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What materials do hummingbirds use to build their nests?

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Illustration of a chestnut-collared swift (Cypseloides rutilus) in flight, showing its dark brown body and wings with a distinctive reddish-brown collar around its neck. — Apodiform Chestnut-collared swift (*Cypseloides rutilus*)

Hummingbirds construct tiny, cup-shaped nests using a variety of natural materials, including plant fibers, spider webs, lichens, and moss. These structures are typically attached to surfaces such as branches, forked twigs, large leaves, or rock ledges.1

In the case of certain species known as hermits, the nest is suspended by a narrow stalk from the underside of a ledge or the roof of a cave or culvert. These nests are often built using a mass of mud and plant material, with the cup carefully weighted on one side to ensure it remains level.1