Sunday

Mama hummingbird, Ms. Phoebe Allens

 Trek through Huntington Central Park and you are likely to see plenty of Allen's hummingbirds. And that, in its own way, is extraordinary: a little over a quarter century ago, the species was rarely seen here.

Actually, when talking about Allen's, we are really talking about two subspecies. One of them, Selasphorus sasin, is migratory. It does not nest here, but visits this time of year as it heads north - among the earliest species to do so.

The other has been given the name 'sedentarius,' and for good reason: it stays put in its home range all its life.

But that home range has been expanding. The subspecies was once found only on the California's Channel Islands. In the 1960s and 70s, however, it began spreading across the mainland.

The species worked its way south and east toward Orange County, and in 1980 the very first pair was found nesting here.

In the mid 1990s, the stay-put version was much more common, though it was still possible for birders to notice a spike in Allen's numbers this time of year as the migrants began to arrive.

Now, sedentarius is so widespread in the county that it is difficult to detect any spike at all. Meanwhile, sedentarius appears to be pushing its range toward San Diego.


Why the expansion? One answer might be human civilization. The subspecies does well among us, feasting on nectar from ornamental plants. It's especially fond of red flowering gum eucalyptus. (Source)

LIVE Hummingbird Nest

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Responses to "Hummingbird Nest Cam - Live Stream"

  1. Unknown says:

    Thank you for this wonderful cam. We miss the Hummingbirds all winter and fall and look forward to their return.

  2. Anonymous says:

    I love this cam. I wish I knew about it long ago. The chicks are crowded in their nest. So sweet. This calm and peaceful observance is how our earth should be.

  3. Morgana says:

    The world of birds is sweet and tender.

  4. sharon says:

    this is pretty cool I like it and I just love humming birds ;

  5. Anonymous says:

    Soo adorable :3 It's amazing to see them grow!
    I'd love a Raven nest cam.. (maybe you find one one day) I think I could watch it the whole day :D

  6. Anonymous says:

    Beautiful!but where is the other one?

  7. sharon says:

    What happen to the other chick there was 2 of them. did he fall out of the nest:

  8. Anonymous says:

    What happened to the other chick?????

  9. Anonymous says:

    They fledged, don't worry. :)

  10. Anonymous says:

    wow I think I saw one here, it wasn't an Anna's and looked to me like a Rufus female, but they leave here in August, so wow I'm going to kept an eye out for her or him. I live on Protection Island, Nanaimo BC

  11. Anonymous says:

    awwwe it's off air now :(

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