Hummingbirds have been found to nest near hawk territories as a method of defence against birds of prey
By Hana Carter, Nature notes
3:09PM BST 08 Sep 2015
Hummingbirds build their nests near hawk territory in an attempt to protect their eggs against predators, a new study has shown.
Scientists observed the black-chinned hummingbirds in their natural habitat and discovered that 80 per cent of the hummingbird nests in the Chiricahua Mountains of Arizona are close to northern goshhawk and Cooper's hawk nests. Hawks are still a danger to hummingbirds and their nests, but typically, the raptors prefer to eat large birds and rodents.
WIth nests measuring an average of 1.5 inches which contain eggs the size of coffee beans, hummingbirds nesting near hawks have a daily survival rate of 31 per cent, compared with 6 per cent for the birds nesting outside of hawk territory.
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