Flew the Coop!

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Empty nest!

No the little hummingbird didn’t fall out, nor was it pushed out. It got up Aug. 22 and flew away, all of about three feet.

It sat for better than an hour after its maiden flight. Mom came by several times, first just buzzing its perch and then she roosted and fed the new, ever-hungry aviator. (click on the picture to enlarge and then click on the back button to return to this page.)

Over the preceding couple of weeks, the little bird got big. It went from being a little pink sack to about three quarters the size of its mother. It has dark gray coloring, almost black, with just a hint of emerald green, and has a white underside. The short triangular orange beak darkened, extended into a long slightly curved beak capable of reaching deep into flowers to seek nectar. It has a tongue that is again as long as its beak.

A couple of days before it took flight, the little bird discovered it had wings and fully extended them. It only flapped its wings, in practice a couple of times, before taking flight.

The little bird crowded the mother out of the nest. The mother would feed the baby, but roosted some of the time on a branch near by.