The ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) engages in an elaborate courtship ritual. The male performs displays to entice and impress the female, with the goal of mating with her and passing on his genes. Courtship behavior in ruby-throated hummingbirds involves communication through visual displays, vocalizations, and offering nectar to the female.
When does courtship occur?
Courtship in ruby-throated hummingbirds takes place in spring and summer during the breeding season. The timing varies depending on latitude, occurring earlier in southern regions and later in northern regions. In northern parts of their range, courtship may begin in May and last through July. Farther south, it may start as early as March or April.
Males typically arrive at the breeding grounds before females and establish breeding territories. When females arrive, the males court them within their territories. Most courtship activity peaks when female availability is highest, which is usually early in the season. Some courtship may continue into the summer months to mate with late-arriving females or to mate a second time.
What are the courtship displays?
Male ruby-throated hummingbirds perform several displays during courtship:
- Flight displays – The male makes dramatic aerial displays, flying in wide U-shaped or J-shaped dives and arcs up to 100 feet in the air. He may also fly rapidly back and forth in a shuttle display.
- Perch displays – The male perches in prominent locations in his territory and fans his tail or puffs out his throat feathers. He may also vocalize from his perch.
- Courtship feeding – The male catches small insects and offers them to the female as nectar gifts when she perches near him.
These visual displays demonstrate the male’s flying skills, vigor, and control of resources to impress the female.
What courtship vocalizations do they make?
Male ruby-throated hummingbirds produce several distinct vocalizations during courtship:
- High-pitched squeaks – These rapid squeaking sounds are made during flight displays or when chasing females.
- Buzzing sounds – Males make buzzing sounds by vibrating their tail feathers during perch displays.
- Chittering sounds – A fast series of tsee notes are made when approaching a female.
- Whining sounds – A high-pitched whining is made when chasing or interacting with a female.
Females may also vocalize using chatter calls in response to males.
How do males catch insects to offer females?
Male ruby-throated hummingbirds exhibit great flying skills when catching insects to offer as nectar gifts to females during courtship. They often hawk flying insects, performing aerial maneuvers and plucking the insects out of the air with precision. They sometimes catch insects on foliage but prefer flying prey. Preferred insects are small soft-bodied ones like gnats, mosquitoes, midges, and flies. Males will consume some insects themselves but catch many more to offer females.
What behaviors lead up to mating?
If a female ruby-throated hummingbird is receptive after the male’s displays, she will allow him to approach and mate with her. The female may perform a copulation solicitation display by perching and raising her tail feathers upward to signal willingness to mate.
The male will approach her in flight and hover above her briefly. He then mounts her back and aligns his cloaca with hers to insert his sperm. Copulation lasts only 3-5 seconds on average. The male then flies off and does not remain with the female.
Females may mate with multiple males during a breeding season. Males do not participate in rearing young and provide no parental care.
How many times do they mate?
Ruby-throated hummingbirds may mate from one to several times during a breeding season. Some key points:
- Females likely mate with multiple males rather than just one.
- Males will mate with as many females as they can attract.
- Pairs do not stay together after mating.
- A female may mate again if she fails in her first nesting attempt.
- Second and even third clutches may be fathered by different males.
The degree of multiple mating depends on the length of the breeding season and availability of receptive females at a given time and place.
Do they ever fight over females?
Male ruby-throated hummingbirds are highly territorial and will defend their courtship territories against intruding males. Intense chasing and fighting may occur, especially early in the season when female availability is low. However, outright physical combat is minimal.
Displays and vocalizations are the first lines of defense. Approaching males may perform dive displays or produce aggressive squeaking vocalizations. If an intruder persists, brief vigorous chasing often ensues with the territory owner attempting to drive off the other male.
Actual physical contact is rare as fighting can be energy-intensive and risk injury. Instead, the chasing and displays usually result in the intruding male’s retreat.
What happens if the female is not interested?
Female ruby-throated hummingbirds may reject courtship attempts by males in various ways:
- Ignoring displays – Females may simply not respond to male courtship displays.
- Fleeing – She may fly away from an approaching male.
- Aggressive calls – Females may utter sharp chatter calls when rejecting a male.
- Attacks – She may dive at or chase the male without allowing him to approach.
Receptive females instead perch quietly and allow the male to approach. If not interested, they do not assume the copulation position or allow contact.
Do females court males?
Female ruby-throated hummingbirds do not perform dramatic courtship displays like males. However, they do play a role in the courtship process.
Behaviors female hummingbirds use to interact with males include:
- Perching prominently to be seen by males
- Preening and grooming to look attractive
- Responding vocally to displaying males with chatter calls
- Flying near vocalizing males
- Solicitation displays prior to mating
While they lack elaborate displays, females still exercise mate choice by accepting or rejecting male courtship attempts.
Conclusion
In summary, ruby-throated hummingbird courtship is carried out primarily by males through visual displays, vocalizations, and offering food gifts to females. Females play a more subtle role by interacting with males and choosing whether to mate. Courtship rituals serve to help the male and female assess each other for reproductive compatibility and prime their physiology for successful mating. The elaborate displays ensure the fittest males mate and pass on their genes for the next generation.