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Subject:

Twittering hummingbirds: some "females" too

From:

Pete Webb

Reply-To:

Pete Webb

Date:

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 16:22:31 GMT

Back about the 4th of July, I had blooming hostas in my front yard, and although I've never seen a hummingbird visit them, I've heard from others that the hummers like them. When a hummer showed up at my front window, I decided it was time to again try putting up a hummingbird feeder. I've seldom seen them around my home before, and did try once a few years ago and didn't see any takers. This year I hit pay dirt - many "female"-plumaged hummingbirds, and once even an adult male have come to it.
I've heard the squeaks/twitters/chips from the hummers, and believe it's a vocal aggression display. I've seen hummers chasing each other around the feeder, one evidently intent on driving the other away from the food source. Each time, it's been two "female"-plumaged hummers, with white throats and the tail spots at the corners. I believe they are mostly youngsters raised in the neighborhood nearby this summer, and not yet revealing their gender clearly. My neighbors two blocks away say the young males there are showing dark spots in their white throats, but all the birds I've seen here have clear white throats (except that one appearance by an adult male, with full dark/red throat).
Pete Webb
Baltimore (County)




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