Hummingbirds,
“Jewels of Nature”
©Monique F. Rea 2010
These jewels of nature wear coats of shimmering green. Some are accented with warm
golden sienna brown. The adult male wears an iridescent rust golden brown collar on his
throat and crown or an iridescent garnet ruby color.
There are blue and green ones some with purple whiskers.
Their size does not diminish their power and aerodynamic skills.
What graceful, extreme acrobats of the air. The male displays his colorful feathers
attracting prospective females. He continues to protect his territory.
The work then begins with the adult female who is skilled at nest building extraordinaire,
the sole architect. Each female uses their architectural creativity incorporating nature’s
flora design into their design.
A walnut size nest with the opening carefully shaped to hold precious cargo.
Her nest is deceivingly delicate. Made of plant fibers, pieces of leaf matter, sometimes
uses animal fur or the velvety fibers from under a Sycamore leaf. Outer nest surface is
camouflaged, concealed with bits of leaves or lichen. Woven together with spider’s silk
threads that hold firm with each bending, swaying bow. Her nest is anchored to the
branches of a formidable rose bush, a Ficus tree, wind chime, Juniper or a broad leaf plant.
She lines the nest with soft plant fluff stomping down with her determined tiny feet to
prepare for the arrival of two tiny eggs, pearls, laid two days apart.
If fortunate to watch these amazing architects and the unfolding drama, we are captured
by their beauty and dedication.
The day and days following her progeny pearl’s hatching is the beginning of the first 21
days of intense food gathering and sheltering from the elements. She collects sweet
nectar from the flowers and catches tiny insects making a tasty meal for her young as well as for herself.
We are touched by the mother’s attentiveness and in wonder of how small her babies are.
At two weeks they have their own coat of feathers, but barely poking out of the nest.
After another week there will no more room for mama. She’ll sit on a branch close by,
staying alert and continue her feeding schedule.
One of the chicks begins rapid fluttering with its wings griping onto the edge of the nest.
It will not be long before the first born will leave the nest. Two or three days later the
second chick ventures away from the nest. They have made their first step to maturity
but will need mama to feed them for another week or two. They chirp out a call so mama
can find and feed them.
The juveniles will pick their own territory and become an independent male or female. In
time and they will zoom through the air, they will hover while sipping the nectar from the
flowers and catch unsuspecting bugs. And the cycle of a hummingbird’s life expands
with the new generation. Jewels of nature will charm the garden and landscape around us.