As I mentioned to Jim and Ann, I call this "chitter."  Kaufmann calls it "chatter," Smithsonian calls it "chipping."  I stopped there.

Jim and Ann Nelson <> wrote:  We have this all the time at our feeders. We describe the sound as "spit, 
spit" and it almost always comes from male plummaged hummers. Generally 
females feed very quietly.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Montgomery County, MD
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mary LaMarca" 
To: 
Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2007 12:44 PM
Subject: [MDOSPREY] Squeaking hummers?
X-Magic-MPP: 000002ff46c21624


At long last, hummingbirds are showing up at my feeder and windowbox planter 
(they like
the Lantana). There are at least two individuals, both either females or 
juveniles. At least
one of them vocalizes constantly while hovering around or sitting on the 
feeder, a rapid
"Squeak, squeak" sound. (It's actually useful - I know to look out my window 
when I hear
the squeaking...)

I haven't yet been able to distinguish who the dominant is. Yesterday, one 
was perched on a
nearby branch, when a second hummer came in to the feeder. The second bird 
hovered by
the feeder a bit, then went and hovered in front of the perched bird and 
squeaked. The
perched bird then dove after the squeaker and chased her out of the yard.

Anyone else notice this kind of behavior?

Mary LaMarca
Silver Spring, MD


       
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