Spring is here, and that means your garden is in full bloom. You are probably excited to start trimming your plants and changing the layout of your garden, but beware – you could be endangering unexpected inhabitants!
We all love hummingbirds for their unique design and their fascinating beauty. Despite your adoration of these beautiful birds, you might be less familiar with how they nest and what you can do to protect their homes from being destroyed. Luckily, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service is here to help.
As their main priority is to protect the ecology of our country, USFWS released an announcement to all nature lovers.
“Hummingbird eggs are tiny, about the size of jelly beans! Please remember to carefully check for nests before you trim trees and shrubs this spring.”
If you’ve never seen a hummingbird nest before, you are in for a treat. Weighing less less than one-tenth of an ounce, these tiny roosts are some truly works of art. These delicate nests are made out of spider webs, moss, and leaves. The female hummingbird likes to design them with bits of lichen to camouflage them from prying eyes. This is an effective tool for hiding from predators, but it also hides the hummingbird’s home from well-meaning humans who might unknowingly hurt them. These tiny marvels look like something out of a fairytale. So that is why you have to actively look for them. As tiny they are it is easy to miss them.
Hummingbirds are versatile and build their homes wherever they find the right conditions. They love gardens, especially well-maintained human gardens, because of the comfort these designed spaces offer. Hummingbirds are drawn in with bright, nectar-rich flowers, hummingbird feeders, and bird baths. If you see these fluttering friends, they are probably building a nest somewhere near you.
Those tiny beauties are harmless to humans and bring birdwatchers endless joy. It is all of our responsibility to protect the lovely life in our local ecosystem!
h.t. AnimalChannel
