At this time of the summer - the month of July - as far as Ruby-throated Hummingbirds go, it may be more of what you're NOT seeing! You may see male hummingbirds now and then, grabbing a sip of nectar in between visits to nectar-bearing flowers and picking off the now plentiful insect and spider buffet.
Females, on the other hand, are busy girls and their visits to our feeders are noticeable fewer. Mother hummingbirds build their nest, which can take up to a week to 10 days to build. She will lay two eggs and she alone will incubate the eggs for over two weeks, spending more time on the nest than off. Once the eggs hatch, the naked young need to be brooded to regulate their temperature, so mom spends a great deal of the day on the nest for about another two weeks. And of course, she has to keep them fed, so she quickly seeks out insects and high quality nectar sources and returns to the nest to regurgitate it for her hungry pair.
She, like other avian nest-tenders, is totally dedicated to the success of her young. So while you may be seeing a little less of her right now, come August she'll reward the patient amongst us with two beautiful hummingbirds, who will make it one of the most amazing months to watch hummingbirds.
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