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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Finding A Blueberry-Sized Hummingbird Nest
- Chris Morgan and Dr. Harold Greeny find a tiny hummingbird nest and describe its blueberry-sized opening and delicate cup.
- The nest symbolizes 20 million years of hummingbird evolution and intimate nest-building behavior.
Metabolic Edge Of Hummingbirds
- Hummingbirds live on the metabolic edge and must consume their body weight in nectar daily.
- Their tiny size and high energy demands make every calorie critical for survival.
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.