How long do you think it will take for a hummingbird egg to hatch? One of the primary ways of enjoying nature is by watching birds and enjoying these lovely creatures playing around nature.
Watching the bright feathered hummingbirds is a great way of doing this for a lot of people. From chirping to whistling to buzzes and humming songs, the hummingbird is a beauty to behold.
This article gives a quick detail that will enlighten you on the length of time that passes before the eggs hatch.
So, the details in this article should give you guidance on how long it will take for a hummingbird egg to hatch. We will also look into other related info you should be aware of. So, let’s begin.
What Colors Are Hummingbird Eggs: How Long Does It Take For A Hummingbird Egg To Hatch
Hummingbirds usually lay dull white eggs. The color of their eggs is mostly dull white.
Researchers believe the color of the egg goes a long way to show how protected the embryo will be within the shell.
Where the egg is dark in color, the embryos are more protected from harmful UV rays. However, bright-colored eggs and white eggs give very little UV ray protection to the embryo.
If you are lucky enough to come in contact with a hummingbird egg, do well not to touch it. This does not happen very often as the bird likes to keep its egg in discrete locations.
Being around the egg and being in contact with the egg may scare the bird away. Such presence may even alert predators to the presence of such eggs.
It is, therefore, best to keep a reasonable distance away from the eggs of a hummingbird. If they must be observed, it should be from a distance and with a binocular.
What Is The Size And Number Of A Hummingbird Eggs?
Hummingbirds usually lay small clutches of eggs. Two is the number laid by most hummingbirds and they don’t usually lay more than this.
The eggs are usually very small when compared with the eggs of other birds. The size of an average hummingbird can be likened to a small jelly bean or a coffee bean. Considering the size of the eggs, they usually do not weigh so much.
Hummingbird’s eggs can weigh as little as 0.4 grams to 1.4 grams. They are also a little less than half an inch long.
But considering the size of the hummingbird, the eggs are not out of proportion in terms of size. The egg laid by the hummingbird usually weighs about 17 percent of the weight of the hummingbird that laid it.
How Long Does It Take For A Hummingbird Egg To Hatch: Hummingbird Gestation
A period of two to three weeks usually elapses between when the hummingbird eggs are laid and when they get hatched. The two eggs laid aren’t laid at the same time. One egg is laid first then the other will follow.
Incubation is roughly around 14 to 18 days. Incubation can also take as long as 21 days when the weather is cold. But incubation will only commence when the second egg is laid.
A period of incubation is usually required before the chicks can hatch. This falls within the two to three weeks period.
The incubation period is usually handled by the female birds alone. This means the bird has to feed itself at the same time provide the necessary warmth for incubation to the egg.
This usually requires constant visits to the nest within these two to three weeks time frame. But once the offspring have hatched and grown feathers to become independent, the mother will leave them to be on their own.
How Long Do Hummingbirds Care For Their Young?
After the eggs have been hatched, the hummingbirds usually dedicate some time to caring for the young chick.
The newly hatched are usually very vulnerable from start, giving the mother hummingbird the responsibility of feeding herself, feeding the young ones, and keeping them warm.
The young ones when they hatch usually have their eyes closed, with no feathers. They are unable to regulate their body heat at this point in time. Therefore, they need close guidance and monitoring from their mother.
Whether Hummingbirds Nest In the Same Place Every Year?
The nest of a hummingbird is usually built for single-time use. This means that hummingbirds do not lay eggs in the same nest twice.
It may return to the same location and lay eggs at a place not too far away from where it previously laid. But it never repeats the same old nest.
Since the birds use the nest built only once, the females have to construct new nests every year for their young ones.
What Happens After Hummingbirds Hatch Their Eggs?
After the eggs have been hatched by the hummingbirds, the hatchlings emerge from their shells with almost no feathers and eyes tightly closed. The bird is usually unable to stand for the first few days after hatching.
These birds however begin to prepare to take their first flight about two weeks after hatching. It takes a few days after their first practice before they learn how to use their wings in the sky.
The chicks continue to live primarily inside the nest built by the mother hummingbird for a few weeks after it is hatched. It is when it has successfully mastered how to use its wings that the nest will be abandoned by the mother hummingbird.
How Long Does It Take For A Hummingbird Egg To Hatch: Conclusion
This write-up gives a summary of hummingbirds and what we should know about the eggs of the bird. It takes an average of two to three weeks for the eggs to hatch.
We must take care not to physically be in contact with the eggs as this may be bad for the development of the eggs and their safety.
We hope by now you already know the facts about the hummingbird and their eggs, and how long does it take for their egg to hatch.
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