Believe it or not, hummingbirds have songs.-Kind of. They do not have a large enough voice box to create vocalizations like other birds. But they communicate very efficiently nonetheless. My ruby-throated hummingbirds use chirps, chirps, ‘chirps’, and buzzes in different ways.
Research now confirms the unthinkable. My returning hummingbirds have been flying non-stop, over 600+ miles of water in the Gulf of Mexico hoping to find nectar sources when they finally make it to land! And if that’s not enough, they continue their northward migration to end up in my garden, and head north to Canada. That’s why I appreciate the stamina and sheer strength of this little flying gem so much.
When my hummingbirds first arrive in May and finding a full nectar feeder in the same spot as last year, they actually fly very close to my face at eye level and hover for 3-4 seconds. They quickly head to the feeder and take a long drink, then several short sips before flying off to another part of the yard. Meanwhile, they emit a sort of bubbly chirp that is slightly different from their other sounds. It’s such a happy little sound that I can’t help but feel his joy at finally coming ‘home’ safely again.
Detecting another diner On what they perceive to be their personal nectar feeder, they rapidly approach with a series of high-pitched shrieks. I have seen both males and females indulge in this behavior. Presumably those sounds serve as a warning alert to the intruder, as well as any other hummingbirds close enough to hear them.
After successfully driving off the usurper, they fly off to land on a nearby branch awaiting the next territorial invader. While in flight, they make chirping sounds in sets of 2-3 separate segments, sometimes repeated for emphasis; as if to say, ‘put that in your pipe and smoke it’!
Now, when the time comes for the male to court the female, performs a magical pendulum dance in the air that is mesmerizing to witness. The female sits motionless and seemingly mesmerized while the male flies in a ‘u’ shaped arc. An “otherworldly” hum like the ones made in old sci-fi alien spaceship movies can be easily heard if you listen to it. Instead of a vocal sound, this hum is produced by the movement of air passing over the hummingbird’s tail feathers as it performs its incredible aerial ballet.
I have learned to listen and observe this marvelous maneuver a couple of weeks after the arrival of the females. You will see that the males usually return about a week before their potential mates. For the sake of the survival of the species, male hummingbirds will court another female as soon as her ‘mates’ have laid her eggs. They take no part in feeding or rearing the young.
Have you ever seen hummingbirds fighting with swords while ascending vertically? I have watched men and women engage in this curious non-lethal battle. They use their long beaks for more than just slurping nectar and pulling spiders out of webs. As they climb higher and higher, their spikes intersect back and forth like dueling swordsmen!
These little powerhouses are fighting characters indeed. During these aerial battles, you can hear a series of lower-pitched chirps uttered all the way to the top of the flight. Then each quickly walks away: one returns to its territory and feeder, and the other disappears into the distance. These conflicts occur quite often on the hottest days of summer.
While sitting on the clothesline in the rain, hummingbirds frequently extend their tails and shake them. They do the same with their wings and head. You can tell they are really enjoying the warm water cascading over their feathers as they make their constant rain sounds. I think this is equivalent to singing in the shower for them!
You can tell that I appreciate and enjoy my hummingbirds and all their sounds. I look forward to their arrival each year and plan my outdoor activities to make sure I am available to greet them when they arrive here. As old friends who have been apart for a long time, we are very happy to see each other again!