The Wild with Chris Morgan Tiny but tough: Hummingbirds of the Arizona desert
Nov 4, 2025
Join Dr. Harold Greeny, a field ecologist with a knack for nesting behavior, and Susan Wethington, founder of the Hummingbird Monitoring Network, as they explore the fascinating lives of hummingbirds in the Arizona desert. They dive into how climate change is shrinking their nectar landscape, the intricate construction of their tiny nests, and the clever tactics hummingbirds use to evade predators. Plus, listen in as they discuss long-term monitoring efforts that track migration patterns and species interactions, highlighting the urgency of conservation.
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Peanut M&M Chick At The Nest
- Chris and Harold find a nest with a featherless broad-billed chick the size of a peanut M&M stretching for food.
- The parents timed breeding to local flowering, linking nest success to seasonal nectar availability.
Hummingbird Nest Building Techniques
- Harold details how female hummingbirds build nests using cottonwood fuzz, spider silk and camouflage "skirts."
- They stitch materials with their bills and use spiderweb to bind the nest into a snug cup.
Tracking Jays To Reveal Safe Zones
- Harold tracked Mexican jay raids and linked jay avoidance to hawk presence, revealing indirect protection for hummingbirds.
- This protective nesting relationship boosts hummingbird reproductive success by reducing predation.