Stunning Shots Of A Mother Hummingbird Caring For Her Young
Even the tiniest birds have to make nests for their hatchlings. Most of the time, the birds' construction is as impressive as the small scale on which they build their homes. According to the Los Angeles Times, hummingbirds, in particular, have a unique way of building their characteristically miniscule nests:
Female hummingbirds gather moss, plant down and other materials and, using sticky spider silk, fashion a nest the size of a ping-pong ball. It can rest securely on a very slender tree limb. But hummingbirds have been known to nest in railings, beneath bird baths, on wind chimes and cactuses.
Photographer Irfan Khan found one of these incredible nests at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanical Garden and collected a stunning series of images that offers an up-close look at how mother hummingbirds care for their young.
Photos via Los Angeles Times/Irfan Khan.