Day 18: Almost Fledged

This morning the Ruby-throated Hummingbird chicks (below) were facing in different directions, filling the whole nest. It is astonishing how quickly the body and its feathers have grown in the last 5 days. The bill does not seem to have grown at the same rate though, and it still has a while to go before reaching adult size. The feathering around the head on the older chick (the one on the left) looks to be complete as the white post-ocular spot (just behind the eye) is now showing. It is day 18 and the average fledge time between 18 and 20 days. So any day now.