Ruth,

I was in Mexico last year and visited a large, Native plant reserve. I was taken with all the species there, but especially the Mexican Hermit- I really enjoyed watching it.

The owner discussed the many hummers that lived or visited the property. He told me that one day, at close range, he watched an aggressive orange colored species (a common type there, but can't remember the species name) attack and kill a smaller species. So it can happen. He said the beak caused the fatal injury. It appeared to protecting its food source a specific kind of large red flower.

The Long-billed Hermit (Mexican hermit)




P. l. mexicanus (Mexican Hermit)

By the way- the Mexican Hermit is a large and very interesting species: "During the breeding season, male Long-billed Hermits sing in communal leks of up to 25 birds, and also wiggle their long tails in display. Competitive lek singing can occupy half of the daylight hours, the purpose of course being to attract females. The female selects the best lek singer to mate with. The song consists of high pitched squeaky of chink churr and shree sounds. The flight call is a high sweep ."




Nice job in caring for the hummingbird in your yard Ruth. Nice end to your story.




Dan Reiff ----- Original Message -----
From: "Ruth Sullivan" <godwit513 at comcast.net>
To: tweeters at u. washington . edu
Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2011 5:50:01 PM
Subject: [Tweeters] THE RESCUE OF a ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD,

Hello Tweeters,
This afternoon I came Home,and as always checked the window looking at my
birds.This morning I had the usual,but a new a new arrival a male
YELLOW-rumped Warbler on the Suet.
But looking at my Deck in the backyard was laying an all adult male
Hummingbird in full breeding display on the ground motionless.Something
Knocked this bird down,I watched for few minutes nothing happen,he would
not move.I got a small box
Punched holes and lay a soft small bath Towel in to the box.I throw a small
blanked and capture this delicate bird,and put it in the box.I turned the
heat up high,since he was also wet.I waited 10 minutes hoped he was flying
around in the box,but when I kind of looked in,he did nothing.In the mean
time looking at my feeder,there was a female sucked the juice.I looked
again in to the box,seeing lifting his head,but also escaping out of the box
right to the window,up and Down,I catch this tiny bird with a big towel,make
sure not to tide,than I let it free to go.He went right at the feeder an
there was another male seems tiny bit bigger,both chase around and around,my
little male escaped in to the Rhode ,but he give an extremely shrill call
note so loud what I heard before but could never ID.The female Anna's came
again to the feeder ,and again the bigger male Anna's was there to chase the
smaller one.I wonder if Hummers get so aggressive,that there kill each
other?I checked this now it's getting dark and my little male Anna' flew in
to the Holy tree for the night.This is a first for me rescue a
Hummingbird,there seems also like the pishen what I been doing trying to
communicate.I have a way with birds,there are all my Children.

Cheers Ruth Sullivan
In Fircrest

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