Bella The Hummingbird’s First Egg Hatches: Watch Live Cam [Video]

Bella is a hummingbird from LaVerne, California, who is an internet star in her own right. Bella’s story dates back to 2005 when she built a nest on private property. The property owner watched Bella build the nest in a ficus tree, lay two eggs, incubate them, and then raise the babies to fledge. The owner was overjoyed at the sight and thought that would be the end of the hummingbird experience. Surprisingly, Bella returned to the nest and raised another brood, then continued to come back. The property owner decided to live stream the event and share it with the world. A cam was set up next to the nest and Bella became an internet sensation. She raised another brood and has continued to use the nest. Now, in 2017, Bella is back at work and on March 7, 2017, the first of two hummingbird eggs hatched. You may watch Bella the hummingbird’s live cam below, followed by a video showing the newly hatched hummingbird.

Watch Bella the Hummingbird Live Cam

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzJSe9QnMPV8F2jc7R37yCKtpMZQS0NHW

Bella the Hummingbird: First Egg Hatches

Bella has her own Facebook page and many of her monumental events are shared via photos and videos. Here are photos of Bella’s nest with the two eggs before the hatch. Hummingbirds are very small birds and the nest is approximately the size of half a golf ball. The eggs are approximately the size of Jelly Belly jellybeans.

https://www.facebook.com/bella.hummingbird/posts/681251285392574

Bella laid the first egg on Feb. 18, 2017, and the second egg on Feb. 20, 2017. Hatch time is approximately two weeks (15-18 days) from the time the second egg was laid. As Bella’s baby hatched on March 7, 2017, she is right on time. Bella continues to prove she’s a dutiful mother and has carefully devoted her attention to the eggs and her new chick.

Last May, Bella built a nest in a different tree that was in a location ill-suited for a web cam. The owner did create a video of Bella in the nest that highlights just how small Bella and the nest truly are. Fortunately for Bella’s fans, she used the nest in the ficus tree this season and the events are live streamed. Watch the video from May 2016 where Bella built a nest in a Tupidanthus tree.

Here are some more photos from Feb. 2017, when Bella returned to the nest and laid the eggs.

https://www.facebook.com/bella.hummingbird/posts/680204788830557

One viewer watching the live cam captured a photo of Bella looking in on her newly hatched chick. You can see that photo below.

Bella's first baby has hatched! Join our #hatchwatch at https://t.co/oUEPE2QGFv Snapshot by Eryan #hummingbirdcam pic.twitter.com/uKZ9kDfVOj

— explore.org (@exploreorg) March 7, 2017

Explore.org also shared a wonderful video taken from the live cam that highlights the newborn chick’s first moments in the nest after hatching.

https://www.facebook.com/endangeredanimals/videos/10154295947740334/

As Bella has one remaining egg, hatch watch continues and there is great anticipation for the second chick’s arrival. Bella and her chicks are Allen’s hummingbirds. Full-grown adults are approximately 3 to 3.5 inches in height. You can find more information about Allen’s hummingbirds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s All About Birds page. Allen’s hummingbirds are native to California.

Bella typically lays two eggs each season though she has laid only one egg in the past. The Allen’s hummingbird doesn’t migrate, and this is part of the reason why she has returned to the same nesting tree. Chicks fledge the nest approximately 23-28 days after hatch. The upcoming weeks should promise lots of exciting moments for Bella and her chicks as they grow, get their feathers, then take their first flight. Nesting season can run from November until June.

Bella the hummingbird has one of the most popular birding cams streaming live online. You can tune in 24/7, but since Bella lives in California, you’ll find the best viewing hours run simultaneously with daylight hours on the Pacific coast. Are you watching Bella the hummingbird’s live cam?

[Featured Image by Ondrej Prosicky/Shutterstock]