Hummingbirds At Home

A dream of finding an active nest came true.

- Kimberly Kaufman

In the east, there are one breeding hummingbird species, but it’s a good one! Ruby-throated hummingbirds are real charmers. The tiny birds have so much attitude and charisma that it definitely makes up for the lack of hummingbird diversity in our region.

When my husband, Kenn, and I got married and moved into our first home, it didn’t seem likely that there would be many birds nesting in our yard, let alone a hummer. The house was in the country, but it was surrounded on all sides by the monoculture of farm fields: mostly corn, wheat, and soybeans. Our landscape had a few mature trees, including maples and pines, but not much else to entice a discerning bird looking for a place to raise its young. But we hung our feeders and hoped.