Simultaneous Multiple Nests of Calliope Hummingbird and Rufous Hummingbird

We report the first cases of simultaneous double brooding known for Calliope Hummingbird (Stellula calliope) and Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) from observations of two females in Montana. Each female laid two eggs and started incubating while feeding large young in a nearby nest, and each s...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inThe Wilson journal of ornithology Vol. 124; no. 3; pp. 640 - 643
Main Authors Batchelder, Ned, Batchelder, Gigi, Livezey, Dale A., Marks, Jeffrey S.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Fort Collins The Wilson Ornithological Society 01.09.2012
Wilson Ornithological Society
Subjects
Animal behavior
Animal nesting
Aviculture
Bird nesting
Birds
Breeding
Calliopes
Eggs
Female animals
Females
Hummingbirds
Incubation
Nest building
SHORT COMMUNICATIONS
Tropical climates
Mexico
Montana
United States
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:We report the first cases of simultaneous double brooding known for Calliope Hummingbird (Stellula calliope) and Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) from observations of two females in Montana. Each female laid two eggs and started incubating while feeding large young in a nearby nest, and each successfully fledged young from both nesting attempts. Simultaneous multiple nests have been documented for five other hummingbird species that breed north of Mexico, suggesting the behavior is widespread in the family outside the tropics. Factors that might allow rapid renesting in temperate species include young that begin to feed themselves within a week after fledging, and longer day length that allows more time for females to forage than would be available in the tropics.
Bibliography:http://dx.doi.org/10.1676%2F12-021.1
ISSN:1559-4491
1938-5447
DOI:10.1676/12-021.1