Chance Encounter With A Baby Hummingbird

My husband and I were taking a stroll through our neighborhood when I nearly stepped on a baby hummingbird sitting on the sidewalk.

It was tiny—about the size of a walnut—with muted gray, yellow, and black feathers that nearly blended into the concrete.

The baby cried, and I immediately went into Momma Bear mode.

I tried to pick it up, but its tiny feet were stuck to the concrete. I gently pried them loose, wondering how long the baby had been sitting there. It was near a parked car, and my heart dropped thinking about what could have happened.

As I picked the baby up, it opened its mouth as if it were ready for me to feed it.

Ugh. Finding an animal who needs help is stressful enough—but a baby?

For the next half hour, my husband and I searched the nearby trees and shrubs for a nest or any sign of the baby’s mother.

I have a built-in hummingbird radar. I know their chirps. I can hear the flutter of their wings.

But there was no sign of Momma and no nest to be found.

I was hellbent on finding the care this little one needed to grow stronger and eventually return to the wild.

I pulled out my phone and opened the Animal Help Now app to find a local wildlife rehabilitator. Thankfully, several rehabbers were available to guide me.

I eventually found someone nearby who agreed to care for the baby overnight and bring it to a wildlife center the following day.

The next day, I called to check on the baby and received wonderful news: the little hummingbird had been fed and was healthy!

The plan was to care for the baby until it was strong and independent enough to return to the wild.

What began as a stressful walk ended with an incredible sense of relief and gratitude—for the wildlife rehabilitators who answered my calls and dedicate their lives to helping wild animals, and for the fact that this tiny hummingbird now has a second chance to return home.

If you ever come across wildlife that appears injured, sick, or orphaned, I highly recommend downloading the Animal Help Now app. It can connect you with nearby wildlife rehabilitators and organizations that can help throughout the United States. You can find it here.

Sometimes helping wildlife begins with simply knowing who to call.