The Broadtail Hummingbirds (Selasphorus platycercus) arrive at this altitude (3500ft, 1065M) in mid August. Until now they've stayed up in the mountains which surround our Verde Valley [Arizona], preferring the cool pines to the mesquite scrub in the hottest parts of the Summer. In this sample you hear a male's characteristic (and identifying) wing trill, which sounds like a coach's whistle. He's also vocalizing, which you'll hear as "cheeps" amid the wing noise. His wingbeat averages 45 bps while feeding, 51 bps while being chased from the feeder.C94
Listen carefully for the wing trill of this male Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus). It's an identifying feature, as is his constant chatter while he feeds. Wingbeat analysis indicates a wingbeat of 62-65 bps in this sample.
A young male Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) has established a territory at my feeders. He announces that he's "taken over" by continually chattering this one-note warning. When another hummer of any species enters his airspace, he "bounces" them by rushing at them and emitting the high-pitched warning beeps you hear near the end of this sample! Attentive listeners will hear a Flicker in the distance on the first sample.
If intruders ignore his one-note warning, a male gets more aggressive and challenges them with a severe tongue lashing ! This routine is so effective that after a few days, virtually no other hummers come into his area and all he needs to do to maintain it is sing his one-note samba. Rufous hummers are both aggressive and intolerant of other species at the feeder. His wingbeat here measures a fairly fast 60 bps.
