On Sat, 29 Jun 1996, Caitlin Strand wrote:

> Today (6/29/96) I saw In the bushes above the beach at Richmond Beach a
> hummingbird doing it's mating dance. I couldn't see what kind it was -
> it was too far away. At first I thought it was a ball of fluff being
> carried by the wind because it went higher, and higher, and higher...but
> then it dove....

I always thought this was an aggressive move designed to drive away
intruders. I also understood that the males have special feathers in
their tail that cause the "squeek" or "peeping" noise as they pull up from
their dive.

Is this a mating display rather than a territorial one? We've been bombed
this way several times while working near the feeder in the garden.

Peggi