Which parent incubates hummingbird eggs and feeds the young?

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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*)

In the majority of hummingbird species, the female alone is responsible for incubating the eggs and feeding the young.1

While most hummingbirds do not form pair bonds, there are exceptions, such as the violet-ears (Colibri), where both sexes participate in parental duties. In the typical case, however, the male defends a territory and displays to females but does not assist with nesting or chick-rearing.1