Watch: The Male Costa’s Hummingbird Puts On One Wild Mating Display
The behavior is rarely seen, and it's one of the more dramatic examples of courtship in the bird world.
When it comes to dating, the male Costa's Hummingbird really has to go above and beyond.In thisclip from a new airing tonight, one eager malereveals a matingdisplay that's equal partsshocking, impressive, and somewhat terrifying. While thelook might seem bizarre even for theworld of birds,for the female Costa’s, it’s simply irresistible.
Like most avian suitors, male Costa’s Hummingbirds are experts at showboating. Typically, though, theywoo their mates by hovering in the air beforenosediving while giving off a high-pitched whistle. The mating behavior shown in thisNature preview is actually quite rare to see, says Kenn Kaufman, bird expert and APPfield editor. “I lived in Arizona for a long time and had Costa's Hummingbirds in the backyard, and I only glimpsed this kind of display a couple of times at a distance,” he says. Kaufmanthinks the display might beusedduring peak courtship, just before the pair copulates. That said, the female in this video doesn’t seem .
All that tentacle waving—definitely not the scientific name for it—can beexhausting, so it wouldn't besurprising if themale saves it until the very end. “This is a truly impressive aerodynamic feat, and is also very demanding considering the speed at which [the birds] perform it,” says Alejandro Rico-Guevera, a hummingbird researcherwho’s featured in the episode. He explains that for the Costa’s to pull off the stunt,it must keep its beak open to increase oxygen flow. Also, the gorget feathers, which flare out, need to be held at the perfect angle against the sun’s rays for maximum effect.
Experts still aren't surehow the males lift their feathers up,but both Kaufman and Rico-Guevera agree that it involves flexing the subcutaneous muscles under the birds’ skin. Add it to the growing list ofhummingbird superabilities, from to . See all the footage and learn more during tonight’s Nature episode (we’ll be from 8 to 9 p.m. EST).