This morning a male Anna's Hummingbird had appeared in our yard and
apparently set up its territory, as it perched in the top of one tree for a
long time, singing from time to time. It may have been there for several
days, as we don't get much watching in during the week, but it certainly
wasn't there last weekend.

As I was watching it at the top of a leafless birch, a Pine Siskin flew in
and landed near it, causing the hummer to pop straight up into the air about
10' above the siskin, where it hovered, perfectly horizontal, and looked
down at the other bird. Shortly, the siskin flew into another tree, and the
hummer followed it instantly, then alternated perching and hovering about
10-12" in front of the siskin in full frontal display, both crown and gorget
expanded and presenting a dazzling show of red. I was fortunate enough to
be in just the right position to view the display, and it was quite amazing.

My simplest explanation is that such a small bird represented a potential
mate to the (not exceptionally brainy) male Anna's, as I didn't have the
feeling it was an aggressive display, but rather a display as I've seen
other male hummingbirds present to females. But of course I'll never know,
as when I asked it, all the hummer said was "tsip, tsip, tsip."

Dennis
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Netta Smith and Dennis Paulson
1724 NE 98 St.
Seattle, WA 98115