When a female hummingbird builds a tiny nest, does she reuse it to raise another brood? Find out if hummingbirds make a new nest each time.
Female Hummingbird Reusing a Bird Nest
“A hummingbird built a nest outside our window. We watched the young birds grow and leave the nest. Now, either the mother, one of the offspring or another female has moved into the nest. Is it typical for hummingbirds to reuse a nest?” asks Birds & Blooms reader David Fairchild of La Habra, California.
Kenn and Kimberly Kaufman say, “Hummingbird nests are marvelous little structures. Made of soft materials, they may stretch as the young hummers grow, losing much of their shape by the time the youngsters fly away. As a result, the nests often aren’t stable enough for a second brood, so they aren’t typically reused. In general, the female hummingbird will build a new nest for each new brood. But sometimes she will add material on top of the existing nest or just use it as is, if it’s still in reasonably good shape.”
How Many Broods Do Hummingbirds Raise?
A hummingbird mom has reused a nest in my yard for three years. Last January, I saw her on the nest. How many broods can they have in a year?” asks reader Nancy Sherman of Orange, California.
Kenn and Kimberly say, “A hummingbird nesting in your area in January would be either an Anna’s hummingbird or an Allen’s hummingbird. Reuse of nests is an uncommon habit among hummers, but Anna’s hummingbirds and especially Allen’s hummingbirds are known to do this at times. In both these species, the females regularly raise two broods per season and may raise three in neighborhoods where gardens provide a reliable food source. There is even a report of a female Allen’s hummingbird raising four broods—and a possible fifth—in one season.”
Multiple Hummingbird Nests in a Tree
“One day I found two hummingbird nests in my tree. Do hummingbirds reuse their nests or build new ones?” asks reader Kriss Reiff of Grand Junction, Colorado.
Kenn and Kimberly say, “A hummingbird nest is a tiny marvel. Female hummingbirds use the finest plant fibers and spiderwebs to craft a secure cradle for eggs and young. It’s strong for its size, but such a nest is not durable enough for repeated use. Typically, the female will build a new nest for each brood, even within the same year. She may start construction before she finishes feeding the full-grown young from a previous one. In rare cases, a location is so good that females build right on top of the remains of the old nest.”
