Baby ruby-throated hummingbirds: from egg to fledgling
A Ruby-throated Hummingbird lays 1–3 eggs (usually 2). They hatch after 12–14 days, and the young leave the nest 18–22 days later — about 30–36 days from egg to fledgling.
- Eggs per clutch
- 1–3 eggs (usually 2)
- Incubation
- 12–14 days
- Time in the nest
- 18–22 days
- Egg to fledgling
- About 30–36 days
- Broods per year
- 1–2 per season
- Nest
- Walnut-sized cup of plant down bound with spider silk, saddled on a downward-sloping branch
- Uses nest boxes
- No
Stage by stage
- Eggs (12–14 days): 1–3 eggs (usually 2) per clutch. Most songbirds start incubating when the last or second-to-last egg is laid, so the young hatch close together; owls and hawks start with the first egg, so their chicks hatch days apart.
- Nestlings (18–22 days): the young hatch with little or no down and their eyes closed. They grow fast on a diet the parents bring in. In the breeding season ruby-throated hummingbirds mainly eat nectar from tubular red and orange flowers, gnats, mosquitoes and small spiders.
- Fledglings: after leaving the nest, young ruby-throated hummingbirds are fully feathered but short-tailed and clumsy. They spend days to weeks on low branches or the ground while the parents keep feeding them.
- More broods: 1–2 per season. Pairs often start a new nest soon after the first young become independent.
When ruby-throated hummingbirds nest, state by state
Nesting starts earliest in Florida (Mar) and latest in Alberta (Jun). Months are estimates from regional breeding data shifted for latitude.
| State / province | Nesting season |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Apr–Aug |
| Alberta | Jun–Aug |
| Arkansas | May–Aug |
| Connecticut | May–Aug |
| Delaware | May–Aug |
| Florida | Mar–Jul |
| Georgia | Apr–Aug |
| Illinois | May–Aug |
| Indiana | May–Aug |
| Iowa | May–Aug |
| Kansas | May–Aug |
| Kentucky | May–Aug |
| Louisiana | Apr–Aug |
| Maine | Jun–Aug |
| Manitoba | Jun–Aug |
| Maryland | May–Aug |
| Massachusetts | May–Aug |
| Michigan | May–Aug |
| Minnesota | Jun–Aug |
| Mississippi | Apr–Aug |
| Missouri | May–Aug |
| Nebraska | May–Aug |
| New Brunswick | Jun–Aug |
| New Hampshire | Jun–Aug |
| New Jersey | May–Aug |
| New York | May–Aug |
| North Carolina | Apr–Aug |
| North Dakota | Jun–Aug |
| Nova Scotia | Jun–Aug |
| Ohio | May–Aug |
| Oklahoma | May–Aug |
| Ontario | Jun–Aug |
| Pennsylvania | May–Aug |
| Quebec | Jun–Aug |
| Rhode Island | May–Aug |
| Saskatchewan | Jun–Aug |
| South Carolina | Apr–Aug |
| South Dakota | May–Aug |
| Tennessee | May–Aug |
| Texas | Mar–Aug |
| Vermont | Jun–Aug |
| Virginia | May–Aug |
| West Virginia | May–Aug |
| Wisconsin | Jun–Aug |
Found a baby Ruby-throated Hummingbird?
- Feathered, hopping, can grip your finger: a fledgling. This is a normal stage. Keep pets and children away and watch from a distance; the parents are usually close by.
- Bare skin or only pin feathers: a nestling that fell. If you can see the nest, put it back. Touching it won't make the parents abandon it — that is a myth.
- Injured, cold, covered in flies, or caught by a cat: contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. In the US and Canada, ahnow.org finds the nearest one.
- Don't give water or food. Baby birds can choke, and the wrong food can kill them.
More about ruby-throated hummingbirds
Frequently asked
How long do baby ruby-throated hummingbirds stay in the nest?
About 18–22 days after hatching. Eggs take 12–14 days to hatch, so it is roughly 30–36 days from the last egg to the young leaving.
How many eggs does a Ruby-throated Hummingbird lay?
1–3 eggs (usually 2) per clutch, with 1–2 per season.
Where do ruby-throated hummingbirds nest?
Walnut-sized cup of plant down bound with spider silk, saddled on a downward-sloping branch.
What should I do if I find a baby Ruby-throated Hummingbird on the ground?
If it has feathers and hops, it is a fledgling and its parents are almost certainly nearby — leave it. If it is naked or has pin feathers, put it back in the nest if you can. Call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator if it is injured.