Hummingbird Blog - Page 4 of 9 - Hummingbird Pictures

How small is a hummingbird nest?

Compared to things we handle everyday, just how small is a hummingbird nest? It is hard to tell, so I took photos of an empty hummingbird nest with small coins next to it for size comparison. Take a look at these pictures of one Anna’s Hummingbird nest, first with the baby in it, then later next to pennies (or cents) from the U.S., Canada, Great Britian and Europe.

Before – the hummingbird nest with one baby

Close up picture of a hummingbird nest with a baby hummingbird. This side view shows the nest on twigs. — Hummingbird nest with one baby – before

It was late in the season and getting hot by the time this baby hummingbird fledged. The mother hummingbird would not reuse the nest this year. The nest was in a low tree branch, about 6 to 7 feet (2 meters) off the ground. After the nest had been empty for about a week, I came back with step ladder, coins, and double-stick tape.

Hummingbird nest with coin – United States penny

Close up picture answers how small is a hummingbird nest by showing a U.S. penny next to the nest. — Same hummingbird nest – now empty – with US penny

Here is a U.S. penny next to the nest. The nest has dried and shrunken a little bit since it has been empty. But the penny’s size still shows how tiny the hummingbird nest is.

Hummingbird nest with coin – Canadian penny

Close up picture of a Canadian penny next to a hummingbird nest. — Same empty hummingbird nest – Canadian penny

Here is the hummingbird nest compared to a Canadian penny. Anna’s Hummingbirds nest along the West coast of Canada.

Hummingbird nest with coin – British penny

Close up picture of a hummingbird nest next to a British penny to answer how small is a hummingbird nest. — Same empty hummingbird nest – British penny

Here it is compared to a British penny. This is for our British viewers – sorry no hummingbirds outside of the Americas.

Hummingbird nest with coin – Euro cent

Close up photo of a Euro cent coin next to a hummingbird nest for size comparison — Same empty hummingbird nest – Euro cent

And a Euro cent coin. This is for our viewers across Europe. Again, no hummingbirds in Europe. Hummingbirds are only found in the Americas (with the majority in South and Central America).

Hummingbird nest with ruler

Picture of an empty hummingbird nest from above with a ruler next to it. How small is a hummingbird nest? The ruler shows less than 2 inches. — A different empty hummingbird nest with a ruler

Here is a picture from above of another empty, well-used Anna’s Hummingbird nest. See the post on a different Anna’s Hummingbird nest over time for more photos of this nest. The nest measured less than 2 inches (~ 5 cm). Go here to see this nest with the tiny eggs in it.

Thanks for coming by. Check out some of our other picture posts, nesting posts, or return home.

Magnificent Hummingbird

The Magnificent Hummingbird is a big, beautiful hummingbird.

At least, the Magnificent Hummingbird is big compared to most of the other hummingbirds found in the United States. The Magnificent is 4.5 to 5.25 inches. Most hummingbird species in the US are between 3 and 4 inches long.

It has the bright colors of a tropical hummingbird, but you can see the Magnificent Hummingbird in some canyons in the southwestern United States. The birds come in from Mexico. We were amazed the first time we saw one at Ramsey Canyon Preserve. And when this large and loud hummingbird shows up at a feeder, you know it.

Same bird, different look

This is a hummingbird that likes the shade. It is not always easy to see the bright blue green on its gorget (throat) and the purple colors on its forehead. Many times, the Magnificent Hummingbird looks like a dark silhouette on its perch.

Side view of a male Magnificent Hummingbird

In the photo above, the male Magnificent’s gorget and head have not caught the light. Its head and gorget appear very dark. From the distance, no color is visible.

Male Magnificent Hummingbird colors

Here he has turned his head and the sunlight hit him just right. You’ll notice that this picture does not show his bright purple forehead – it depends on your angle of view. And on luck. This photo and the one above it were taken seconds apart.

Female Magnificent Hummingbird

The female is not as colorful or as dark. The females seem to be more shy than the males.

A Big but Shy Hummingbird

The Magnificent Hummingbird is surprisingly big hummingbird for the U.S. It stands out when you see it.

Magnificent Hummingbird: 4.5 to 5.25 inches long
Ruby-throated Hummingbird: 3.25 to 3.75 inches long
Anna’s Hummingbird: 3.5 to 4 inches long*

The Magnificent’s wing humming sounds loud and low compared to the smaller hummingbirds.

The Magnificent is somewhat shy and perches back in the trees at feeding stations. But it can be assertive with smaller hummingbirds at feeders. Males will often chase each other, vocalizing as they fly about the feeding station and brush.

See a Magnificent Hummingbird

Here are the places we have seen one or more Magnificent Hummingbirds during spring and summer. Bring your binoculars since the Magnificents can be skittish, and you’ll want to look at them perching in nearby trees.

Each of the sites currently allows day visitors for a small cash donation. Make sure you check their hours. Some stay open late, some do not.

Miller Canyon – Beatty’s Guest Ranch at the CAS
Cave Creek – Southwestern Research Station
Nature Conservancy Ramsey Canyon Preserve
Ash Canyon B&B
Cave Creek Ranch

This list is not comprehensive. There are other locations that allow day access, including other Bed and Breakfast places. Check the Arizona birding listserv and other birding sites. Ask around once you are in the area.

Photos were taken in 2014 at Miller Canyon near Sierra Vista, Arizona and at feeding stations on Cave Creek, near Portal, Arizona.

Thanks for coming by. Check out some of our other picture posts or return home.

*Source: A Field Guide to the Hummingbirds of North America by Sheri Williamson

Hummingbird tongue

Here’s a look at a hummingbird tongue. This young hummingbird took a quick break from feeding on flowers to perch.

If you see a hummingbird perch immediately after feeding from a flower or feeder, that’s a good time to watch for the long hummingbird tongue. The hummingbird extends its tongue out for a second, then draws it back in. It might do this a few, quick times, then it might move onto cleaning its feathers (preening). Sometimes the tongue is visible when the bird is preening.

Broad-tailed Hummingbird tongue

This young Broad-tailed Hummingbird was preening and out came its tongue. It can be tough to see the tongue since it is mostly transparent.

It’s funny to see a hummingbird tongue. And interesting, even to scientists. Biologists are still working out just how the hummingbird tongue does its job.

Hummingbird tongue

The hummingbird tongue has grooves, is very flexible, and splits at the tip. Biologists are using high speed video cameras to look at how the tongue captures and moves nectar. The main question seems to be whether the hummingbird tongue uses “capillary action” or traps fluid or both.

With “capillary action”, the idea is that the tongue does not work like a straw but that the tongue’s grooves and shape allow the nectar to flow upward. Think of capillary action like the nectar creeping up the tongue (very quickly) once the tip of the tongue is in nectar. This idea has been around for many, many years.

Then a study came out in 2011 that showed something new. The study showed that the split tongue tip opens when it touches nectar. The tongue tip then closes when the tongue is drawn back into the beak. This traps the nectar. The biologists think the structure of the tongue makes the trap.

This was followed by a study in 2012 that found capillary action was also at work. Go here for the full 2011 technical article and here for the full 2012 technical article.

So, for now, it seems like the tongue uses both capillary action and fluid trapping.

Perhaps information gathered by studying the hummingbird tongue will be used in future engineering designs for moving fluids. Or maybe put to use in designing even better feeders.

Thanks for coming by. Check out some of our other picture posts or return home.

Hummingbird with flowers

Here are a few pictures showing a hummingbird with flowers. Each photo shows a different kind of flower.

This Anna’s Hummingbird fed from the red Penstemon at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona. This Penstemon flower stalk was drooping low rather than standing upright, so the hummingbird was fairly close to the ground when this photo was taken.

Close up photo of a hummingbird with a red spiky flower. This side view shows the hummingbird hovering with its beak pointing down to feed on a flower below it. — Young hummingbird at Red Fairy Duster

This hummingbird is one of the many young birds coming through the yard this May. The young hummingbirds are often chased away by adult Anna’s Hummingbirds. But sometimes they can quietly feed at the flowers before they are noticed.

Side view of a hummingbird hovering upright next to orange Tecoma flowers. — Hummingbird at Tecoma garrocha

This Anna’s Hummingbird hovers near a Tecoma garrocha with its orange flowers. This Tecoma is closely related to “Yellow Bells” (Tecoma stans). It is tall. The flowers are a little more sparse than Yellow Bells and the blossoms are high up and in the open. The hummingbirds feed from this plant’s flowers through the summer in our yard.

Photo of hummingbird with purple flowers. This side view shows a hummingbird in the middle of butterfly bush flower stalks.. — Rufous Hummingbird at Butterfly Bush

This Rufous Hummingbird was photographed in Washington, in the Columbia River Gorge during summer 2013. The hummingbird is either an immature bird or a female … or both. It had found a purple butterfly bush next to a stream that emptied into the Columbia River. The flowers were high above the ground and in the open.

Thanks for coming by.

Back to hummingbird blog or attract hummingbirds or home.

Mother’s Day Hummingbird

Here’s a Mother’s Day hummingbird, tending her big chicks today, May 11, 2014. It’s Mother’s Day today here in the U.S. and in many parts of the world.

We think this hummingbird mom is the same Anna’s Hummingbird who already successfully raised a brood of chicks this season. But there is no way to really know. The hummingbird babies in this nest are about to fledge. One of them was practicing wing flapping this morning.

There are many other hummingbird mom pictures in these recent posts: Desert Botanical Garden nests, a nest in the Aviary at Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, and a mother feeding a fledgling. Older posts: a mother feeding young babies, and a mother sitting the nest.

Happy Mother’s Day to all moms and their families!

Back to home.