We can learn spiritual truths from the smallest of creatures. Here's what I learned from hummingbird nesting materials. #spiritualtruths #nesting #hummigbird #selfcare #spiritualwholeness #write28days #devo #devotional #Christianity

We can learn spiritual truths from the smallest of creatures. Here’s what I learned from hummingbird nesting materials.

I will pursue your commands, for you expand my understanding.

Psalm 119:32 NLT
We can learn spiritual truths from the smallest of creatures. Here's what I learned from hummingbird nesting materials. #spiritualtruths #nesting #hummigbird #selfcare #spiritualwholeness #write28days #devo #devotional #Christianity

Have You Ever Looked at Hummingbird Nesting Material?

I almost didn’t see the nest. Perched in the fork of two branches smaller than my pinkie, the nest seemed impossibly small. I held my phone overhead and snapped a few photos of the inside of the nest, hoping to see eggs.

Sure enough, two jelly-bean-sized eggs lay in the deep cup. I quickly stepped away, not wanting to prevent the mama hummingbird from sitting on her eggs.

Hummingbird nesting materials might surprise you. The tiny birds gather moss, thistledown, lichen, grass, and spider web silk to construct their tiny nurseries.

Some species of hummingbirds build directly on top of a branch, others choose a fork. Hummingbird nesting materials differ by species and location, but they share one common trait: spider web silk.

The female hummingbird winds the spider web silk around the walls of her nest, creating a structure that can expand. Why? Because of their small size (the smallest hummingbird measures a mere two inches long), hummingbirds must make the most of their body heat to properly incubate their eggs.

After the eggs hatch, the chicks progress from naked to ready to fly in just over two weeks. Hummingbirds use spider silk use for nesting materials because it allows the nest to rapidly expand to hold the growing babies.

Spider Web Silk in Our Lives

As baby Christians, our knowledge of God expands rapidly. The presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives (all we must do is ask) expands our understanding of spiritual truths.

Sometimes, I act like a cliff swallow instead of a hummingbird. I build a rigid house of mud around myself—content with what I already know about scripture and the nature of God. Instead, I need to build like a hummingbird, choosing nesting materials that can withstand high winds and pressures from within (and without).

May we always pursue God’s commands, constantly seeking to expand our knowledge and understanding of his word.

We can learn spiritual truths from the smallest of creatures. Here's what I learned from hummingbird nesting materials. #spiritualtruths #nesting #hummigbird #selfcare #spiritualwholeness #write28days #devo #devotional #Christianity
Although plain, the female hummingbird is a mighty engineer!

8 Comments

  1. What a great lesson from the hummingbird! I especially enjoy watching the hummingbirds that visit our feeders in summer, but only a couple of times have we actually seen their nests. The swallows, on the other hand . . . LOL
    Kym recently posted…Empty NestingMy Profile

    1. I was so excited to go to one of my favorite birding spots in AZ and have a friend point out an Anna’s hummingbird nest on the exact day this post came out! February is pretty early for nesting, but my friend (a naturalist) thinks she gets started early because she doesn’t migrate. I even saw her apply some spider silk!
      Anita Ojeda recently posted…What Can be Worth More than a Little Sparrow?My Profile

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badge

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Anita Ojeda

Anita Ojeda juggles writing with teaching high school English and history. When she's not lurking in odd places looking for rare birds, you can find her camping with her kids, adventuring with her husband or mountain biking with her students.

You may also like

%d bloggers like this: