Monique F. Rea Copyright 2010

• Young Hummingbirds on ground generally need to be rescued unless nest is located.  Most often sparrows & finches can be placed away from danger and placed close to where found and the parent will find and care for them.  It’s best to call your local rehabber, wildlife rescue organization or animal shelter for more specific advice for specific circumstances.
• Adult Hummingbirds trapped in garage or home are very disoriented and it presents a danger to them for lack of food and exhaustion.  Try to attract them with a hummingbird feeder near an exit to outside.  In case of high ceilings use a broom & attach a soft towel.  Reach up to them in order for them to cling to it then bring it down slowly. Take the hummer outside and carefully release from towel.  They don’t fly at night or in the dark.  Call for assistance if you need more advice.
• Adult Hummingbirds found on the ground are there for a variety of circumstances.  #1.Collision with a window.  Still upright and breathing place in safe area, offer sugar water and watch for its recovery which could take 20, 30 mins. or maybe an hour until they get their composure. Release back outside  in daylight if you brought it inside. Remember if you needed to bring hummer inside be sure to have it in a safe covered quiet location until ready to release back outside.  #2. If one has landed in a puddle of water the soaked, wet feathers prevent it from flying.  Bring in and gently dry off with towel, keep warm & out of drafts.  Offer sugar water.  Keep in a warm safe, quiet place, a box with cover & allow air flow until it has recovered (20-30mins.)  Line the container with clean rag or paper towel.  Run a twig through a box for perching while recovering.  Remember hummingbirds eat frequently. While waiting for recovery from the mishap make sure the sugar water (see recipe) is available at all times through an eye dropper or small plastic bottle cap.  When it recovers release it outside during daylight. If found after dusk and dark wait until early next morning to release.  They do not fly at night. 

• Sugar water recipe: 1 part white granulated sugar to 4 parts water and simmer 20 minutes then cool
• Call your local rehabber or wildlife rescue organization for further assistance.

Be sure to scroll down for additional notes regarding lost hummingbird nestlings or fledglings………

See hummingbirds nesting and raising their babies live.  

 1.    http://phoebeallens.com/           2.     www.ourhummingbirdnest.com   

These are two  live cams streaming one from Irvine and one from Aliso Viejo, CA.

"Hummer"

DEFINITION:  Fledgling:  is the stage of most bird’s life that is one of the most precarious.  Hasn’t really developed flying skills, prematurely may have left the nest, parent cannot carry back to the nest.  They are on the ground and vulnerable to predators.  They are fully feathered, clumsy and haven’t learned to be afraid.

 IMPORTANT:  When in doubt if the mother appears to not have returned to the nest, follow these instructions before you remove and take it to a rescue facility. 

Take a seat and make yourself comfortable.  Observe and focus on the nest without leaving the area for a minimum of 40-45 mins.  The average feeding schedule of the female hummingbird is every 15-20 mins. within each hour (sometimes a little longer).  If the mother has not returned after the 45 mins, then take it to a rehab facility.  You can call the rescue facility to prepare them in case it will be necessary to rescue the baby hummingbird.  If you confirm the mother has had a mishap, please get the baby(s) to a rehab center as soon as possible.

"Hummer"

 If a branch has been trimmed with a nest and babies:  Re-attach to another branch in close proximity.  Secure it and be sure it’s under protective cover from weather and predators as best you can.  Keep nest and old branch all together.

IMPORTANT:  Once secured and in place must watch for the return of the mother hummer.  That means stay absolutely focused on the nest sight using both your eyes and ears. (no walking away) Have a seat for the next 45 mins where you can watch the nest.  The mother’s feeding schedule averages every 15-20  mins or 3-4 times in one hour.

• Triming:  it’s best not to trim vegetation during nesting season.  Or be very, very careful to observe before cutting.

•  BABY hummers that have fallen from their nest:  go ahead and put back inside nest if nest is whole.  Carefully pick up in your hand put back in nest.  If  it doesn’t stay build another nest with egg carton section or small basket lined with soft tissue then anchor it securely to branch close to original site of the other nest and place the baby inside.  Sometimes it gets crowded and one falls out.  Again follow the IMPORTANT instructions above for confirming the return of the mother hummer. 

•  A destroyed, broken nest:  can reconstruct a nest from cardboard egg carton section lined with shredded soft tissue lining the inside (don’t use cotton balls).  Secure to the general area found. Or use a plastic strawberry basket if there is room to secure in the location.  Line bottom with soft bird nesting cotton or shredded tissue.  Make from tissue a donut roll shaped to simulate small nest to place baby hummingbird inside. 
• Again IMPORTANT follow instructions above to confirm return of mother hummer.  Be sure that the babies are nestled down inside below the lip of the newly made nest. 

• NOTE 1:   The mother hummer will rejoin with her babies & not worry what the nest is made of or whether you have touched them.  She is far more interested in feeding her babies and caring for them. 

•  NOTE 2:   If the mother hummer does not return in the time frame given, call your local rehabber who could be listed online or an animal shelter. They may have the contact person or a wildlife center’s number to call for help. 

•  NOTE 3:  If a hummer fledgling or young hummer is found and no nest in sight or an adult in trouble, CALL immediately for help.  Keep the little creature warm and secure until you can reach someone trained to help.  You may offer sugar water solution for hydration purposes (a 1-4 ratio of one part granulated white sugar to 4 parts water and simmer until dissolved, cool).  Be sure to keep sugar water off feathers.  Wick away immediately with tissue if droplets fall on feathers.  No food coloring necessary.
• IT’S IMPORTANT TO GET THEM TO THE CORRECT FACILITY ASAP so they can receive the care and food they will need. 

•  Hummingbirds on ground generally need to be rescued unless nest is located.  Most often sparrows & finches can be placed away from danger and placed close to where found and the parent will find and care for them.  Exception with hummingbirds, it’s best to call your local rehabber or animal shelter for more specific advice for specific circumstances.

“Hooked on Hummingbirds”

“Hummingbirds! Beauty & the Beast”

“Mother Hummingbirds Life”

“First Flight”

“Magic in Flight” (PBS)

 Hummingbird live cam websites: 

http://phoebeallens.com/          www.ourhummingbirdnest.com

Swallows – 8 species in 6 genera

Bahama, Bank, Barn, Cave, Cliff, Northern Rough-winged, Tree,

Violet Green

Cliff – buff & rust rump w/drk rust brown throat, wht spotted forehead

Northern-Rough-winged – grayish brown, light under side

The two most prevalent in San Juan Capistrano are the Cliff and Northern Rough-winged.

 HISTORICAL POINTS

Past 100 to 150 years the swallows have extended their range across the North America as far as Alaska to the north and to the Eastern coast in part due to the development of bridges and buildings.  They provide nesting sites.

In 1776 in Utah a Spaniard, Silvestre Velez de Escalante observed the Cliff Swallow.  The Cliff Swallow was one of the first North American birds to be described.

Spring Migration:  moving North from South America.  First arrive in Southern California early February.  Recorded on February 24, 1994 a continuous flock of swallows of 150 birds/min. 

Fall Migration: generally peak time is in August and September back to So. America.  There is little information of the migratory behavior.

Food:  flying insects

Cliff Swallows prefer nesting in colonies but can have a single nest sight.  Their tail is squared off compared to a Barn Swallow who has a distinctive forked tail (refer to my illustrations on Swallows).  Numbers can range from 200-400 nests and a site in Nebraska recorded 3700.   Courtship occurs soon after arrival and they visit nest sites future and/or existing.  Once paired up begin next building. Both male and female help to build the mud gourd shaped nest.  They gather mud in their bills along streams or new housing tracks. 

A pair can bring 44 mud pellets in a 30 min period. Approx. 7 days to build a complete nest.

Number of Eggs 4-5,   incubation 14 –16 days.  Both parents tend to eggs and young.

The Cliff Swallow has the distinctive gourd shaped nest made of hundreds of mud pellets.