Animals Wildlife How Hummingbirds Use Spider Silk to Build Better Nests By Jaymi Heimbuch Jaymi Heimbuch Twitter Writer California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Jaymi Heimbuch is a writer and photographer specializing in wildlife conservation, technology, and food. She is the author of "The Ethiopian Wolf: Hope at the Edge of Extinction." Learn about our editorial process Updated May 10, 2019 Share Twitter Pinterest Email A female hummingbird incubating eggs. Tony LePrieur/ MNN Flickr Group Animals Wildlife Pets Animal Rights Endangered Species Have you ever stopped to consider the nest of a hummingbird? So tiny and light, they can be crafted on the edge of thin branches or even balanced on strings of holiday lights. But what are they made of? Not the same mix of twigs and scraps that so many other birds use. Instead, hummingbird females gather soft, stretchy materials. Hummingbird mothers craft nests with materials such as moss, lichen, plant down, cotton fibers, feathers, fuzz, fur and even spider silk. The spider silk works not only to bind the nest to the branch, twig or other foundation, but it also helps the nest expand without breaking as the chicks grow. According to World of Hummingbirds: "Hummingbirds build velvety, compact cups with spongy floors and elastic sides that stretch as the young grow. They weave together twigs, plant fibers, and bits of leaves, and use spider silk as threads to bind their nests together and anchor them to the foundation." The elasticity provided by the spider silk is important, since the chicks grow quickly; as they gain size, the nest can stretch to accommodate them. Soft, stretchy and durable — the perfect qualities for a nest of tiny chicks!