Selasphorus platycercus

Description:

The Broadtail Hummingbirds (Selasphorus platycercus) arrive at this altitude (3500ft, 1065M) in mid August. Until now they've stayed up in the mountains which surround our Verde Valley [Arizona], preferring the cool pines to the mesquite scrub in the hottest parts of the Summer. In this sample you hear a male's characteristic (and identifying) wing trill, which sounds like a coach's whistle. He's also vocalizing, which you'll hear as "cheeps" amid the wing noise. His wingbeat averages 45 bps while feeding, 51 bps while being chased from the feeder.C94