A miniature bird’s nest on a camellia branch is currently going viral on TikTok. The video shows a dutiful expectant hummingbird mom protecting her nest even in a storm.
Camellias have a reputation as insect magnets because they provide bees and bumblebees with valuable nectar and pollen. But a TikTok video shows that the plant from the tea plant family can also be attractive to birds such as hummingbirds.
“Never seen it before”: Hummingbird builds tiny nest on camellia
In this country, bird nests are only known from treetops, where storks, blackbirds, robins or the eagle owl hatch their young at a safe distance from the ground. Things are a bit more exotic in America. A TikTok video has now garnered 6.7 million views (as of March 27, 2023) and features a toy-sized mini nest, captioned “She’s about to be a mom.” A nest can be seen with a small egg about one centimeter in diameter resonating on a camellia branch. The video ends with a shot showing the female hummingbird breeding.
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Since not all camellia varieties are hardy in our latitudes, some have to bridge the cold months in the conservatory. So obviously the location of the TikTok recording is in southern North America; also because hummingbirds are predominantly found near the equator. The bird species, which can also fly backwards, is more common in the US states of Mexico, Arizona and southern California. The video inspires all along the line, as you can see in the comments:
- “OMG, where do you have to live to have a hummingbird nest in your backyard? 😳🥰”
- “I can’t believe my eyes!”
- “I’ve never seen anything like it before!”
- “The egg is so tiny!”
