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Hummingbirds are extraordinary creatures and their lifecycle is just as amazing.
In this article, we’re covering everything there is to know about hummingbird eggs. How hummingbirds mate, how big are their eggs, plenty of pictures, and all the other facts that make hummingbirds and their eggs so unique.
How Do Hummingbirds Mate?
The first order of business is learning where hummingbird eggs come from. Don’t worry, this isn’t the birds (ha) and the bees speech. But, doing research for this article, I came upon many people asking the same question: “how do hummingbirds mate?”
Lots of people falsely believe that hummingbirds mate in midair, since we so rarely see hummingbirds not in the air. But that’s a myth. In fact, hummingbirds can’t walk or bounce on the ground, but they can perch. Hummingbirds mate while perched on tree branches or other structures.
So with that misconception all cleared up let us move on to the eggs themselves.
How Big Are Hummingbird Eggs?
If you’re lucky enough to find a hummingbird nest with eggs in it, the first thing you’ll notice is just how tiny these hummingbird eggs are.
In fact, the question shouldn’t be “how big are hummingbird eggs?” but “how tiny are they?” And the answer is: hummingbird eggs are about the size of a jelly bean.
Don’t believe me? Here’s a picture of a hummingbird egg with a key for scale.
The exact size of the eggs is dependent on the size of the hummingbird species itself. Bigger hummingbird species will lay bigger eggs.
For example, the common Ruby-Throated Hummingbird lays an egg with a length of 0.5 – 0.6 inches and a width of 0.3 inches.
What Do Hummingbird Eggs Look Like? & Pictures
Hummingbird eggs, like many other bird eggs, are white and oval-shaped. The key defining feature is its size. But incase you’re trying to identify a possible hummingbird egg, here are some great pictures of hummingbird eggs you can use as a reference:
When Do Hummingbird Eggs Hatch?
Just like most other birds and animals, hummingbirds mate and lay their eggs in the springtime. The incubation time for hummingbird eggs is 12 to 18 days depending on the species of hummingbirds. Which means, from the time the eggs are laid by the female hummingbird, 12 to 18 days pass until the juvenile hummingbirds hatch.
Here’s an amazing video of hummingbird babies hatching:
How Many Eggs Do Hummingbirds Lay?
Most female hummingbirds lay two eggs. However, it’s possible for them to lay 1 to 3 eggs. Some species of hummingbirds more commonly lay one or three eggs at a time. The amount of eggs a bird lays is referred to as its clutch size.
Want to learn more about hummingbirds? Here’s a few great articles you should read:
On a ledge where one of my feeders sets is what appears to be a tiny egg. Is that even a slight possibility?
How can I keep hornets or wasps away from my humming bird feeder?
I have a hummingbird nest that has two eggs one is white the other speckled, why is one white and the other speckled from the same bird? I live in south central Kentucky.
I have a hummingbird nest with two eggs,one white one speckled,why the difference in two eggs from one bird. Live in south central Kentucky.