what’s really remarkable about these little hummingbirds is the amount of
little hummingbirds is the amount of
little hummingbirds is the amount of effort that males put into their
effort that males put into their
effort that males put into their displays so we found that they are on
displays so we found that they are on
displays so we found that they are on their display territories for up to
their display territories for up to
their display territories for up to eight months of the year a single male
eight months of the year a single male
eight months of the year a single male will come back to the same territory
will come back to the same territory
will come back to the same territory hour after hour for up to 6 to 8 hours a
hour after hour for up to 6 to 8 hours a
hour after hour for up to 6 to 8 hours a day every day for those eight months we
day every day for those eight months we
day every day for those eight months we call this float display where the male
call this float display where the male
call this float display where the male floats back and forth hovering in front
floats back and forth hovering in front
floats back and forth hovering in front of another bird and now they’re
of another bird and now they’re
of another bird and now they’re copulating the male has actually gone
copulating the male has actually gone
copulating the male has actually gone back he’s resting a foot on her but also
back he’s resting a foot on her but also
back he’s resting a foot on her but also supporting his weight and that’s all the
supporting his weight and that’s all the
supporting his weight and that’s all the contact the male will have with that
contact the male will have with that
contact the male will have with that female and the female will now move off
female and the female will now move off
female and the female will now move off and raise the young herself so this male
and raise the young herself so this male
and raise the young herself so this male is singing at a rate of about two songs
is singing at a rate of about two songs
is singing at a rate of about two songs per second one song every half second
per second one song every half second
per second one song every half second and you can see that they’ll sit here
and you can see that they’ll sit here
and you can see that they’ll sit here and do this same song over over and over
and do this same song over over and over
and do this same song over over and over again it has some visual components to
again it has some visual components to
again it has some visual components to it as well they’re opening up their beak
it as well they’re opening up their beak
it as well they’re opening up their beak you can see they’re pink gape and
you can see they’re pink gape and
you can see they’re pink gape and they’ll also be flicking their white
they’ll also be flicking their white
they’ll also be flicking their white tail and it seems to be an alerting both
tail and it seems to be an alerting both
tail and it seems to be an alerting both that the two other males that this male
that the two other males that this male
that the two other males that this male is here on his territory so don’t mess
is here on his territory so don’t mess
is here on his territory so don’t mess with him and don’t come into the
with him and don’t come into the
with him and don’t come into the territory unless you want to pick a
territory unless you want to pick a
territory unless you want to pick a fight or two females that this male is
fight or two females that this male is
fight or two females that this male is present hummingbirds are of interest to
present hummingbirds are of interest to
present hummingbirds are of interest to us because they’re one of three groups
us because they’re one of three groups
us because they’re one of three groups which are known to learn their
which are known to learn their
which are known to learn their vocalizations so we humans take learning
vocalizations so we humans take learning
vocalizations so we humans take learning for granted because we use it all the
for granted because we use it all the
for granted because we use it all the time when learning speeches youngsters
time when learning speeches youngsters
time when learning speeches youngsters and learning new slang as adults in
and learning new slang as adults in
and learning new slang as adults in Hmong birds though and among animals in
Hmong birds though and among animals in
Hmong birds though and among animals in general it’s a relatively rare
general it’s a relatively rare
general it’s a relatively rare phenomenon parrots can do it
phenomenon parrots can do it
phenomenon parrots can do it songbirds can do it and hummingbirds are
songbirds can do it and hummingbirds are
songbirds can do it and hummingbirds are the third group that can do it each male
the third group that can do it each male
the third group that can do it each male has a single song type and it’s not
has a single song type and it’s not
has a single song type and it’s not really a very complex song we hear it
really a very complex song we hear it
really a very complex song we hear it almost is just a chirp but there is some
almost is just a chirp but there is some
almost is just a chirp but there is some variation each male
variation each male
variation each male a single song type of that song type may
a single song type of that song type may
a single song type of that song type may be shared with some of their neighbors
be shared with some of their neighbors
be shared with some of their neighbors and so we see song neighborhoods or
and so we see song neighborhoods or
and so we see song neighborhoods or little vocal dialects previously people
little vocal dialects previously people
little vocal dialects previously people have thought those songs were learned
have thought those songs were learned
have thought those songs were learned because when you see that sort of
because when you see that sort of
because when you see that sort of variation at a very small scale it’s
variation at a very small scale it’s
variation at a very small scale it’s suggestive not of genetic differences
suggestive not of genetic differences
suggestive not of genetic differences but that males are learning the song of
but that males are learning the song of
but that males are learning the song of neighbors when they settle onto a
neighbors when they settle onto a
neighbors when they settle onto a territory but what we found recently is
territory but what we found recently is
territory but what we found recently is that these males will also occasionally
that these males will also occasionally
that these males will also occasionally change from one song to another and so
change from one song to another and so
change from one song to another and so they’re capable of learning as adults
they’re capable of learning as adults
they’re capable of learning as adults which was something that hadn’t been
which was something that hadn’t been
which was something that hadn’t been demonstrated in hummingbirds before
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