Two chicks in a nest help to keep each other warm. Usually the chicks hatch a day or two apart and just that little window of time gives the ad-vantage to the frst chick out of the shell. Sometimes there is a VIDEObigger gap and the second chick may not hatch for couple of days and that matters later. There are several things that need to happen for a chick to fedge; VIDEOthe feathers have to be developed well enough to sustain fight, the mus-cles have to be able to take it, they have to be able to un-clench their feet, which naturally grip to avoid falling out of the nest and they have to be able to peep to attract Mom in the trees. The problem is that they start to peep before they fedge and that at-tracts predators. If a bird attacks a nest, that few hours edge on develop-ment may make the difference between getting away or falling prey. Well, as luck would have it, as Rattle and Humm near their fedge day, they be-gin to peep and the next morning, they attract a predator. VIDEORattle and Humm had a dramatic fedge. I reviewed the tape, but the feld of view is quite small so I didn’t see the perp on camera. What VIDEO If a bird attacks a nest, that few hours edge on I believe is a crow jumped on the branch near where they were nested and development may make the difference between the force of the impact threw them from the nest. getting away or falling prey. When I discovered this, I ran to the yard and they were nowhere to be seen. Squeak returned to the nest and appeared to be in disbelief of their absence. She began circling the yard and chattering. I looked near VIDEOthe nest and found nothing. It wasn’t long though, till Squeak located Humm. He was sitting in a leafy tree on the other side of the drive-VIDEOway. Squeak sat near and tried to feed Humm, but Humm wasn’t hungry and kept looking out at the big world she had just entered. Then Rattle peeped. Squeak chattered and few to the lilac bush where her nest was. There, near the house was Rattle. Squeak futtered around checking to make sure this was her chick. Satisfed of proper lineage, Squeak gave Rattle a meal, and things were fne. Not long after, the crow showed up again and 14 Hummingbirds Up Close Magazine Hummingbirds Up Close Magazine 15