Million-Year-Old Globes Rewrite History

“These spheres are believed to be approximately 150 million years old. The unique scenery of the Torysh Valley in Kazakhstan is truly remarkable. There are many stone spheres in various sizes scattered all over the surface. It seems as though …

Read more

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *