Conservation

Bella, the Allen’s Hummingbird

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UPDATE: THIS STREAM NOW FEATURES BELLA'S NEIGHBOR ROSIE AND HER NEST. THE CHICKS PATIENCE AND REBEL WERE RELOCATED BY WILDLIFE REHABILITATORS. READ MORE HERE.

The star of this live cam is Bella, a female Allen’s Hummingbird and the belle of Southern California. Right now her nest is occupied by the precious duo Patience and Rebel, born on Feb. 6.

Bella built this nest atop a ficus tree last year. She supplies her brood with insects, but she will sometimes visit sugar-water feeders to treat herself. To keep the nest safe from unwanted attention, the owner of the camera has placed the nearest feeder 25 feet away. Bella will lay several more clutches of eggs in this location, before ending her nesting season in June.

Allen’s hummingbirds reside all along the Pacific Coast. They may lose 90% of their current breeding range by 2080, according to Audubon’s Birds and Climate Change Report. The Audubon Hummingbirds at Home program monitors these dire changes with the help of volunteers across the country. To learn more about how you can help hummingbirds in your backyard, go to hummingbirdsathome.org.

Stay tuned for more live feeds this summer, when Audubon partners with Explore to present puffin and osprey cams from Hog Island, Maine.