Richard, what a fascinating post about nesting and nestling hummingbirds! Let me
ask you though, about the projectile vomiting you described. Sure it was coming
from the mouth? I watched a mother hummingbird feed her nestlings in the
hummingbird aviary of the AZ-Sonora Desert Museum and right after she departed,
both nestlings stuck their little butts up and projected a fairly clear liquid
poop about a foot out from the nest. Although birds are great regurgitators,
they are not big vomiters (admittedly a fine distinction).

Your description of a fledging hummingbird simply taking off, up up and away,
reminded me of seeing Violet-green Swallows fledge from our swallow box. The
first year's batch just sort of fell up into the sky after hanging their heads
further and further out of the hole in the box. However, in subsequent years,
fledlings made more of an awkward production of it, jumping to a nearby branch
and teetering around. Amazing stuff.

Chris Maack
Bird Treatment & Learning Center
Anchorage, AK
73201.3124 at compuserve.com