Hummingbird Migration: Citizen Scientists Track Hummingbird Migration with Journey North

Hummingbirds

Getting Down to Business
April 28, 2017 By Mary Hosier

Many hummingbirds have arrived at their breeding grounds where the females are busy with nest-building chores.

rufous in the pollen
"Saw both male and female today. Looks like she's building a nest."
– James DeReuil in Pensacola, Florida on April 22nd.

The migration is in full force now with many reporting earlier than average first sightings, including one in Nova Scotia that rode the southern wind in mid-April.

"Single male. Earliest sighting for 15 years."
Madison, Wisconsin on April 24th.

"We saw a male ruby-throat briefly out the living room window. It flew to where we usually have a feeder. It was a warm day. Then we got 4" of snow overnight. Haven't seen it again."
Sydney, Nova Scotia on April 16th.

Rufous On Schedule
Each year as temperatures in high elevations warm up and early flowers bloom, Rufous hummingbirds travel east into the U.S. and Canadian high country.

"One male, right on schedule. He stayed for a few minutes and then was gone; he said he had some serious courting to do."
Liberty Lake, Washington on April 23rd.

"First male Rufous for 2017. We're lakeside in the 'Okanagan flyway.' He drank for 2 minutes, then flew along the migration path over the lake, much like he was "filling up" before resuming on the highway northward."
Osoyoos, British Columbia on April 21st.

Western Species
Calliope hummingbirds were reported along the Washington and British Columbian border. Many Broad-tailed and Black-chinned reported from the Colorado Rockies.

In the Rain

First Female

First Calliope

Building a Nest
What Materials do Hummingbirds Use to Build a Nest?

When female hummers arrive and mate in the spring, they know by instinct to build a nest for their young. These little homes must be strong yet soft and stretchy enough to hold fast-growing nestlings. The nest must also protect nestlings from cold, rain, and predators. That's no easy task!

Nest_Building Instinct When female hummers arrive and mate in the spring, they know by instinct to build a nest for their young. These little homes must be strong yet soft and stretchy enough to hold fast-growing nestlings. The nest must also protect nestlings from cold, rain, and predators. That's no easy task!

Nesting Materials Look closely at this hummingbird nest. What materials do you think were used to build it?

Why are fluffy dandelion seed heads good material for a hummingbird's nest? Fluffy down from dandelions and other plants is soft, waterproof, and easy for hummers to work with. It also keeps cold air out of the nest. A hummingbird can find lots of dandelion down floating about in the spring!

Dandelion Seed Heads Why are fluffy dandelion seed heads good material for a hummingbird's nest? Fluffy down from dandelions and other plants is soft, waterproof, and easy for hummers to work with. It also keeps cold air out of the nest. A hummingbird can find lots of dandelion down floating about in the spring!

Cattail flower seed heads were once used inside blankets and pillows. People also stuffed them into shoes for warm insulation. Where are these seed heads placed? Plant down is usually too white for the outside of the nest, but perfect on the inside. The down is soft and warm next to a hatchling's fragile bare skin.

Cattail Flower Seed Heads Cattail flower seed heads were once used inside blankets and pillows. People also stuffed them into shoes for warm insulation. Where are these seed heads placed? Plant down is usually too white for the outside of the nest, but perfect on the inside. The down is soft and warm next to a hatchling's fragile bare skin.

Spider silk is a good nesting material because it is easy to find, strong as steel, sticky enough to hold plant materials together, and waterproof. A hummer can easily grasp it with its tiny beak. Best of all, it's the stretchiest material available. This allows the nest to grow with the babies!

Spider Web Silk Spider silk is a good nesting material because it is easy to find, strong as steel, sticky enough to hold plant materials together, and waterproof. A hummer can easily grasp it with its tiny beak. Best of all, it's the stretchiest material available. This allows the nest to grow with the babies!

A lichen is an organism containing both a fungus and an algae. Why would hummingbirds place lichens on the outside of a nest? Lichens are tiny, strong for their weight, easy for a tiny hummer to work with, and waterproof. Because their color provides camouflage in trees, lichens are usually placed on the outside of nests.

Lichens A lichen is an organism containing both a fungus and an algae. Why would hummingbirds place lichens on the outside of a nest? Lichens are tiny, strong for their weight, easy for a tiny hummer to work with, and waterproof. Because their color provides camouflage in trees, lichens are usually placed on the outside of nests.

A female hummingbird forms the soft lip of the cup-shaped nest by pressing fluffy materials between her bill, chin, and chest as she rotates her body. She might use a bit of sticky resin from a pine tree to hold it all together.

Soft Fluff and Sticky Resin A female hummingbird forms the soft lip of the cup-shaped nest by pressing fluffy materials between her bill, chin, and chest as she rotates her body. She might use a bit of sticky resin from a pine tree to hold it all together.

It takes a female hummingbird about 5-6 days to build a nest that will be just right for incubating tiny eggs and cradling growing hatchlings. Use the penny and toothpick to estimate the size of this hummingbird nest.

Tiny Bird, Tiny Nest It takes a female hummingbird about 5-6 days to build a nest that will be just right for incubating tiny eggs and cradling growing hatchlings. Use the penny and toothpick to estimate the size of this hummingbird nest.

A nest is a little home — strong, soft, and stretchy — built in a place that will protect nestlings from cold, rain, and predators. How do you think this nest location will help the mother and her nestlings survive?

Home Safe Home A nest is a little home — strong, soft, and stretchy — built in a place that will protect nestlings from cold, rain, and predators. How do you think this nest location will help the mother and her nestlings survive?

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Driving Question

What materials do hummingbirds use to build the perfect nest?

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Next Update May 5, 2017