This morning, when I glanced out the window, a female Anna's was sitting on the feeder and sipping the sugar solution. A male flew up - I expected the usual quick dispute and flight with two minute dots disappearing into the distance. Instead the female backed off the feeder about four feet and hovered. The male hovered directly in front of her, about three feet away. This continued for about a minute or two when suddenly the female plunged downward and backward to the ground where she lay in the grass with her wings outspread. The male followed her in a less precipitous dive and lay in the grass, wings folded, a foot and a half in front of her.

They remained immobile for several minutes. Then the male flew closer and settled down, now with wings outstretched, but facing the left side of the female. This continued for a minute or two until the male flew over the female and settled down in a similar position facing her right side. Now he was also facing me and, even in this morning's gray light, I could see his fluffed throat feathers and the vivid violet-red light they flashed. After a minute or two the male flew off and the female calmly returned to the feeder.

This interaction seemed ritualistic and entirely unaggressive, perhaps some sort of courtship display. To me it was entirely surprising that, for such masters of flight aerobatics as hummingbirds, this took place flat on the ground.

Jim Duemmel


--
I am using the free version of SPAMfighter.
We are a community of 7 million users fighting spam.
SPAMfighter has removed 32 of my spam emails to date.
Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len

The Professional version does not have this message