These Baby Hummingbirds Get Their First Meal When They’re Newly Hatched & Still in the Shell

When we think of hummingbirds, speed is often the first thing that comes to mind. These fast-flying birds are practically hyperactive in their behavior, with the metabolism to prove it. Hummingbirds move at speeds that are sometimes impossible to perceive with the human eye, especially when feeding. Not surprisingly, mother birds feed their young with the same impressive speed. Here’s why the video by @thehumingbirdslover_s is so miraculous.

Feeding Straight From the Shell

Female hummingbirds are impressive mothers and can give birth to up to three broods per year, each usually having two eggs that hatch after 15 to 18 days. This happens after a female hummingbird prepares a nest, which can take up to 10 days to build. The process is long and exhausting, but hummingbirds have speed on their side. Hatchlings are equally energetic and require feeding almost immediately after hatching. In this video, we see a mother bird feeding her chicks nectar right after breaking free of their shells.

Female hummingbirds are masters at incubating their eggs. Instinct tells them when their hatchlings are ready to emerge, which is how they know to have food ready and waiting. She listens for tapping and movement within the shells, which tell her the hatchlings are on their way. Some eggs hatch a day or two after the first, which means multiple foraging trips for mom so she can be ready. This isn’t necessarily bad since it means mom can rest between hatchling feedings.

Hatchlings Emerge Looking for Food

When hummingbird hatchlings are born, they’re essentially helpless. They’re born blind and featherless, so their mother is a crucial part of their life from the start. Hatchlings cannot fly, which means adult females must bring them food and feed them until they can leave the nest. During this time, they’ll be fed a diet of nectar and small insects, according to Birdfy. Hatchlings require a significant amount of protein to grow, which happens quickly due to their metabolism.

After her eggs are hatched, a hummingbird rarely leaves the nest. Until her hatchlings are ready to fly, it’s her sole duty to stand guard, protect, and feed them. The only time she leaves is to preen and hunt, which are relatively quick trips. A hatchling’s feathers begin to come in around three weeks, and they can finally care for themselves after roughly a month. Until then, they’ll be fed several times daily to keep up with their growing metabolism demands.