[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-30px|auto||auto||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”11.8px” custom_margin=”-17px||32px|||” custom_padding=”19px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Purple Martins | Keith Kingdon | Audubon Photography Awards<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||17px|||” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||17px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n On a\u00a0summer evening, just a few feet above the surface of\u00a0Greenlake\u00a0in North Seattle, it\u00a0can look almost alive\u00a0with\u00a0swooping\u00a0birds\u00a0and clouds of insects.\u00a0At first glance it\u00a0seems like chaos. But look closer, and\u00a0you\u2019ll\u00a0see something far more impressive: a team of specialists, each with its own perfectly designed\u00a0anatomy\u00a0for catching insects.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We have birds to thank for being our natural pest control\u00a0network\u00a0as they are constantly foraging\u00a0in air, beneath bark, or amongst the leaves\u00a0for insects. Each bird brings its\u00a0own\u00a0specialized bug snatching anatomy to the job.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_margin=”25px|||||”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Aud_APA-2019_Black-Phoebe_A1_8856-3_Photo-Joseph-Galkowski-Web-size.jpg.jpg”<\/a>; title_text=”Aud_APA-2019_Black-Phoebe_A1_8856-3_Photo-Joseph-Galkowski-Web size.jpg” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”10px” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” text_line_height=”1em” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n Black Pheobe | Joseph Galkowski | Audubon Photography Awards<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Built-in\u00a0Bug\u00a0Nets<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Flycaters like the Pacific-slope Flycatcher and the Black Pheobe sit quietly on a branch, looking almost bored. Then in the blink of an eye they\u2019re gone, snapping an insect right out of the air before returning to the same perch like nothing happened.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Their secret weapon\u00a0is rictal\u00a0bristles<\/a>,\u00a0a fringe of stiff feathers that lines their\u00a0flat bills. They act like a catcher\u2019s mitt, helping guide insects straight into the mouth. Add in\u00a0excellent vision\u00a0and lightning-fast reflexes, and\u00a0you\u2019ve\u00a0got a bird that can snag a mosquito mid-flight.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Aud_APA-2017_Barn-Swallow_A1_4314-1_Photo-Doug-German-Web-size.jpg.jpg”<\/a>; title_text=”Aud_APA-2017_Barn-Swallow_A1_4314-1_Photo-Doug-German-Web size.jpg” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”10px” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” text_line_height=”1em” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n Barn Swallow | Greg German | Audubon Photography Awards<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Speed\u00a0and Agility<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Violet-green, Barn,\u00a0and Tree Swallows\u00a0spend\u00a0nearly all\u00a0day\u00a0in\u00a0flight, twisting through the sky like tiny\u00a0Blue Angels.\u00a0Their aerodynamic\u00a0body\u00a0in combination with long narrow\u00a0wings\u00a0give\u00a0them speed\u00a0and the ability to make sharp turns.\u00a0As they fly,\u00a0they\u00a0open their\u00a0mouths\u00a0very wide,\u00a0as insects simply get\u00a0swallowed up\u00a0midair turning them\u00a0into\u00a0aerial insect vacuum cleaners.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Then there are Vaux\u2019s Swifts, that spend even more of their day airborne, effortlessly gliding and barely stopping to perch. They catch insects the same way swallows do, but on an even bigger scale\u2014often high above forests and cities, sweeping the sky clean of flying bugs.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A single swallow or swift family can eat tens of thousands of insects in one nesting season.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_margin=”31px|auto||auto||”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Aud_APA-2021_Pileated-Woodpecker_A1_17070-1_TS_Photo-Tina-Sawicki-Web-size.jpg.jpg”<\/a>; title_text=”Aud_APA-2021_Pileated-Woodpecker_A1_17070-1_TS_Photo-Tina-Sawicki-Web size.jpg” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”10px” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” text_line_height=”1em” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n Pileated Woodpecker | Tina Sawicki | Audubon Photography Awards<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Superhero\u00a0Tongues<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n When you think of a Woodpecker, you often think of their specialized\u00a0shock absorption\u00a0skull anatomy that allows them to go knock, knock, knock all day long\u00a0without damaging their brain. This helps them drill into\u00a0trees (and telephone poles) to find tasty larvae to feed on. But it is their tongue<\/a> that really allows them to be effective\u00a0insectivores. A Downy Woodpecker uses its tongue like a fishing pole, extending it well past the end of its bill and\u00a0utilizing\u00a0the sticky saliva and barbed tip to snag\u00a0beetle larvae.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Aud_APA-2024_Brown-Creeper_A1_31881-0_Photo-Kaleb-Friend-Web-size.jpg.jpg”<\/a>; title_text=”Aud_APA-2024_Brown-Creeper_A1_31881-0_Photo-Kaleb-Friend-Web size.jpg” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”10px” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” text_line_height=”1em” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n Brown Creeper | Kaleb Friend | Audubon Photography Awards<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Climbing Gear<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Red-breasted Nuthatches and Brown Creepers search<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>deeper still into a tree\u2019s bark. They both have powerful feet and long toes that allow them to grip the bark as t<\/span>hey spiral downward (Nuthatch) or upward (Creeper) along a\u00a0<\/span><\/span>tree<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>trunk, probing cracks and crevices with t<\/span>heir bills.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_margin=”30px|||||”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Townsends-Warbler-_-Nancy-Strohm-_-Canva.jpg”<\/a>; title_text=”Townsend’s Warbler _ Nancy Strohm _ Canva” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”10px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Townsend’s Warbler | Nancy Strohm | Canva<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Surgical tools<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The bill of a warbler\u00a0is\u00a0perfectly shaped for precision work. Thin and pointed\u00a0like tweezers, they slip easily between leaves to pluck\u00a0or snatch\u00a0caterpillars, aphids, and spiders hiding in plain sight.\u00a0This surface-feeding\u00a0style\u00a0often\u00a0utilized\u00a0by\u00a0Warblers\u00a0is called gleaning.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019ve ever tried to focus your binoculars on a migrating Wilson\u2019s or Townsend’s Warbler you know they never stay still for long\u2014hopping, hovering, and peering under leaves\u2014always searching for their next insect snack. While they both use a similar technique, the Townsen\u2019s Warbler uses its stronger beak for larger caterpillars, whereas the Wilson\u2019s Warbler snags tiny insects and spiders with its finer bill. This subtle variation in anatomy allows them to feed at the same tree without competing for the same food source.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider color=”gcid-5a1ca006-481f-4215-8348-29a193f148ac” _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||10px|||” global_colors_info=”{%22gcid-5a1ca006-481f-4215-8348-29a193f148ac%22:%91%22color%22%93}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blog fullwidth=”off” posts_number=”3″ include_categories=”1381,1369″ excerpt_length=”50″ show_more=”on” show_author=”off” show_date=”off” show_categories=”off” show_pagination=”off” offset_number=”1″ _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_blog][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Popup – #DonatePopGeneral” module_id=”DonatePopGeneral” module_class=”popup on-exit close-alt single” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” max_width=”82%” display_conditions=”W3siaWQiOiJiMDA4ZDk3ZS0wN2Y4LTRlZjktYjZhYy02ZWFhM2UwNDc4MzciLCJjb25kaXRpb24iOiJwb3N0VmlzaXQiLCJjb25kaXRpb25TZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJkaXNwbGF5UnVsZSI6Imhhc1Zpc2l0ZWRTcGVjaWZpY1BhZ2UiLCJwYWdlcyI6W3sibGFiZWwiOiJTYWhpbHkncyBKb3VybmV5IHRvIEZpbmQgSGVyIEJpcmRpbmcgQ29tbXVuaXR5IiwidmFsdWUiOiIyNjM2NyJ9XSwiYWRtaW5MYWJlbCI6IlBvc3QgVmlzaXQiLCJlbmFibGVDb25kaXRpb24iOiJvbiJ9LCJvcGVyYXRvciI6Ik9SIn1d” da_is_popup=”on” da_popup_slug=”DonatePopGeneral” da_is_singular=”on” da_exit_intent=”on” da_alt_close=”on” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_has_close=”on” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” custom_margin=”-32px|auto||auto||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_slider use_bg_overlay=”on” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”65%” module_alignment=”center” content_width=”85%” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_slide heading=”Become a Member” button_text=”Donate Today” button_link=”https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/donate\/”<\/a>; url_new_window=”on” use_bg_overlay=”on” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#0A3C23″ background_enable_color=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Hummingbirds-at-Feeder_Chris-Putnam.jpg”<\/a>; background_enable_image=”on” custom_button=”on” button_text_color=”#0A3C23″ button_bg_color=”#FAF5F0″ button_border_color=”#FAF5F0″ button_alignment=”center” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”][\/et_pb_slide][\/et_pb_slider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" From mosquito-snatching swallows to barbed tongue woodpeckers, discover how insect-eating birds are perfectly built to catch their next snack.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":186787275,"featured_media":32034,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"[et_pb_section fb_built=\"1\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" da_disable_devices=\"off|off|off\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" da_is_popup=\"off\" da_exit_intent=\"off\" da_has_close=\"on\" da_alt_close=\"off\" da_dark_close=\"off\" da_not_modal=\"on\" da_is_singular=\"off\" da_with_loader=\"off\" da_has_shadow=\"on\"][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_margin=\"-30px|auto||auto||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" min_height=\"11.8px\" custom_margin=\"-17px||32px|||\" custom_padding=\"19px|||||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"] Anna's Hummingbird | Shravan Sundaram | Audubon Photography Awards<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_margin=\"||17px|||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"] It\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>easy to miss a hummingbird nest tucked into a tree branch, and even easier to overlook the spider silk holding it all together. About the size of a\u00a0<\/span><\/span>walnut<\/span>, a hummingbird nest is a compact cup carefully built from plant fibers,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>lichen<\/span><\/span><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>moss, twigs, and bits of leaves. What truly binds these materials into a sturdy, flexible home is spider silk.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Female hummingbirds are solely in charge of\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>nest construction<\/span><\/span><\/span>. They deliberately collect spiderwebs, weaving the sticky strands throughout their nests like\u00a0<\/span><\/span>a natural<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>glue. Using their\u00a0<\/span><\/span>beaks and breasts<\/span><\/a>, they gather spider silk and stretch it around both the nest and the supporting branch<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>as an anchor<\/span><\/span><\/span>. Spider silk is an ideal building material, as it is lightweight, incredibly strong, and elastic. This stretchiness is especially important\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>because hummingbird nests\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>aren\u2019t<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>static structures. A<\/span><\/span><\/span>s eggs hatch and chicks grow<\/span><\/span>, the nest must expand without falling\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>apart.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Spider silk allows the nest to stretch gradually, accommodating growing chicks while\u00a0<\/span><\/span>maintaining<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>its shape and grip on the branch.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=\"1_2,1_2\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"1_2\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_image src=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Aud_APA-2022_Annas-Hummingbird_A1_19256-2_Photo-Shravan-Sundaram.jpg\" title_text=\"Aud_APA-2022_Annas-Hummingbird_A1_19256-2_Photo-Shravan-Sundaram\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" height=\"400px\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=\"1_2\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_image src=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Aud_APA-2022_Annas-Hummingbird_A1_19256-3_Photo-Shravan-Sundaram.jpg\" title_text=\"Aud_APA-2022_Annas-Hummingbird_A1_19256-3_Photo-Shravan-Sundaram\" align=\"center\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" height=\"400px\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" text_font_size=\"10px\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"] Anna's Hummingbird nest stretching as chicks grow. Beyond its flexibility, spider silk is one of the toughest materials found in\u00a0nature. Pound for pound, spider silk is considered 5-times stronger than the\u00a0strength of steel.\u00a0Its fibers can bend and stretch extensively without snapping, which helps hummingbird nests withstand\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>wind, rain<\/span>\u00a0of the Pacific Northwest<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>and the constant movement of active chick. This durability ensures the nest\u00a0remains\u00a0secure throughout the\u00a0<\/span>nesting<\/span>\u00a0season<\/span>\u00a0(February \u2013 April)<\/span>, despite being exposed to the elements.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Humans have long recognized the remarkable properties of spider silk as well. In ancient times, spider webs were used\u00a0<\/span>as bandages\u00a0<\/span>to help\u00a0stop bleeding<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Today, scientists study spider silk for applications ranging from medical sutures to\u00a0biodegradable materials. Hummingbirds, however, figured out its usefulness long before modern research caught up.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n By using spider silk, hummingbirds\u00a0demonstrate\u00a0a remarkable understanding of their environment, selecting materials that perfectly suit their needs. Their nests<\/span>, while delicate,<\/span>\u00a0are also engineering<\/span>\u00a0marvels<\/span>. The next time you spot a hummingbird darting through the trees, take a closer look nearby. You may just find a\u00a0<\/span>camouflaged<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0silk-bound\u00a0<\/span>nest, holding the next generation of\u00a0<\/span>Anna\u2019s or Rufous<\/span>\u00a0Hummingbirds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Spider-web-Jan-S-Martino-Canva.png\" title_text=\"Spider web Jan S Martino Canva\" align=\"center\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" text_font_size=\"10px\" text_orientation=\"right\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"] Spider silk from orb weavers is commonly used in hummingbird nests. Jan S Martino | Canva<\/em><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" hover_enabled=\"0\" sticky_enabled=\"0\"] References and Additional Resources<\/strong><\/p>\nThis article was originally published in our Spring 2026 Issue of EarthCare Northwest, Birds Connect Seattle’s quarterly member newsletter. Read the full issue<\/a><\/span> and become a member<\/a><\/span> today.\u00a0<\/em><\/h4>\n
by Carol Roll, Development Director<\/em><\/h4>\n
Hunters of the Air<\/h4>\n
Excavation Hunters<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n
Canopy Hunters<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n
Related Articles<\/h3>\n
This article was originally published in our Spring 2026 Issue of EarthCare Northwest, Birds Connect Seattle's quarterly member newsletter. Read the full issue<\/a> and become a member<\/a> today.\u00a0<\/em><\/h4>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_margin=\"||17px|||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]
by Ariel Shiley<\/em><\/h4>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" hover_enabled=\"0\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_enabled=\"0\"]
Shravan Sundaram | Audubon Photography Awards<\/em><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]\n
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![https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Aud_APA-2019_Black-Phoebe_A1_8856-3_Photo-Joseph-Galkowski-Web-size.jpg.jpg”<\/a>; title_text=”Aud_APA-2019_Black-Phoebe_A1_8856-3_Photo-Joseph-Galkowski-Web size.jpg” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”10px” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” text_line_height=”1em” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\nBlack Pheobe | Joseph Galkowski | Audubon Photography Awards<\/em><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\nBuilt-in\u00a0Bug\u00a0Nets<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nFlycaters like the Pacific-slope Flycatcher and the Black Pheobe sit quietly on a branch, looking almost bored. Then in the blink of an eye they\u2019re gone, snapping an insect right out of the air before returning to the same perch like nothing happened.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nTheir secret weapon\u00a0is rictal\u00a0bristles<\/a>,\u00a0a fringe of stiff feathers that lines their\u00a0flat bills. They act like a catcher\u2019s mitt, helping guide insects straight into the mouth. Add in\u00a0excellent vision\u00a0and lightning-fast reflexes, and\u00a0you\u2019ve\u00a0got a bird that can snag a mosquito mid-flight.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Aud_APA-2017_Barn-Swallow_A1_4314-1_Photo-Doug-German-Web-size.jpg.jpg”<\/a>; title_text=”Aud_APA-2017_Barn-Swallow_A1_4314-1_Photo-Doug-German-Web size.jpg” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”10px” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” text_line_height=”1em” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\nBarn Swallow | Greg German | Audubon Photography Awards<\/em><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\nSpeed\u00a0and Agility<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nViolet-green, Barn,\u00a0and Tree Swallows\u00a0spend\u00a0nearly all\u00a0day\u00a0in\u00a0flight, twisting through the sky like tiny\u00a0Blue Angels.\u00a0Their aerodynamic\u00a0body\u00a0in combination with long narrow\u00a0wings\u00a0give\u00a0them speed\u00a0and the ability to make sharp turns.\u00a0As they fly,\u00a0they\u00a0open their\u00a0mouths\u00a0very wide,\u00a0as insects simply get\u00a0swallowed up\u00a0midair turning them\u00a0into\u00a0aerial insect vacuum cleaners.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThen there are Vaux\u2019s Swifts, that spend even more of their day airborne, effortlessly gliding and barely stopping to perch. They catch insects the same way swallows do, but on an even bigger scale\u2014often high above forests and cities, sweeping the sky clean of flying bugs.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nA single swallow or swift family can eat tens of thousands of insects in one nesting season.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_margin=”31px|auto||auto||”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\nExcavation Hunters<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Aud_APA-2021_Pileated-Woodpecker_A1_17070-1_TS_Photo-Tina-Sawicki-Web-size.jpg.jpg”<\/a>; title_text=”Aud_APA-2021_Pileated-Woodpecker_A1_17070-1_TS_Photo-Tina-Sawicki-Web size.jpg” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”10px” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” text_line_height=”1em” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\nPileated Woodpecker | Tina Sawicki | Audubon Photography Awards<\/em><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\nSuperhero\u00a0Tongues<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nWhen you think of a Woodpecker, you often think of their specialized\u00a0shock absorption\u00a0skull anatomy that allows them to go knock, knock, knock all day long\u00a0without damaging their brain. This helps them drill into\u00a0trees (and telephone poles) to find tasty larvae to feed on. But it is their tongue<\/a> that really allows them to be effective\u00a0insectivores. A Downy Woodpecker uses its tongue like a fishing pole, extending it well past the end of its bill and\u00a0utilizing\u00a0the sticky saliva and barbed tip to snag\u00a0beetle larvae.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Aud_APA-2024_Brown-Creeper_A1_31881-0_Photo-Kaleb-Friend-Web-size.jpg.jpg”<\/a>; title_text=”Aud_APA-2024_Brown-Creeper_A1_31881-0_Photo-Kaleb-Friend-Web size.jpg” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”10px” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” text_line_height=”1em” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\nBrown Creeper | Kaleb Friend | Audubon Photography Awards<\/em><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\nClimbing Gear<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nRed-breasted Nuthatches and Brown Creepers search<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>deeper still into a tree\u2019s bark. They both have powerful feet and long toes that allow them to grip the bark as t<\/span>hey spiral downward (Nuthatch) or upward (Creeper) along a\u00a0<\/span><\/span>tree<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>trunk, probing cracks and crevices with t<\/span>heir bills.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_margin=”30px|||||”]<\/p>\nCanopy Hunters<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Townsends-Warbler-_-Nancy-Strohm-_-Canva.jpg”<\/a>; title_text=”Townsend’s Warbler _ Nancy Strohm _ Canva” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”10px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\nTownsend’s Warbler | Nancy Strohm | Canva<\/em><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\nSurgical tools<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThe bill of a warbler\u00a0is\u00a0perfectly shaped for precision work. Thin and pointed\u00a0like tweezers, they slip easily between leaves to pluck\u00a0or snatch\u00a0caterpillars, aphids, and spiders hiding in plain sight.\u00a0This surface-feeding\u00a0style\u00a0often\u00a0utilized\u00a0by\u00a0Warblers\u00a0is called gleaning.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nIf you\u2019ve ever tried to focus your binoculars on a migrating Wilson\u2019s or Townsend’s Warbler you know they never stay still for long\u2014hopping, hovering, and peering under leaves\u2014always searching for their next insect snack. While they both use a similar technique, the Townsen\u2019s Warbler uses its stronger beak for larger caterpillars, whereas the Wilson\u2019s Warbler snags tiny insects and spiders with its finer bill. This subtle variation in anatomy allows them to feed at the same tree without competing for the same food source.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider color=”gcid-5a1ca006-481f-4215-8348-29a193f148ac” _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||10px|||” global_colors_info=”{%22gcid-5a1ca006-481f-4215-8348-29a193f148ac%22:%91%22color%22%93}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\nRelated Articles<\/h3>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blog fullwidth=”off” posts_number=”3″ include_categories=”1381,1369″ excerpt_length=”50″ show_more=”on” show_author=”off” show_date=”off” show_categories=”off” show_pagination=”off” offset_number=”1″ _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_blog][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Popup – #DonatePopGeneral” module_id=”DonatePopGeneral” module_class=”popup on-exit close-alt single” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” max_width=”82%” display_conditions=”W3siaWQiOiJiMDA4ZDk3ZS0wN2Y4LTRlZjktYjZhYy02ZWFhM2UwNDc4MzciLCJjb25kaXRpb24iOiJwb3N0VmlzaXQiLCJjb25kaXRpb25TZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJkaXNwbGF5UnVsZSI6Imhhc1Zpc2l0ZWRTcGVjaWZpY1BhZ2UiLCJwYWdlcyI6W3sibGFiZWwiOiJTYWhpbHkncyBKb3VybmV5IHRvIEZpbmQgSGVyIEJpcmRpbmcgQ29tbXVuaXR5IiwidmFsdWUiOiIyNjM2NyJ9XSwiYWRtaW5MYWJlbCI6IlBvc3QgVmlzaXQiLCJlbmFibGVDb25kaXRpb24iOiJvbiJ9LCJvcGVyYXRvciI6Ik9SIn1d” da_is_popup=”on” da_popup_slug=”DonatePopGeneral” da_is_singular=”on” da_exit_intent=”on” da_alt_close=”on” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_has_close=”on” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” custom_margin=”-32px|auto||auto||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_slider use_bg_overlay=”on” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”65%” module_alignment=”center” content_width=”85%” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_slide heading=”Become a Member” button_text=”Donate Today” button_link=”https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/donate\/”<\/a>; url_new_window=”on” use_bg_overlay=”on” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#0A3C23″ background_enable_color=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Hummingbirds-at-Feeder_Chris-Putnam.jpg”<\/a>; background_enable_image=”on” custom_button=”on” button_text_color=”#0A3C23″ button_bg_color=”#FAF5F0″ button_border_color=”#FAF5F0″ button_alignment=”center” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”][\/et_pb_slide][\/et_pb_slider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"From mosquito-snatching swallows to barbed tongue woodpeckers, discover how insect-eating birds are perfectly built to catch their next snack.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":186787275,"featured_media":32034,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"[et_pb_section fb_built=\"1\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" da_disable_devices=\"off|off|off\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" da_is_popup=\"off\" da_exit_intent=\"off\" da_has_close=\"on\" da_alt_close=\"off\" da_dark_close=\"off\" da_not_modal=\"on\" da_is_singular=\"off\" da_with_loader=\"off\" da_has_shadow=\"on\"][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_margin=\"-30px|auto||auto||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" min_height=\"11.8px\" custom_margin=\"-17px||32px|||\" custom_padding=\"19px|||||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Anna's Hummingbird | Shravan Sundaram | Audubon Photography Awards<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_margin=\"||17px|||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]This article was originally published in our Spring 2026 Issue of EarthCare Northwest, Birds Connect Seattle's quarterly member newsletter. Read the full issue<\/a> and become a member<\/a> today.\u00a0<\/em><\/h4>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_margin=\"||17px|||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]by Ariel Shiley<\/em><\/h4>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" hover_enabled=\"0\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_enabled=\"0\"]It\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>easy to miss a hummingbird nest tucked into a tree branch, and even easier to overlook the spider silk holding it all together. About the size of a\u00a0<\/span><\/span>walnut<\/span>, a hummingbird nest is a compact cup carefully built from plant fibers,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>lichen<\/span><\/span><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>moss, twigs, and bits of leaves. What truly binds these materials into a sturdy, flexible home is spider silk.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nFemale hummingbirds are solely in charge of\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>nest construction<\/span><\/span><\/span>. They deliberately collect spiderwebs, weaving the sticky strands throughout their nests like\u00a0<\/span><\/span>a natural<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>glue. Using their\u00a0<\/span><\/span>beaks and breasts<\/span><\/a>, they gather spider silk and stretch it around both the nest and the supporting branch<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>as an anchor<\/span><\/span><\/span>. Spider silk is an ideal building material, as it is lightweight, incredibly strong, and elastic. This stretchiness is especially important\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>because hummingbird nests\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>aren\u2019t<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>static structures. A<\/span><\/span><\/span>s eggs hatch and chicks grow<\/span><\/span>, the nest must expand without falling\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>apart.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Spider silk allows the nest to stretch gradually, accommodating growing chicks while\u00a0<\/span><\/span>maintaining<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>its shape and grip on the branch.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=\"1_2,1_2\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"1_2\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_image src=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Aud_APA-2022_Annas-Hummingbird_A1_19256-2_Photo-Shravan-Sundaram.jpg\" title_text=\"Aud_APA-2022_Annas-Hummingbird_A1_19256-2_Photo-Shravan-Sundaram\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" height=\"400px\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=\"1_2\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_image src=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Aud_APA-2022_Annas-Hummingbird_A1_19256-3_Photo-Shravan-Sundaram.jpg\" title_text=\"Aud_APA-2022_Annas-Hummingbird_A1_19256-3_Photo-Shravan-Sundaram\" align=\"center\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" height=\"400px\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" text_font_size=\"10px\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Anna's Hummingbird nest stretching as chicks grow. Shravan Sundaram | Audubon Photography Awards<\/em><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Beyond its flexibility, spider silk is one of the toughest materials found in\u00a0nature. Pound for pound, spider silk is considered 5-times stronger than the\u00a0strength of steel.\u00a0Its fibers can bend and stretch extensively without snapping, which helps hummingbird nests withstand\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>wind, rain<\/span>\u00a0of the Pacific Northwest<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>and the constant movement of active chick. This durability ensures the nest\u00a0remains\u00a0secure throughout the\u00a0<\/span>nesting<\/span>\u00a0season<\/span>\u00a0(February \u2013 April)<\/span>, despite being exposed to the elements.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nHumans have long recognized the remarkable properties of spider silk as well. In ancient times, spider webs were used\u00a0<\/span>as bandages\u00a0<\/span>to help\u00a0stop bleeding<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Today, scientists study spider silk for applications ranging from medical sutures to\u00a0biodegradable materials. Hummingbirds, however, figured out its usefulness long before modern research caught up.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nBy using spider silk, hummingbirds\u00a0demonstrate\u00a0a remarkable understanding of their environment, selecting materials that perfectly suit their needs. Their nests<\/span>, while delicate,<\/span>\u00a0are also engineering<\/span>\u00a0marvels<\/span>. The next time you spot a hummingbird darting through the trees, take a closer look nearby. You may just find a\u00a0<\/span>camouflaged<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0silk-bound\u00a0<\/span>nest, holding the next generation of\u00a0<\/span>Anna\u2019s or Rufous<\/span>\u00a0Hummingbirds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Spider-web-Jan-S-Martino-Canva.png\" title_text=\"Spider web Jan S Martino Canva\" align=\"center\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" text_font_size=\"10px\" text_orientation=\"right\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Spider silk from orb weavers is commonly used in hummingbird nests. Jan S Martino | Canva<\/em><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" hover_enabled=\"0\" sticky_enabled=\"0\"]References and Additional Resources<\/strong><\/p>\n\nBirds and Blooms<\/a>: Everything You Need to Know About Hummingbird Nests<\/li>\nBrankovi\u0107, M., Zivic, F., Grujovic, N., Stojadinovic, I., Milenkovic, S., & Kotorcevic, N. (2024). Review of Spider Silk Applications<\/a> in Biomedical and Tissue Engineering. Biomimetics, 9(3), 169.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\nGoel, A. Surgical Sutures\u2014A Review.\u00a0<\/span>Off. Sci. J. Delhi Ophthalmol. Soc.<\/em>\u00a0<\/span>2015,\u00a0<\/span>26<\/em>, 159\u2013162.<\/span> <\/span><\/li>\nScience<\/a>: Spider Silk is Five Times Stronger than Steel<\/li>\nTreehugger<\/a>: How Hummingbirds Use Spider Silk to Build Better Nests<\/li>\nXu, G.; Toh, G.W.; Du, N.; Liu, X.Y. Spider Silk: The Toughest Natural Polymer. In\u00a0<\/span>Natural Polymers. 1: Composites<\/em>; RSC Green Chemistry; RSC Publishing: Cambridge, UK, 2012; ISBN 978-1-84973-402-8.<\/span> <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_divider color=\"gcid-5a1ca006-481f-4215-8348-29a193f148ac\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_margin=\"||10px|||\" global_colors_info=\"{%22gcid-5a1ca006-481f-4215-8348-29a193f148ac%22:%91%22color%22%93}\"][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_text_align=\"center\" text_orientation=\"center\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Related Articles<\/h3>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_blog fullwidth=\"off\" posts_number=\"3\" include_categories=\"1381,1369\" excerpt_length=\"50\" show_more=\"on\" show_author=\"off\" show_date=\"off\" show_categories=\"off\" show_pagination=\"off\" offset_number=\"1\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][\/et_pb_blog][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=\"1\" admin_label=\"Popup - #DonatePopGeneral\" module_id=\"DonatePopGeneral\" module_class=\"popup on-exit close-alt single\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" background_color=\"RGBA(255,255,255,0)\" max_width=\"82%\" 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sticky_transition=\"on\"][\/et_pb_slide][\/et_pb_slider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]","_et_gb_content_width":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[1381],"tags":[1856,1855,1440,1441,1851,1628,1853,1854,1852,1850],"class_list":["post-32032","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-adaptations","tag-bugs","tag-earthcare-northwest","tag-ecnw","tag-flycatchers","tag-food-chain","tag-insectivores","tag-insects","tag-swallows","tag-woodpeckers"],"yoast_head":"\nBuilt to Catch Bugs: Adaptations of Insect-Eating Birds - Birds Connect Seattle<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"From mosquito-snatching swallows to barbed tongue woodpeckers, discover how insect-eating birds are perfectly built to catch their next snack.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/2026\/03\/19\/built-to-catch-bugs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Built to Catch Bugs: Adaptations of Insect-Eating Birds - Birds Connect Seattle\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"From mosquito-snatching swallows to barbed tongue woodpeckers, discover how insect-eating birds are perfectly built to catch their next snack.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" 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![https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Aud_APA-2017_Barn-Swallow_A1_4314-1_Photo-Doug-German-Web-size.jpg.jpg”<\/a>; title_text=”Aud_APA-2017_Barn-Swallow_A1_4314-1_Photo-Doug-German-Web size.jpg” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”10px” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” text_line_height=”1em” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\nBarn Swallow | Greg German | Audubon Photography Awards<\/em><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\nSpeed\u00a0and Agility<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nViolet-green, Barn,\u00a0and Tree Swallows\u00a0spend\u00a0nearly all\u00a0day\u00a0in\u00a0flight, twisting through the sky like tiny\u00a0Blue Angels.\u00a0Their aerodynamic\u00a0body\u00a0in combination with long narrow\u00a0wings\u00a0give\u00a0them speed\u00a0and the ability to make sharp turns.\u00a0As they fly,\u00a0they\u00a0open their\u00a0mouths\u00a0very wide,\u00a0as insects simply get\u00a0swallowed up\u00a0midair turning them\u00a0into\u00a0aerial insect vacuum cleaners.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThen there are Vaux\u2019s Swifts, that spend even more of their day airborne, effortlessly gliding and barely stopping to perch. They catch insects the same way swallows do, but on an even bigger scale\u2014often high above forests and cities, sweeping the sky clean of flying bugs.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nA single swallow or swift family can eat tens of thousands of insects in one nesting season.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_margin=”31px|auto||auto||”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\nExcavation Hunters<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Aud_APA-2021_Pileated-Woodpecker_A1_17070-1_TS_Photo-Tina-Sawicki-Web-size.jpg.jpg”<\/a>; title_text=”Aud_APA-2021_Pileated-Woodpecker_A1_17070-1_TS_Photo-Tina-Sawicki-Web size.jpg” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”10px” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” text_line_height=”1em” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\nPileated Woodpecker | Tina Sawicki | Audubon Photography Awards<\/em><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\nSuperhero\u00a0Tongues<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nWhen you think of a Woodpecker, you often think of their specialized\u00a0shock absorption\u00a0skull anatomy that allows them to go knock, knock, knock all day long\u00a0without damaging their brain. This helps them drill into\u00a0trees (and telephone poles) to find tasty larvae to feed on. But it is their tongue<\/a> that really allows them to be effective\u00a0insectivores. A Downy Woodpecker uses its tongue like a fishing pole, extending it well past the end of its bill and\u00a0utilizing\u00a0the sticky saliva and barbed tip to snag\u00a0beetle larvae.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Aud_APA-2024_Brown-Creeper_A1_31881-0_Photo-Kaleb-Friend-Web-size.jpg.jpg”<\/a>; title_text=”Aud_APA-2024_Brown-Creeper_A1_31881-0_Photo-Kaleb-Friend-Web size.jpg” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”10px” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” text_line_height=”1em” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\nBrown Creeper | Kaleb Friend | Audubon Photography Awards<\/em><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\nClimbing Gear<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nRed-breasted Nuthatches and Brown Creepers search<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>deeper still into a tree\u2019s bark. They both have powerful feet and long toes that allow them to grip the bark as t<\/span>hey spiral downward (Nuthatch) or upward (Creeper) along a\u00a0<\/span><\/span>tree<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>trunk, probing cracks and crevices with t<\/span>heir bills.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_margin=”30px|||||”]<\/p>\nCanopy Hunters<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Townsends-Warbler-_-Nancy-Strohm-_-Canva.jpg”<\/a>; title_text=”Townsend’s Warbler _ Nancy Strohm _ Canva” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”10px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\nTownsend’s Warbler | Nancy Strohm | Canva<\/em><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\nSurgical tools<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThe bill of a warbler\u00a0is\u00a0perfectly shaped for precision work. Thin and pointed\u00a0like tweezers, they slip easily between leaves to pluck\u00a0or snatch\u00a0caterpillars, aphids, and spiders hiding in plain sight.\u00a0This surface-feeding\u00a0style\u00a0often\u00a0utilized\u00a0by\u00a0Warblers\u00a0is called gleaning.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nIf you\u2019ve ever tried to focus your binoculars on a migrating Wilson\u2019s or Townsend’s Warbler you know they never stay still for long\u2014hopping, hovering, and peering under leaves\u2014always searching for their next insect snack. While they both use a similar technique, the Townsen\u2019s Warbler uses its stronger beak for larger caterpillars, whereas the Wilson\u2019s Warbler snags tiny insects and spiders with its finer bill. This subtle variation in anatomy allows them to feed at the same tree without competing for the same food source.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider color=”gcid-5a1ca006-481f-4215-8348-29a193f148ac” _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||10px|||” global_colors_info=”{%22gcid-5a1ca006-481f-4215-8348-29a193f148ac%22:%91%22color%22%93}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\nRelated Articles<\/h3>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blog fullwidth=”off” posts_number=”3″ include_categories=”1381,1369″ excerpt_length=”50″ show_more=”on” show_author=”off” show_date=”off” show_categories=”off” show_pagination=”off” offset_number=”1″ _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_blog][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Popup – #DonatePopGeneral” module_id=”DonatePopGeneral” module_class=”popup on-exit close-alt single” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” max_width=”82%” display_conditions=”W3siaWQiOiJiMDA4ZDk3ZS0wN2Y4LTRlZjktYjZhYy02ZWFhM2UwNDc4MzciLCJjb25kaXRpb24iOiJwb3N0VmlzaXQiLCJjb25kaXRpb25TZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJkaXNwbGF5UnVsZSI6Imhhc1Zpc2l0ZWRTcGVjaWZpY1BhZ2UiLCJwYWdlcyI6W3sibGFiZWwiOiJTYWhpbHkncyBKb3VybmV5IHRvIEZpbmQgSGVyIEJpcmRpbmcgQ29tbXVuaXR5IiwidmFsdWUiOiIyNjM2NyJ9XSwiYWRtaW5MYWJlbCI6IlBvc3QgVmlzaXQiLCJlbmFibGVDb25kaXRpb24iOiJvbiJ9LCJvcGVyYXRvciI6Ik9SIn1d” da_is_popup=”on” da_popup_slug=”DonatePopGeneral” da_is_singular=”on” da_exit_intent=”on” da_alt_close=”on” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_has_close=”on” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” custom_margin=”-32px|auto||auto||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_slider use_bg_overlay=”on” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”65%” module_alignment=”center” content_width=”85%” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_slide heading=”Become a Member” button_text=”Donate Today” button_link=”https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/donate\/”<\/a>; url_new_window=”on” use_bg_overlay=”on” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#0A3C23″ background_enable_color=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Hummingbirds-at-Feeder_Chris-Putnam.jpg”<\/a>; background_enable_image=”on” custom_button=”on” button_text_color=”#0A3C23″ button_bg_color=”#FAF5F0″ button_border_color=”#FAF5F0″ button_alignment=”center” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”][\/et_pb_slide][\/et_pb_slider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"From mosquito-snatching swallows to barbed tongue woodpeckers, discover how insect-eating birds are perfectly built to catch their next snack.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":186787275,"featured_media":32034,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"[et_pb_section fb_built=\"1\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" da_disable_devices=\"off|off|off\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" da_is_popup=\"off\" da_exit_intent=\"off\" da_has_close=\"on\" da_alt_close=\"off\" da_dark_close=\"off\" da_not_modal=\"on\" da_is_singular=\"off\" da_with_loader=\"off\" da_has_shadow=\"on\"][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_margin=\"-30px|auto||auto||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" min_height=\"11.8px\" custom_margin=\"-17px||32px|||\" custom_padding=\"19px|||||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Anna's Hummingbird | Shravan Sundaram | Audubon Photography Awards<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_margin=\"||17px|||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]This article was originally published in our Spring 2026 Issue of EarthCare Northwest, Birds Connect Seattle's quarterly member newsletter. Read the full issue<\/a> and become a member<\/a> today.\u00a0<\/em><\/h4>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_margin=\"||17px|||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]by Ariel Shiley<\/em><\/h4>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" hover_enabled=\"0\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_enabled=\"0\"]It\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>easy to miss a hummingbird nest tucked into a tree branch, and even easier to overlook the spider silk holding it all together. About the size of a\u00a0<\/span><\/span>walnut<\/span>, a hummingbird nest is a compact cup carefully built from plant fibers,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>lichen<\/span><\/span><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>moss, twigs, and bits of leaves. What truly binds these materials into a sturdy, flexible home is spider silk.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nFemale hummingbirds are solely in charge of\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>nest construction<\/span><\/span><\/span>. They deliberately collect spiderwebs, weaving the sticky strands throughout their nests like\u00a0<\/span><\/span>a natural<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>glue. Using their\u00a0<\/span><\/span>beaks and breasts<\/span><\/a>, they gather spider silk and stretch it around both the nest and the supporting branch<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>as an anchor<\/span><\/span><\/span>. Spider silk is an ideal building material, as it is lightweight, incredibly strong, and elastic. This stretchiness is especially important\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>because hummingbird nests\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>aren\u2019t<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>static structures. A<\/span><\/span><\/span>s eggs hatch and chicks grow<\/span><\/span>, the nest must expand without falling\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>apart.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Spider silk allows the nest to stretch gradually, accommodating growing chicks while\u00a0<\/span><\/span>maintaining<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>its shape and grip on the branch.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=\"1_2,1_2\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"1_2\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_image src=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Aud_APA-2022_Annas-Hummingbird_A1_19256-2_Photo-Shravan-Sundaram.jpg\" title_text=\"Aud_APA-2022_Annas-Hummingbird_A1_19256-2_Photo-Shravan-Sundaram\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" height=\"400px\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=\"1_2\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_image src=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Aud_APA-2022_Annas-Hummingbird_A1_19256-3_Photo-Shravan-Sundaram.jpg\" title_text=\"Aud_APA-2022_Annas-Hummingbird_A1_19256-3_Photo-Shravan-Sundaram\" align=\"center\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" height=\"400px\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" text_font_size=\"10px\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Anna's Hummingbird nest stretching as chicks grow. Shravan Sundaram | Audubon Photography Awards<\/em><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Beyond its flexibility, spider silk is one of the toughest materials found in\u00a0nature. Pound for pound, spider silk is considered 5-times stronger than the\u00a0strength of steel.\u00a0Its fibers can bend and stretch extensively without snapping, which helps hummingbird nests withstand\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>wind, rain<\/span>\u00a0of the Pacific Northwest<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>and the constant movement of active chick. This durability ensures the nest\u00a0remains\u00a0secure throughout the\u00a0<\/span>nesting<\/span>\u00a0season<\/span>\u00a0(February \u2013 April)<\/span>, despite being exposed to the elements.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nHumans have long recognized the remarkable properties of spider silk as well. In ancient times, spider webs were used\u00a0<\/span>as bandages\u00a0<\/span>to help\u00a0stop bleeding<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Today, scientists study spider silk for applications ranging from medical sutures to\u00a0biodegradable materials. Hummingbirds, however, figured out its usefulness long before modern research caught up.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nBy using spider silk, hummingbirds\u00a0demonstrate\u00a0a remarkable understanding of their environment, selecting materials that perfectly suit their needs. Their nests<\/span>, while delicate,<\/span>\u00a0are also engineering<\/span>\u00a0marvels<\/span>. The next time you spot a hummingbird darting through the trees, take a closer look nearby. You may just find a\u00a0<\/span>camouflaged<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0silk-bound\u00a0<\/span>nest, holding the next generation of\u00a0<\/span>Anna\u2019s or Rufous<\/span>\u00a0Hummingbirds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Spider-web-Jan-S-Martino-Canva.png\" title_text=\"Spider web Jan S Martino Canva\" align=\"center\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" text_font_size=\"10px\" text_orientation=\"right\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Spider silk from orb weavers is commonly used in hummingbird nests. Jan S Martino | Canva<\/em><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" hover_enabled=\"0\" sticky_enabled=\"0\"]References and Additional Resources<\/strong><\/p>\n\nBirds and Blooms<\/a>: Everything You Need to Know About Hummingbird Nests<\/li>\nBrankovi\u0107, M., Zivic, F., Grujovic, N., Stojadinovic, I., Milenkovic, S., & Kotorcevic, N. (2024). Review of Spider Silk Applications<\/a> in Biomedical and Tissue Engineering. Biomimetics, 9(3), 169.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\nGoel, A. Surgical Sutures\u2014A Review.\u00a0<\/span>Off. Sci. J. Delhi Ophthalmol. Soc.<\/em>\u00a0<\/span>2015,\u00a0<\/span>26<\/em>, 159\u2013162.<\/span> <\/span><\/li>\nScience<\/a>: Spider Silk is Five Times Stronger than Steel<\/li>\nTreehugger<\/a>: How Hummingbirds Use Spider Silk to Build Better Nests<\/li>\nXu, G.; Toh, G.W.; Du, N.; Liu, X.Y. Spider Silk: The Toughest Natural Polymer. In\u00a0<\/span>Natural Polymers. 1: Composites<\/em>; RSC Green Chemistry; RSC Publishing: Cambridge, UK, 2012; ISBN 978-1-84973-402-8.<\/span> <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_divider color=\"gcid-5a1ca006-481f-4215-8348-29a193f148ac\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_margin=\"||10px|||\" global_colors_info=\"{%22gcid-5a1ca006-481f-4215-8348-29a193f148ac%22:%91%22color%22%93}\"][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_text_align=\"center\" text_orientation=\"center\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Related Articles<\/h3>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_blog fullwidth=\"off\" posts_number=\"3\" include_categories=\"1381,1369\" excerpt_length=\"50\" show_more=\"on\" show_author=\"off\" show_date=\"off\" show_categories=\"off\" show_pagination=\"off\" offset_number=\"1\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][\/et_pb_blog][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=\"1\" admin_label=\"Popup - #DonatePopGeneral\" module_id=\"DonatePopGeneral\" module_class=\"popup on-exit close-alt single\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" background_color=\"RGBA(255,255,255,0)\" max_width=\"82%\" display_conditions=\"W3siaWQiOiJiMDA4ZDk3ZS0wN2Y4LTRlZjktYjZhYy02ZWFhM2UwNDc4MzciLCJjb25kaXRpb24iOiJwb3N0VmlzaXQiLCJjb25kaXRpb25TZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJkaXNwbGF5UnVsZSI6Imhhc1Zpc2l0ZWRTcGVjaWZpY1BhZ2UiLCJwYWdlcyI6W3sibGFiZWwiOiJTYWhpbHkncyBKb3VybmV5IHRvIEZpbmQgSGVyIEJpcmRpbmcgQ29tbXVuaXR5IiwidmFsdWUiOiIyNjM2NyJ9XSwiYWRtaW5MYWJlbCI6IlBvc3QgVmlzaXQiLCJlbmFibGVDb25kaXRpb24iOiJvbiJ9LCJvcGVyYXRvciI6Ik9SIn1d\" da_is_popup=\"on\" da_popup_slug=\"DonatePopGeneral\" da_is_singular=\"on\" da_exit_intent=\"on\" da_alt_close=\"on\" da_disable_devices=\"off|off|off\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" da_has_close=\"on\" da_dark_close=\"off\" da_not_modal=\"on\" da_with_loader=\"off\" da_has_shadow=\"on\"][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" background_color=\"RGBA(255,255,255,0)\" custom_margin=\"-32px|auto||auto||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_slider use_bg_overlay=\"on\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" max_width=\"65%\" module_alignment=\"center\" content_width=\"85%\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_slide heading=\"Become a Member\" button_text=\"Donate Today\" button_link=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/donate\/\" url_new_window=\"on\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" background_color=\"#0A3C23\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Hummingbirds-at-Feeder_Chris-Putnam.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" custom_button=\"on\" button_text_color=\"#0A3C23\" button_bg_color=\"#FAF5F0\" button_border_color=\"#FAF5F0\" button_alignment=\"center\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"][\/et_pb_slide][\/et_pb_slider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]","_et_gb_content_width":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[1381],"tags":[1856,1855,1440,1441,1851,1628,1853,1854,1852,1850],"class_list":["post-32032","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-adaptations","tag-bugs","tag-earthcare-northwest","tag-ecnw","tag-flycatchers","tag-food-chain","tag-insectivores","tag-insects","tag-swallows","tag-woodpeckers"],"yoast_head":"\nBuilt to Catch Bugs: Adaptations of Insect-Eating Birds - Birds Connect Seattle<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"From mosquito-snatching swallows to barbed tongue woodpeckers, discover how insect-eating birds are perfectly built to catch their next snack.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/2026\/03\/19\/built-to-catch-bugs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Built to Catch Bugs: Adaptations of Insect-Eating Birds - Birds Connect Seattle\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"From mosquito-snatching swallows to barbed tongue woodpeckers, discover how insect-eating birds are perfectly built to catch their next snack.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" 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This helps them drill into\u00a0trees (and telephone poles) to find tasty larvae to feed on. But it is their tongue<\/a> that really allows them to be effective\u00a0insectivores. 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They both have powerful feet and long toes that allow them to grip the bark as t<\/span>hey spiral downward (Nuthatch) or upward (Creeper) along a\u00a0<\/span><\/span>tree<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>trunk, probing cracks and crevices with t<\/span>heir bills.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_margin=”30px|||||”]<\/p>\nCanopy Hunters<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Townsends-Warbler-_-Nancy-Strohm-_-Canva.jpg”<\/a>; title_text=”Townsend’s Warbler _ Nancy Strohm _ Canva” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”10px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\nTownsend’s Warbler | Nancy Strohm | Canva<\/em><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\nSurgical tools<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThe bill of a warbler\u00a0is\u00a0perfectly shaped for precision work. Thin and pointed\u00a0like tweezers, they slip easily between leaves to pluck\u00a0or snatch\u00a0caterpillars, aphids, and spiders hiding in plain sight.\u00a0This surface-feeding\u00a0style\u00a0often\u00a0utilized\u00a0by\u00a0Warblers\u00a0is called gleaning.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nIf you\u2019ve ever tried to focus your binoculars on a migrating Wilson\u2019s or Townsend’s Warbler you know they never stay still for long\u2014hopping, hovering, and peering under leaves\u2014always searching for their next insect snack. While they both use a similar technique, the Townsen\u2019s Warbler uses its stronger beak for larger caterpillars, whereas the Wilson\u2019s Warbler snags tiny insects and spiders with its finer bill. This subtle variation in anatomy allows them to feed at the same tree without competing for the same food source.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider color=”gcid-5a1ca006-481f-4215-8348-29a193f148ac” _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||10px|||” global_colors_info=”{%22gcid-5a1ca006-481f-4215-8348-29a193f148ac%22:%91%22color%22%93}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\nRelated Articles<\/h3>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blog fullwidth=”off” posts_number=”3″ include_categories=”1381,1369″ excerpt_length=”50″ show_more=”on” show_author=”off” show_date=”off” show_categories=”off” show_pagination=”off” offset_number=”1″ _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_blog][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Popup – #DonatePopGeneral” module_id=”DonatePopGeneral” module_class=”popup on-exit close-alt single” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” max_width=”82%” display_conditions=”W3siaWQiOiJiMDA4ZDk3ZS0wN2Y4LTRlZjktYjZhYy02ZWFhM2UwNDc4MzciLCJjb25kaXRpb24iOiJwb3N0VmlzaXQiLCJjb25kaXRpb25TZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJkaXNwbGF5UnVsZSI6Imhhc1Zpc2l0ZWRTcGVjaWZpY1BhZ2UiLCJwYWdlcyI6W3sibGFiZWwiOiJTYWhpbHkncyBKb3VybmV5IHRvIEZpbmQgSGVyIEJpcmRpbmcgQ29tbXVuaXR5IiwidmFsdWUiOiIyNjM2NyJ9XSwiYWRtaW5MYWJlbCI6IlBvc3QgVmlzaXQiLCJlbmFibGVDb25kaXRpb24iOiJvbiJ9LCJvcGVyYXRvciI6Ik9SIn1d” da_is_popup=”on” da_popup_slug=”DonatePopGeneral” da_is_singular=”on” da_exit_intent=”on” da_alt_close=”on” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_has_close=”on” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” custom_margin=”-32px|auto||auto||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_slider use_bg_overlay=”on” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”65%” module_alignment=”center” content_width=”85%” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_slide heading=”Become a Member” button_text=”Donate Today” button_link=”https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/donate\/”<\/a>; url_new_window=”on” use_bg_overlay=”on” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#0A3C23″ background_enable_color=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Hummingbirds-at-Feeder_Chris-Putnam.jpg”<\/a>; background_enable_image=”on” custom_button=”on” button_text_color=”#0A3C23″ button_bg_color=”#FAF5F0″ button_border_color=”#FAF5F0″ button_alignment=”center” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”][\/et_pb_slide][\/et_pb_slider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"From mosquito-snatching swallows to barbed tongue woodpeckers, discover how insect-eating birds are perfectly built to catch their next snack.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":186787275,"featured_media":32034,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"[et_pb_section fb_built=\"1\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" da_disable_devices=\"off|off|off\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" da_is_popup=\"off\" da_exit_intent=\"off\" da_has_close=\"on\" da_alt_close=\"off\" da_dark_close=\"off\" da_not_modal=\"on\" da_is_singular=\"off\" da_with_loader=\"off\" da_has_shadow=\"on\"][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_margin=\"-30px|auto||auto||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" min_height=\"11.8px\" custom_margin=\"-17px||32px|||\" custom_padding=\"19px|||||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Anna's Hummingbird | Shravan Sundaram | Audubon Photography Awards<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_margin=\"||17px|||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]This article was originally published in our Spring 2026 Issue of EarthCare Northwest, Birds Connect Seattle's quarterly member newsletter. Read the full issue<\/a> and become a member<\/a> today.\u00a0<\/em><\/h4>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_margin=\"||17px|||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]by Ariel Shiley<\/em><\/h4>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" hover_enabled=\"0\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_enabled=\"0\"]It\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>easy to miss a hummingbird nest tucked into a tree branch, and even easier to overlook the spider silk holding it all together. About the size of a\u00a0<\/span><\/span>walnut<\/span>, a hummingbird nest is a compact cup carefully built from plant fibers,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>lichen<\/span><\/span><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>moss, twigs, and bits of leaves. What truly binds these materials into a sturdy, flexible home is spider silk.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nFemale hummingbirds are solely in charge of\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>nest construction<\/span><\/span><\/span>. They deliberately collect spiderwebs, weaving the sticky strands throughout their nests like\u00a0<\/span><\/span>a natural<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>glue. Using their\u00a0<\/span><\/span>beaks and breasts<\/span><\/a>, they gather spider silk and stretch it around both the nest and the supporting branch<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>as an anchor<\/span><\/span><\/span>. Spider silk is an ideal building material, as it is lightweight, incredibly strong, and elastic. This stretchiness is especially important\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>because hummingbird nests\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>aren\u2019t<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>static structures. A<\/span><\/span><\/span>s eggs hatch and chicks grow<\/span><\/span>, the nest must expand without falling\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>apart.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Spider silk allows the nest to stretch gradually, accommodating growing chicks while\u00a0<\/span><\/span>maintaining<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>its shape and grip on the branch.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=\"1_2,1_2\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"1_2\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_image src=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Aud_APA-2022_Annas-Hummingbird_A1_19256-2_Photo-Shravan-Sundaram.jpg\" title_text=\"Aud_APA-2022_Annas-Hummingbird_A1_19256-2_Photo-Shravan-Sundaram\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" height=\"400px\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=\"1_2\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_image src=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Aud_APA-2022_Annas-Hummingbird_A1_19256-3_Photo-Shravan-Sundaram.jpg\" title_text=\"Aud_APA-2022_Annas-Hummingbird_A1_19256-3_Photo-Shravan-Sundaram\" align=\"center\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" height=\"400px\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" text_font_size=\"10px\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Anna's Hummingbird nest stretching as chicks grow. Shravan Sundaram | Audubon Photography Awards<\/em><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Beyond its flexibility, spider silk is one of the toughest materials found in\u00a0nature. Pound for pound, spider silk is considered 5-times stronger than the\u00a0strength of steel.\u00a0Its fibers can bend and stretch extensively without snapping, which helps hummingbird nests withstand\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>wind, rain<\/span>\u00a0of the Pacific Northwest<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>and the constant movement of active chick. This durability ensures the nest\u00a0remains\u00a0secure throughout the\u00a0<\/span>nesting<\/span>\u00a0season<\/span>\u00a0(February \u2013 April)<\/span>, despite being exposed to the elements.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nHumans have long recognized the remarkable properties of spider silk as well. In ancient times, spider webs were used\u00a0<\/span>as bandages\u00a0<\/span>to help\u00a0stop bleeding<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Today, scientists study spider silk for applications ranging from medical sutures to\u00a0biodegradable materials. Hummingbirds, however, figured out its usefulness long before modern research caught up.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nBy using spider silk, hummingbirds\u00a0demonstrate\u00a0a remarkable understanding of their environment, selecting materials that perfectly suit their needs. Their nests<\/span>, while delicate,<\/span>\u00a0are also engineering<\/span>\u00a0marvels<\/span>. The next time you spot a hummingbird darting through the trees, take a closer look nearby. You may just find a\u00a0<\/span>camouflaged<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0silk-bound\u00a0<\/span>nest, holding the next generation of\u00a0<\/span>Anna\u2019s or Rufous<\/span>\u00a0Hummingbirds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Spider-web-Jan-S-Martino-Canva.png\" title_text=\"Spider web Jan S Martino Canva\" align=\"center\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" text_font_size=\"10px\" text_orientation=\"right\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Spider silk from orb weavers is commonly used in hummingbird nests. Jan S Martino | Canva<\/em><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" hover_enabled=\"0\" sticky_enabled=\"0\"]References and Additional Resources<\/strong><\/p>\n\nBirds and Blooms<\/a>: Everything You Need to Know About Hummingbird Nests<\/li>\nBrankovi\u0107, M., Zivic, F., Grujovic, N., Stojadinovic, I., Milenkovic, S., & Kotorcevic, N. (2024). Review of Spider Silk Applications<\/a> in Biomedical and Tissue Engineering. Biomimetics, 9(3), 169.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\nGoel, A. Surgical Sutures\u2014A Review.\u00a0<\/span>Off. Sci. J. Delhi Ophthalmol. Soc.<\/em>\u00a0<\/span>2015,\u00a0<\/span>26<\/em>, 159\u2013162.<\/span> <\/span><\/li>\nScience<\/a>: Spider Silk is Five Times Stronger than Steel<\/li>\nTreehugger<\/a>: How Hummingbirds Use Spider Silk to Build Better Nests<\/li>\nXu, G.; Toh, G.W.; Du, N.; Liu, X.Y. Spider Silk: The Toughest Natural Polymer. In\u00a0<\/span>Natural Polymers. 1: Composites<\/em>; RSC Green Chemistry; RSC Publishing: Cambridge, UK, 2012; ISBN 978-1-84973-402-8.<\/span> <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_divider color=\"gcid-5a1ca006-481f-4215-8348-29a193f148ac\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_margin=\"||10px|||\" global_colors_info=\"{%22gcid-5a1ca006-481f-4215-8348-29a193f148ac%22:%91%22color%22%93}\"][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_text_align=\"center\" text_orientation=\"center\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Related Articles<\/h3>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_blog fullwidth=\"off\" posts_number=\"3\" include_categories=\"1381,1369\" excerpt_length=\"50\" show_more=\"on\" show_author=\"off\" show_date=\"off\" show_categories=\"off\" show_pagination=\"off\" offset_number=\"1\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][\/et_pb_blog][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=\"1\" admin_label=\"Popup - #DonatePopGeneral\" module_id=\"DonatePopGeneral\" module_class=\"popup on-exit close-alt single\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" background_color=\"RGBA(255,255,255,0)\" max_width=\"82%\" display_conditions=\"W3siaWQiOiJiMDA4ZDk3ZS0wN2Y4LTRlZjktYjZhYy02ZWFhM2UwNDc4MzciLCJjb25kaXRpb24iOiJwb3N0VmlzaXQiLCJjb25kaXRpb25TZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJkaXNwbGF5UnVsZSI6Imhhc1Zpc2l0ZWRTcGVjaWZpY1BhZ2UiLCJwYWdlcyI6W3sibGFiZWwiOiJTYWhpbHkncyBKb3VybmV5IHRvIEZpbmQgSGVyIEJpcmRpbmcgQ29tbXVuaXR5IiwidmFsdWUiOiIyNjM2NyJ9XSwiYWRtaW5MYWJlbCI6IlBvc3QgVmlzaXQiLCJlbmFibGVDb25kaXRpb24iOiJvbiJ9LCJvcGVyYXRvciI6Ik9SIn1d\" da_is_popup=\"on\" da_popup_slug=\"DonatePopGeneral\" da_is_singular=\"on\" da_exit_intent=\"on\" da_alt_close=\"on\" da_disable_devices=\"off|off|off\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" da_has_close=\"on\" da_dark_close=\"off\" da_not_modal=\"on\" da_with_loader=\"off\" da_has_shadow=\"on\"][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" background_color=\"RGBA(255,255,255,0)\" custom_margin=\"-32px|auto||auto||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_slider use_bg_overlay=\"on\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" max_width=\"65%\" module_alignment=\"center\" content_width=\"85%\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_slide heading=\"Become a Member\" button_text=\"Donate Today\" button_link=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/donate\/\" url_new_window=\"on\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" background_color=\"#0A3C23\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Hummingbirds-at-Feeder_Chris-Putnam.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" custom_button=\"on\" button_text_color=\"#0A3C23\" button_bg_color=\"#FAF5F0\" button_border_color=\"#FAF5F0\" button_alignment=\"center\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"][\/et_pb_slide][\/et_pb_slider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]","_et_gb_content_width":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[1381],"tags":[1856,1855,1440,1441,1851,1628,1853,1854,1852,1850],"class_list":["post-32032","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-adaptations","tag-bugs","tag-earthcare-northwest","tag-ecnw","tag-flycatchers","tag-food-chain","tag-insectivores","tag-insects","tag-swallows","tag-woodpeckers"],"yoast_head":"\nBuilt to Catch Bugs: Adaptations of Insect-Eating Birds - Birds Connect Seattle<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"From mosquito-snatching swallows to barbed tongue woodpeckers, discover how insect-eating birds are perfectly built to catch their next snack.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/2026\/03\/19\/built-to-catch-bugs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Built to Catch Bugs: Adaptations of Insect-Eating Birds - Birds Connect Seattle\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"From mosquito-snatching swallows to barbed tongue woodpeckers, discover how insect-eating birds are perfectly built to catch their next snack.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" 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They both have powerful feet and long toes that allow them to grip the bark as t<\/span>hey spiral downward (Nuthatch) or upward (Creeper) along a\u00a0<\/span><\/span>tree<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>trunk, probing cracks and crevices with t<\/span>heir bills.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_margin=”30px|||||”]<\/p>\nCanopy Hunters<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Townsends-Warbler-_-Nancy-Strohm-_-Canva.jpg”<\/a>; title_text=”Townsend’s Warbler _ Nancy Strohm _ Canva” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”10px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\nTownsend’s Warbler | Nancy Strohm | Canva<\/em><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\nSurgical tools<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThe bill of a warbler\u00a0is\u00a0perfectly shaped for precision work. Thin and pointed\u00a0like tweezers, they slip easily between leaves to pluck\u00a0or snatch\u00a0caterpillars, aphids, and spiders hiding in plain sight.\u00a0This surface-feeding\u00a0style\u00a0often\u00a0utilized\u00a0by\u00a0Warblers\u00a0is called gleaning.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nIf you\u2019ve ever tried to focus your binoculars on a migrating Wilson\u2019s or Townsend’s Warbler you know they never stay still for long\u2014hopping, hovering, and peering under leaves\u2014always searching for their next insect snack. While they both use a similar technique, the Townsen\u2019s Warbler uses its stronger beak for larger caterpillars, whereas the Wilson\u2019s Warbler snags tiny insects and spiders with its finer bill. This subtle variation in anatomy allows them to feed at the same tree without competing for the same food source.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider color=”gcid-5a1ca006-481f-4215-8348-29a193f148ac” _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||10px|||” global_colors_info=”{%22gcid-5a1ca006-481f-4215-8348-29a193f148ac%22:%91%22color%22%93}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\nRelated Articles<\/h3>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blog fullwidth=”off” posts_number=”3″ include_categories=”1381,1369″ excerpt_length=”50″ show_more=”on” show_author=”off” show_date=”off” show_categories=”off” show_pagination=”off” offset_number=”1″ _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_blog][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Popup – #DonatePopGeneral” module_id=”DonatePopGeneral” module_class=”popup on-exit close-alt single” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” max_width=”82%” display_conditions=”W3siaWQiOiJiMDA4ZDk3ZS0wN2Y4LTRlZjktYjZhYy02ZWFhM2UwNDc4MzciLCJjb25kaXRpb24iOiJwb3N0VmlzaXQiLCJjb25kaXRpb25TZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJkaXNwbGF5UnVsZSI6Imhhc1Zpc2l0ZWRTcGVjaWZpY1BhZ2UiLCJwYWdlcyI6W3sibGFiZWwiOiJTYWhpbHkncyBKb3VybmV5IHRvIEZpbmQgSGVyIEJpcmRpbmcgQ29tbXVuaXR5IiwidmFsdWUiOiIyNjM2NyJ9XSwiYWRtaW5MYWJlbCI6IlBvc3QgVmlzaXQiLCJlbmFibGVDb25kaXRpb24iOiJvbiJ9LCJvcGVyYXRvciI6Ik9SIn1d” da_is_popup=”on” da_popup_slug=”DonatePopGeneral” da_is_singular=”on” da_exit_intent=”on” da_alt_close=”on” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_has_close=”on” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” custom_margin=”-32px|auto||auto||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_slider use_bg_overlay=”on” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”65%” module_alignment=”center” content_width=”85%” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_slide heading=”Become a Member” button_text=”Donate Today” button_link=”https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/donate\/”<\/a>; url_new_window=”on” use_bg_overlay=”on” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#0A3C23″ background_enable_color=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Hummingbirds-at-Feeder_Chris-Putnam.jpg”<\/a>; background_enable_image=”on” custom_button=”on” button_text_color=”#0A3C23″ button_bg_color=”#FAF5F0″ button_border_color=”#FAF5F0″ button_alignment=”center” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”][\/et_pb_slide][\/et_pb_slider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"From mosquito-snatching swallows to barbed tongue woodpeckers, discover how insect-eating birds are perfectly built to catch their next snack.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":186787275,"featured_media":32034,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"[et_pb_section fb_built=\"1\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" da_disable_devices=\"off|off|off\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" da_is_popup=\"off\" da_exit_intent=\"off\" da_has_close=\"on\" da_alt_close=\"off\" da_dark_close=\"off\" da_not_modal=\"on\" da_is_singular=\"off\" da_with_loader=\"off\" da_has_shadow=\"on\"][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_margin=\"-30px|auto||auto||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" min_height=\"11.8px\" custom_margin=\"-17px||32px|||\" custom_padding=\"19px|||||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Anna's Hummingbird | Shravan Sundaram | Audubon Photography Awards<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_margin=\"||17px|||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]This article was originally published in our Spring 2026 Issue of EarthCare Northwest, Birds Connect Seattle's quarterly member newsletter. Read the full issue<\/a> and become a member<\/a> today.\u00a0<\/em><\/h4>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_margin=\"||17px|||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]by Ariel Shiley<\/em><\/h4>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" hover_enabled=\"0\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_enabled=\"0\"]It\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>easy to miss a hummingbird nest tucked into a tree branch, and even easier to overlook the spider silk holding it all together. About the size of a\u00a0<\/span><\/span>walnut<\/span>, a hummingbird nest is a compact cup carefully built from plant fibers,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>lichen<\/span><\/span><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>moss, twigs, and bits of leaves. What truly binds these materials into a sturdy, flexible home is spider silk.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nFemale hummingbirds are solely in charge of\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>nest construction<\/span><\/span><\/span>. They deliberately collect spiderwebs, weaving the sticky strands throughout their nests like\u00a0<\/span><\/span>a natural<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>glue. Using their\u00a0<\/span><\/span>beaks and breasts<\/span><\/a>, they gather spider silk and stretch it around both the nest and the supporting branch<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>as an anchor<\/span><\/span><\/span>. Spider silk is an ideal building material, as it is lightweight, incredibly strong, and elastic. This stretchiness is especially important\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>because hummingbird nests\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>aren\u2019t<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>static structures. A<\/span><\/span><\/span>s eggs hatch and chicks grow<\/span><\/span>, the nest must expand without falling\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>apart.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Spider silk allows the nest to stretch gradually, accommodating growing chicks while\u00a0<\/span><\/span>maintaining<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>its shape and grip on the branch.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=\"1_2,1_2\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"1_2\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_image src=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Aud_APA-2022_Annas-Hummingbird_A1_19256-2_Photo-Shravan-Sundaram.jpg\" title_text=\"Aud_APA-2022_Annas-Hummingbird_A1_19256-2_Photo-Shravan-Sundaram\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" height=\"400px\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=\"1_2\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_image src=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Aud_APA-2022_Annas-Hummingbird_A1_19256-3_Photo-Shravan-Sundaram.jpg\" title_text=\"Aud_APA-2022_Annas-Hummingbird_A1_19256-3_Photo-Shravan-Sundaram\" align=\"center\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" height=\"400px\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" text_font_size=\"10px\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Anna's Hummingbird nest stretching as chicks grow. Shravan Sundaram | Audubon Photography Awards<\/em><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Beyond its flexibility, spider silk is one of the toughest materials found in\u00a0nature. Pound for pound, spider silk is considered 5-times stronger than the\u00a0strength of steel.\u00a0Its fibers can bend and stretch extensively without snapping, which helps hummingbird nests withstand\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>wind, rain<\/span>\u00a0of the Pacific Northwest<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>and the constant movement of active chick. This durability ensures the nest\u00a0remains\u00a0secure throughout the\u00a0<\/span>nesting<\/span>\u00a0season<\/span>\u00a0(February \u2013 April)<\/span>, despite being exposed to the elements.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nHumans have long recognized the remarkable properties of spider silk as well. In ancient times, spider webs were used\u00a0<\/span>as bandages\u00a0<\/span>to help\u00a0stop bleeding<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Today, scientists study spider silk for applications ranging from medical sutures to\u00a0biodegradable materials. Hummingbirds, however, figured out its usefulness long before modern research caught up.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nBy using spider silk, hummingbirds\u00a0demonstrate\u00a0a remarkable understanding of their environment, selecting materials that perfectly suit their needs. Their nests<\/span>, while delicate,<\/span>\u00a0are also engineering<\/span>\u00a0marvels<\/span>. The next time you spot a hummingbird darting through the trees, take a closer look nearby. You may just find a\u00a0<\/span>camouflaged<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0silk-bound\u00a0<\/span>nest, holding the next generation of\u00a0<\/span>Anna\u2019s or Rufous<\/span>\u00a0Hummingbirds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Spider-web-Jan-S-Martino-Canva.png\" title_text=\"Spider web Jan S Martino Canva\" align=\"center\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" text_font_size=\"10px\" text_orientation=\"right\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Spider silk from orb weavers is commonly used in hummingbird nests. Jan S Martino | Canva<\/em><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" hover_enabled=\"0\" sticky_enabled=\"0\"]References and Additional Resources<\/strong><\/p>\n\nBirds and Blooms<\/a>: Everything You Need to Know About Hummingbird Nests<\/li>\nBrankovi\u0107, M., Zivic, F., Grujovic, N., Stojadinovic, I., Milenkovic, S., & Kotorcevic, N. (2024). Review of Spider Silk Applications<\/a> in Biomedical and Tissue Engineering. Biomimetics, 9(3), 169.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\nGoel, A. Surgical Sutures\u2014A Review.\u00a0<\/span>Off. Sci. J. Delhi Ophthalmol. Soc.<\/em>\u00a0<\/span>2015,\u00a0<\/span>26<\/em>, 159\u2013162.<\/span> <\/span><\/li>\nScience<\/a>: Spider Silk is Five Times Stronger than Steel<\/li>\nTreehugger<\/a>: How Hummingbirds Use Spider Silk to Build Better Nests<\/li>\nXu, G.; Toh, G.W.; Du, N.; Liu, X.Y. Spider Silk: The Toughest Natural Polymer. In\u00a0<\/span>Natural Polymers. 1: Composites<\/em>; RSC Green Chemistry; RSC Publishing: Cambridge, UK, 2012; ISBN 978-1-84973-402-8.<\/span> <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_divider color=\"gcid-5a1ca006-481f-4215-8348-29a193f148ac\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_margin=\"||10px|||\" global_colors_info=\"{%22gcid-5a1ca006-481f-4215-8348-29a193f148ac%22:%91%22color%22%93}\"][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_text_align=\"center\" text_orientation=\"center\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Related Articles<\/h3>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_blog fullwidth=\"off\" posts_number=\"3\" include_categories=\"1381,1369\" excerpt_length=\"50\" show_more=\"on\" show_author=\"off\" show_date=\"off\" show_categories=\"off\" show_pagination=\"off\" offset_number=\"1\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][\/et_pb_blog][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=\"1\" admin_label=\"Popup - #DonatePopGeneral\" module_id=\"DonatePopGeneral\" module_class=\"popup on-exit close-alt single\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" background_color=\"RGBA(255,255,255,0)\" max_width=\"82%\" display_conditions=\"W3siaWQiOiJiMDA4ZDk3ZS0wN2Y4LTRlZjktYjZhYy02ZWFhM2UwNDc4MzciLCJjb25kaXRpb24iOiJwb3N0VmlzaXQiLCJjb25kaXRpb25TZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJkaXNwbGF5UnVsZSI6Imhhc1Zpc2l0ZWRTcGVjaWZpY1BhZ2UiLCJwYWdlcyI6W3sibGFiZWwiOiJTYWhpbHkncyBKb3VybmV5IHRvIEZpbmQgSGVyIEJpcmRpbmcgQ29tbXVuaXR5IiwidmFsdWUiOiIyNjM2NyJ9XSwiYWRtaW5MYWJlbCI6IlBvc3QgVmlzaXQiLCJlbmFibGVDb25kaXRpb24iOiJvbiJ9LCJvcGVyYXRvciI6Ik9SIn1d\" da_is_popup=\"on\" da_popup_slug=\"DonatePopGeneral\" da_is_singular=\"on\" da_exit_intent=\"on\" da_alt_close=\"on\" da_disable_devices=\"off|off|off\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" da_has_close=\"on\" da_dark_close=\"off\" da_not_modal=\"on\" da_with_loader=\"off\" da_has_shadow=\"on\"][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" background_color=\"RGBA(255,255,255,0)\" custom_margin=\"-32px|auto||auto||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_slider use_bg_overlay=\"on\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" max_width=\"65%\" module_alignment=\"center\" content_width=\"85%\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_slide heading=\"Become a Member\" button_text=\"Donate Today\" button_link=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/donate\/\" url_new_window=\"on\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" background_color=\"#0A3C23\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Hummingbirds-at-Feeder_Chris-Putnam.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" custom_button=\"on\" button_text_color=\"#0A3C23\" button_bg_color=\"#FAF5F0\" button_border_color=\"#FAF5F0\" button_alignment=\"center\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"][\/et_pb_slide][\/et_pb_slider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]","_et_gb_content_width":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[1381],"tags":[1856,1855,1440,1441,1851,1628,1853,1854,1852,1850],"class_list":["post-32032","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-adaptations","tag-bugs","tag-earthcare-northwest","tag-ecnw","tag-flycatchers","tag-food-chain","tag-insectivores","tag-insects","tag-swallows","tag-woodpeckers"],"yoast_head":"\nBuilt to Catch Bugs: Adaptations of Insect-Eating Birds - Birds Connect Seattle<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"From mosquito-snatching swallows to barbed tongue woodpeckers, discover how insect-eating birds are perfectly built to catch their next snack.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/2026\/03\/19\/built-to-catch-bugs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Built to Catch Bugs: Adaptations of Insect-Eating Birds - Birds Connect Seattle\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"From mosquito-snatching swallows to barbed tongue woodpeckers, discover how insect-eating birds are perfectly built to catch their next snack.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" 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![https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Townsends-Warbler-_-Nancy-Strohm-_-Canva.jpg”<\/a>; title_text=”Townsend’s Warbler _ Nancy Strohm _ Canva” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”10px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\nTownsend’s Warbler | Nancy Strohm | Canva<\/em><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\nSurgical tools<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThe bill of a warbler\u00a0is\u00a0perfectly shaped for precision work. Thin and pointed\u00a0like tweezers, they slip easily between leaves to pluck\u00a0or snatch\u00a0caterpillars, aphids, and spiders hiding in plain sight.\u00a0This surface-feeding\u00a0style\u00a0often\u00a0utilized\u00a0by\u00a0Warblers\u00a0is called gleaning.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nIf you\u2019ve ever tried to focus your binoculars on a migrating Wilson\u2019s or Townsend’s Warbler you know they never stay still for long\u2014hopping, hovering, and peering under leaves\u2014always searching for their next insect snack. While they both use a similar technique, the Townsen\u2019s Warbler uses its stronger beak for larger caterpillars, whereas the Wilson\u2019s Warbler snags tiny insects and spiders with its finer bill. This subtle variation in anatomy allows them to feed at the same tree without competing for the same food source.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider color=”gcid-5a1ca006-481f-4215-8348-29a193f148ac” _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||10px|||” global_colors_info=”{%22gcid-5a1ca006-481f-4215-8348-29a193f148ac%22:%91%22color%22%93}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\nRelated Articles<\/h3>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blog fullwidth=”off” posts_number=”3″ include_categories=”1381,1369″ excerpt_length=”50″ show_more=”on” show_author=”off” show_date=”off” show_categories=”off” show_pagination=”off” offset_number=”1″ _builder_version=”4.22.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_blog][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Popup – #DonatePopGeneral” module_id=”DonatePopGeneral” module_class=”popup on-exit close-alt single” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” max_width=”82%” display_conditions=”W3siaWQiOiJiMDA4ZDk3ZS0wN2Y4LTRlZjktYjZhYy02ZWFhM2UwNDc4MzciLCJjb25kaXRpb24iOiJwb3N0VmlzaXQiLCJjb25kaXRpb25TZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJkaXNwbGF5UnVsZSI6Imhhc1Zpc2l0ZWRTcGVjaWZpY1BhZ2UiLCJwYWdlcyI6W3sibGFiZWwiOiJTYWhpbHkncyBKb3VybmV5IHRvIEZpbmQgSGVyIEJpcmRpbmcgQ29tbXVuaXR5IiwidmFsdWUiOiIyNjM2NyJ9XSwiYWRtaW5MYWJlbCI6IlBvc3QgVmlzaXQiLCJlbmFibGVDb25kaXRpb24iOiJvbiJ9LCJvcGVyYXRvciI6Ik9SIn1d” da_is_popup=”on” da_popup_slug=”DonatePopGeneral” da_is_singular=”on” da_exit_intent=”on” da_alt_close=”on” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_has_close=”on” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” custom_margin=”-32px|auto||auto||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_slider use_bg_overlay=”on” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”65%” module_alignment=”center” content_width=”85%” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_slide heading=”Become a Member” button_text=”Donate Today” button_link=”https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/donate\/”<\/a>; url_new_window=”on” use_bg_overlay=”on” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#0A3C23″ background_enable_color=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Hummingbirds-at-Feeder_Chris-Putnam.jpg”<\/a>; background_enable_image=”on” custom_button=”on” button_text_color=”#0A3C23″ button_bg_color=”#FAF5F0″ button_border_color=”#FAF5F0″ button_alignment=”center” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”][\/et_pb_slide][\/et_pb_slider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"From mosquito-snatching swallows to barbed tongue woodpeckers, discover how insect-eating birds are perfectly built to catch their next snack.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":186787275,"featured_media":32034,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"[et_pb_section fb_built=\"1\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" da_disable_devices=\"off|off|off\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" da_is_popup=\"off\" da_exit_intent=\"off\" da_has_close=\"on\" da_alt_close=\"off\" da_dark_close=\"off\" da_not_modal=\"on\" da_is_singular=\"off\" da_with_loader=\"off\" da_has_shadow=\"on\"][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_margin=\"-30px|auto||auto||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" min_height=\"11.8px\" custom_margin=\"-17px||32px|||\" custom_padding=\"19px|||||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Anna's Hummingbird | Shravan Sundaram | Audubon Photography Awards<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_margin=\"||17px|||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]This article was originally published in our Spring 2026 Issue of EarthCare Northwest, Birds Connect Seattle's quarterly member newsletter. Read the full issue<\/a> and become a member<\/a> today.\u00a0<\/em><\/h4>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_margin=\"||17px|||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]by Ariel Shiley<\/em><\/h4>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" hover_enabled=\"0\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_enabled=\"0\"]It\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>easy to miss a hummingbird nest tucked into a tree branch, and even easier to overlook the spider silk holding it all together. About the size of a\u00a0<\/span><\/span>walnut<\/span>, a hummingbird nest is a compact cup carefully built from plant fibers,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>lichen<\/span><\/span><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>moss, twigs, and bits of leaves. What truly binds these materials into a sturdy, flexible home is spider silk.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nFemale hummingbirds are solely in charge of\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>nest construction<\/span><\/span><\/span>. They deliberately collect spiderwebs, weaving the sticky strands throughout their nests like\u00a0<\/span><\/span>a natural<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>glue. Using their\u00a0<\/span><\/span>beaks and breasts<\/span><\/a>, they gather spider silk and stretch it around both the nest and the supporting branch<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>as an anchor<\/span><\/span><\/span>. Spider silk is an ideal building material, as it is lightweight, incredibly strong, and elastic. This stretchiness is especially important\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>because hummingbird nests\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>aren\u2019t<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>static structures. A<\/span><\/span><\/span>s eggs hatch and chicks grow<\/span><\/span>, the nest must expand without falling\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>apart.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Spider silk allows the nest to stretch gradually, accommodating growing chicks while\u00a0<\/span><\/span>maintaining<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>its shape and grip on the branch.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=\"1_2,1_2\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"1_2\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_image src=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Aud_APA-2022_Annas-Hummingbird_A1_19256-2_Photo-Shravan-Sundaram.jpg\" title_text=\"Aud_APA-2022_Annas-Hummingbird_A1_19256-2_Photo-Shravan-Sundaram\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" height=\"400px\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=\"1_2\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_image src=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Aud_APA-2022_Annas-Hummingbird_A1_19256-3_Photo-Shravan-Sundaram.jpg\" title_text=\"Aud_APA-2022_Annas-Hummingbird_A1_19256-3_Photo-Shravan-Sundaram\" align=\"center\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" height=\"400px\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" text_font_size=\"10px\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Anna's Hummingbird nest stretching as chicks grow. Shravan Sundaram | Audubon Photography Awards<\/em><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Beyond its flexibility, spider silk is one of the toughest materials found in\u00a0nature. Pound for pound, spider silk is considered 5-times stronger than the\u00a0strength of steel.\u00a0Its fibers can bend and stretch extensively without snapping, which helps hummingbird nests withstand\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>wind, rain<\/span>\u00a0of the Pacific Northwest<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>and the constant movement of active chick. This durability ensures the nest\u00a0remains\u00a0secure throughout the\u00a0<\/span>nesting<\/span>\u00a0season<\/span>\u00a0(February \u2013 April)<\/span>, despite being exposed to the elements.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nHumans have long recognized the remarkable properties of spider silk as well. In ancient times, spider webs were used\u00a0<\/span>as bandages\u00a0<\/span>to help\u00a0stop bleeding<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Today, scientists study spider silk for applications ranging from medical sutures to\u00a0biodegradable materials. Hummingbirds, however, figured out its usefulness long before modern research caught up.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nBy using spider silk, hummingbirds\u00a0demonstrate\u00a0a remarkable understanding of their environment, selecting materials that perfectly suit their needs. Their nests<\/span>, while delicate,<\/span>\u00a0are also engineering<\/span>\u00a0marvels<\/span>. The next time you spot a hummingbird darting through the trees, take a closer look nearby. You may just find a\u00a0<\/span>camouflaged<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0silk-bound\u00a0<\/span>nest, holding the next generation of\u00a0<\/span>Anna\u2019s or Rufous<\/span>\u00a0Hummingbirds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Spider-web-Jan-S-Martino-Canva.png\" title_text=\"Spider web Jan S Martino Canva\" align=\"center\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" text_font_size=\"10px\" text_orientation=\"right\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Spider silk from orb weavers is commonly used in hummingbird nests. Jan S Martino | Canva<\/em><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" hover_enabled=\"0\" sticky_enabled=\"0\"]References and Additional Resources<\/strong><\/p>\n\nBirds and Blooms<\/a>: Everything You Need to Know About Hummingbird Nests<\/li>\nBrankovi\u0107, M., Zivic, F., Grujovic, N., Stojadinovic, I., Milenkovic, S., & Kotorcevic, N. (2024). Review of Spider Silk Applications<\/a> in Biomedical and Tissue Engineering. Biomimetics, 9(3), 169.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\nGoel, A. Surgical Sutures\u2014A Review.\u00a0<\/span>Off. Sci. J. Delhi Ophthalmol. Soc.<\/em>\u00a0<\/span>2015,\u00a0<\/span>26<\/em>, 159\u2013162.<\/span> <\/span><\/li>\nScience<\/a>: Spider Silk is Five Times Stronger than Steel<\/li>\nTreehugger<\/a>: How Hummingbirds Use Spider Silk to Build Better Nests<\/li>\nXu, G.; Toh, G.W.; Du, N.; Liu, X.Y. Spider Silk: The Toughest Natural Polymer. In\u00a0<\/span>Natural Polymers. 1: Composites<\/em>; RSC Green Chemistry; RSC Publishing: Cambridge, UK, 2012; ISBN 978-1-84973-402-8.<\/span> <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_divider color=\"gcid-5a1ca006-481f-4215-8348-29a193f148ac\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_margin=\"||10px|||\" global_colors_info=\"{%22gcid-5a1ca006-481f-4215-8348-29a193f148ac%22:%91%22color%22%93}\"][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_text_align=\"center\" text_orientation=\"center\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Related Articles<\/h3>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_blog fullwidth=\"off\" posts_number=\"3\" include_categories=\"1381,1369\" excerpt_length=\"50\" show_more=\"on\" show_author=\"off\" show_date=\"off\" show_categories=\"off\" show_pagination=\"off\" offset_number=\"1\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][\/et_pb_blog][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=\"1\" admin_label=\"Popup - #DonatePopGeneral\" module_id=\"DonatePopGeneral\" module_class=\"popup on-exit close-alt single\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" background_color=\"RGBA(255,255,255,0)\" max_width=\"82%\" display_conditions=\"W3siaWQiOiJiMDA4ZDk3ZS0wN2Y4LTRlZjktYjZhYy02ZWFhM2UwNDc4MzciLCJjb25kaXRpb24iOiJwb3N0VmlzaXQiLCJjb25kaXRpb25TZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJkaXNwbGF5UnVsZSI6Imhhc1Zpc2l0ZWRTcGVjaWZpY1BhZ2UiLCJwYWdlcyI6W3sibGFiZWwiOiJTYWhpbHkncyBKb3VybmV5IHRvIEZpbmQgSGVyIEJpcmRpbmcgQ29tbXVuaXR5IiwidmFsdWUiOiIyNjM2NyJ9XSwiYWRtaW5MYWJlbCI6IlBvc3QgVmlzaXQiLCJlbmFibGVDb25kaXRpb24iOiJvbiJ9LCJvcGVyYXRvciI6Ik9SIn1d\" da_is_popup=\"on\" da_popup_slug=\"DonatePopGeneral\" da_is_singular=\"on\" da_exit_intent=\"on\" da_alt_close=\"on\" da_disable_devices=\"off|off|off\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" da_has_close=\"on\" da_dark_close=\"off\" da_not_modal=\"on\" da_with_loader=\"off\" da_has_shadow=\"on\"][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" background_color=\"RGBA(255,255,255,0)\" custom_margin=\"-32px|auto||auto||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_slider use_bg_overlay=\"on\" 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sticky_transition=\"on\"][\/et_pb_slide][\/et_pb_slider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]","_et_gb_content_width":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[1381],"tags":[1856,1855,1440,1441,1851,1628,1853,1854,1852,1850],"class_list":["post-32032","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-adaptations","tag-bugs","tag-earthcare-northwest","tag-ecnw","tag-flycatchers","tag-food-chain","tag-insectivores","tag-insects","tag-swallows","tag-woodpeckers"],"yoast_head":"\nBuilt to Catch Bugs: Adaptations of Insect-Eating Birds - Birds Connect Seattle<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"From mosquito-snatching swallows to barbed tongue woodpeckers, discover how insect-eating birds are perfectly built to catch their next snack.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/2026\/03\/19\/built-to-catch-bugs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Built to Catch Bugs: Adaptations of Insect-Eating Birds - Birds Connect Seattle\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"From mosquito-snatching swallows to barbed tongue woodpeckers, discover how insect-eating birds are perfectly built to catch their next snack.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" 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name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@seattleaudubon\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Carol Roll, Birds Connect Seattle\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/2026\/03\/19\/built-to-catch-bugs\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/2026\/03\/19\/built-to-catch-bugs\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Carol Roll, Birds Connect Seattle\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/#\/schema\/person\/a156947d5300434562adac3c50742490\"},\"headline\":\"Built to Catch Bugs: Adaptations of Insect-Eating 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![https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Hummingbirds-at-Feeder_Chris-Putnam.jpg”<\/a>; background_enable_image=”on” custom_button=”on” button_text_color=”#0A3C23″ button_bg_color=”#FAF5F0″ button_border_color=”#FAF5F0″ button_alignment=”center” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”][\/et_pb_slide][\/et_pb_slider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"From mosquito-snatching swallows to barbed tongue woodpeckers, discover how insect-eating birds are perfectly built to catch their next snack.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":186787275,"featured_media":32034,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"[et_pb_section fb_built=\"1\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" da_disable_devices=\"off|off|off\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" da_is_popup=\"off\" da_exit_intent=\"off\" da_has_close=\"on\" da_alt_close=\"off\" da_dark_close=\"off\" da_not_modal=\"on\" da_is_singular=\"off\" da_with_loader=\"off\" da_has_shadow=\"on\"][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_margin=\"-30px|auto||auto||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" min_height=\"11.8px\" custom_margin=\"-17px||32px|||\" custom_padding=\"19px|||||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Anna's Hummingbird | Shravan Sundaram | Audubon Photography Awards<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_margin=\"||17px|||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]This article was originally published in our Spring 2026 Issue of EarthCare Northwest, Birds Connect Seattle's quarterly member newsletter. Read the full issue<\/a> and become a member<\/a> today.\u00a0<\/em><\/h4>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_margin=\"||17px|||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]by Ariel Shiley<\/em><\/h4>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" hover_enabled=\"0\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_enabled=\"0\"]It\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>easy to miss a hummingbird nest tucked into a tree branch, and even easier to overlook the spider silk holding it all together. About the size of a\u00a0<\/span><\/span>walnut<\/span>, a hummingbird nest is a compact cup carefully built from plant fibers,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>lichen<\/span><\/span><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>moss, twigs, and bits of leaves. What truly binds these materials into a sturdy, flexible home is spider silk.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nFemale hummingbirds are solely in charge of\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>nest construction<\/span><\/span><\/span>. They deliberately collect spiderwebs, weaving the sticky strands throughout their nests like\u00a0<\/span><\/span>a natural<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>glue. Using their\u00a0<\/span><\/span>beaks and breasts<\/span><\/a>, they gather spider silk and stretch it around both the nest and the supporting branch<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>as an anchor<\/span><\/span><\/span>. Spider silk is an ideal building material, as it is lightweight, incredibly strong, and elastic. This stretchiness is especially important\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>because hummingbird nests\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>aren\u2019t<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>static structures. A<\/span><\/span><\/span>s eggs hatch and chicks grow<\/span><\/span>, the nest must expand without falling\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>apart.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Spider silk allows the nest to stretch gradually, accommodating growing chicks while\u00a0<\/span><\/span>maintaining<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>its shape and grip on the branch.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=\"1_2,1_2\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"1_2\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_image src=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Aud_APA-2022_Annas-Hummingbird_A1_19256-2_Photo-Shravan-Sundaram.jpg\" title_text=\"Aud_APA-2022_Annas-Hummingbird_A1_19256-2_Photo-Shravan-Sundaram\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" height=\"400px\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=\"1_2\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_image src=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Aud_APA-2022_Annas-Hummingbird_A1_19256-3_Photo-Shravan-Sundaram.jpg\" title_text=\"Aud_APA-2022_Annas-Hummingbird_A1_19256-3_Photo-Shravan-Sundaram\" align=\"center\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" height=\"400px\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" text_font_size=\"10px\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Anna's Hummingbird nest stretching as chicks grow. Shravan Sundaram | Audubon Photography Awards<\/em><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Beyond its flexibility, spider silk is one of the toughest materials found in\u00a0nature. Pound for pound, spider silk is considered 5-times stronger than the\u00a0strength of steel.\u00a0Its fibers can bend and stretch extensively without snapping, which helps hummingbird nests withstand\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>wind, rain<\/span>\u00a0of the Pacific Northwest<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>and the constant movement of active chick. This durability ensures the nest\u00a0remains\u00a0secure throughout the\u00a0<\/span>nesting<\/span>\u00a0season<\/span>\u00a0(February \u2013 April)<\/span>, despite being exposed to the elements.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nHumans have long recognized the remarkable properties of spider silk as well. In ancient times, spider webs were used\u00a0<\/span>as bandages\u00a0<\/span>to help\u00a0stop bleeding<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Today, scientists study spider silk for applications ranging from medical sutures to\u00a0biodegradable materials. Hummingbirds, however, figured out its usefulness long before modern research caught up.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nBy using spider silk, hummingbirds\u00a0demonstrate\u00a0a remarkable understanding of their environment, selecting materials that perfectly suit their needs. Their nests<\/span>, while delicate,<\/span>\u00a0are also engineering<\/span>\u00a0marvels<\/span>. The next time you spot a hummingbird darting through the trees, take a closer look nearby. You may just find a\u00a0<\/span>camouflaged<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0silk-bound\u00a0<\/span>nest, holding the next generation of\u00a0<\/span>Anna\u2019s or Rufous<\/span>\u00a0Hummingbirds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=\"https:\/\/birdsconnectsea.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Spider-web-Jan-S-Martino-Canva.png\" title_text=\"Spider web Jan S Martino Canva\" align=\"center\" _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" text_font_size=\"10px\" text_orientation=\"right\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Spider silk from orb weavers is commonly used in hummingbird nests. Jan S Martino | Canva<\/em><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" hover_enabled=\"0\" sticky_enabled=\"0\"]References and Additional Resources<\/strong><\/p>\n\nBirds and Blooms<\/a>: Everything You Need to Know About Hummingbird Nests<\/li>\nBrankovi\u0107, M., Zivic, F., Grujovic, N., Stojadinovic, I., Milenkovic, S., & Kotorcevic, N. (2024). Review of Spider Silk Applications<\/a> in Biomedical and Tissue Engineering. Biomimetics, 9(3), 169.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\nGoel, A. Surgical Sutures\u2014A Review.\u00a0<\/span>Off. Sci. J. Delhi Ophthalmol. Soc.<\/em>\u00a0<\/span>2015,\u00a0<\/span>26<\/em>, 159\u2013162.<\/span> <\/span><\/li>\nScience<\/a>: Spider Silk is Five Times Stronger than Steel<\/li>\nTreehugger<\/a>: How Hummingbirds Use Spider Silk to Build Better Nests<\/li>\nXu, G.; Toh, G.W.; Du, N.; Liu, X.Y. Spider Silk: The Toughest Natural Polymer. In\u00a0<\/span>Natural Polymers. 1: Composites<\/em>; RSC Green Chemistry; RSC Publishing: Cambridge, UK, 2012; ISBN 978-1-84973-402-8.<\/span> <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_divider color=\"gcid-5a1ca006-481f-4215-8348-29a193f148ac\" _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_margin=\"||10px|||\" global_colors_info=\"{%22gcid-5a1ca006-481f-4215-8348-29a193f148ac%22:%91%22color%22%93}\"][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.27.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_text_align=\"center\" text_orientation=\"center\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Related Articles<\/h3>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.22.0\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column 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