The Costa's hummingbirds at the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston may be some of the smallest residents, but there is a big stir around one of them this summer. According to Boston.com, the zoo's female has constructed a nest and laid her first egg. Zoo officials are hopeful that another egg will be laid - two eggs is most common per hummingbird brood - and that both may hatch successfully.
Because they can be very selective about mates, breeding territories and nesting sites, hummingbirds rarely breed in captivity, making this an extraordinary event for the zoo. Visitors can spot the nesting bird in the zoo's Butterfly Landing exhibit, where the hummingbirds spend their summers. Northeastern winters are too harsh for Costa's hummingbirds, which are native to the southwest, and the birds are taken inside when the weather turns wintery cold.
Plan your visit to the Franklin Park Zoo so you can see this amazing hummingbird up close!
Costa's Hummingbird on Nest
Photo © Bill Bouton
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