Nature can be beautiful and wonderful (flowers, trees, the sunrise and sunset), or pesky and a little revolting (worms, ticks, bees, spiders), depending on how you look at it. Some see birds as a fascinating and beautiful part of nature, while others simply focus on the white stain dripping down their car windshield. Regardless of how you look at them, wildlife experts are asking the public to please check for tiny eggs in the greenery around their homes, before they begin to prune this year.
The experts at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are responsible for protecting our ecosystem each and every day. Spring time is especially important, because it’s when many animals reproduce. That’s why the USFWA shared some springtime tips on their Facebook page, to warn everyone about what to do and what not to do, should they stumble upon a hummingbird nest.
The post has been shared more than 265,000 times from Facebook users that are trying to help keep hummingbirds safe. The USFWS added a powerful photo to their post, showing just how small a hummingbird’s nest and eggs really are.
They wrote, “Hummingbird eggs are tiny, about the size of jelly beans! Please remember to carefully check for nests before you trim trees and shrubs this spring.”
Keep An Eye Out For Hummingbird Nests
This is an important message for nature-lovers and homeowners everywhere. Hummingbirds can be found all over the country. They are small, colorful birds with beautiful iridescent feathers. Their name comes from the speed at which they flap their wings – about 80 times per second! They love making their homes in gardens because they make for comfortable habitats. If you happen to have bright flowers rich in nectar or hummingbird feeders near your home, these tiny birds might find their way to your yard.
Female hummingbirds build small, delicate nests using spider webs, moss and leaves. Their nests and eggs are so tiny, they can easily be missed. A hummingbird nest may be about the size of a quarter!
So when you go to trim your greenery this spring, make sure you take a close look at your garden, shrubs and trees before you begin pruning or weed-whacking the area. You might have to let a branch or two slide, but you could be saving dozens of little lives if you just take a moment to look a little closer.
Sources:
Facebook
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Birds and Blooms
Defenders