of male Allen's hummingbirds is a frantic back-and-forth flight arc of about similar to the motion of a swinging pendulum, followed by a high-speed dive from about during which tail feathers emit a characteristic sharp flutter to further attract attention of the female. Aggressive and territorial, male Allen's hummingbirds will chase any other males from their territory, as well as any other hummingbird species, and have even been known to attack and rout predatory birds several times larger than themselves, such as kestrels and hawks. Allen's hummingbird constructs its nest out of plant fibers, down, and weed stems, coating the nest with lichens and spider webs to give it structure. The nest is placed above ground on a tree branch or the stalk or stem of a plant. The female lays one or two white eggs, which she incubates for 15 to 17 days. The young leave the nest about three weeks after hatching. The mother continues to feed the fledglings for several more weeks, then the young are left to fend for themselves. Like all hummingbirds, Allen's hummingbird's high rate of metabolism requires it to feed frequently. It drinks nectar from flowers and eats any small insects in flight or on flower blossoms, providing needed protein. Gallery References External links Live Allen's hummingbird nest webcam at Phoebe Allen's Hummingbird Webcam Gallery of Allen's Hummingbirds in flight taken with high speed flash Allen's hummingbird Native birds of the West Coast of the United States Fauna of the San Francisco Bay Area Allen's hummingbird Allen's hummingbird