Hummingbird Nests

[macrocarpa]

Anybody ever find hummingbird nests? I've probably found between 15-20 of them this last year pruning red maple street trees (only take them in the winter). Possibly one benefit of having red maples with girdling roots and low vigor is the lichen habitat created on the trunks and branches making for good hummingbird nesting material. They use lichens and spiderwebs to make these cool little nests. I don't understand why they would nest in a street tree though.

 

[southsoundtree]

Cool.

I'll know what to look for.

We have two types, a year-rounder, and a migratory HB.

Water features, like rocks with a water tube bubbling out of them make good spots for hummingbirds. Some seem to surf.

 

[DSMc]

Interesting. I found one in a Norway maple that also happened to be a street tree.
Really hard little buggers to spot, but also really cool when you do.

 

[john.massing]

Yeah, I have found Ruby throated hummingbird nests in sugar maples and white oaks near houses in central and southern Indiana.

 

[Dan Cobb]

Thanks for sharing. Hummingbird nests weren't even something I thought about having on my radar. We have lots of (migratory) hummingbirds in my area, so they're nesting somewhere.

 

[TreeVB]

I have seen a few but not many. I don’t want to think of how many may have been missed during “operations” . I did have a pretty cool experience last year where I ran into 3 baby humming birds on a twig about 3 feet from my face (cute!). Mom flew up and fed them from her beak and paid zero attention to me. Had to have been a nest close by and probably out for life lessons.

 

[27RMT0N]

Depending on the year I get massive swarms at my house and go through.... 2-3 gallons of nectar a week? Can't remember, this last summer I had a fraction of previous years for whatever reason.

Since I work mostly in doug firs and they don't seem to nest there I rarely find them, but I occasionally do in other species.