[Maine-birds] Re: RT Hummingbird/Downy Woodpecker co-behavior & "Mystery bird call challenge" winner

Your comment about the hummingbird and the woodpecker has stuck with me.

This morning I was reading this gardening article in the NYT and it mentions RTHU following woodpeckers and sapsuckers because they leave a "sap well" in the trees that the hummingbirds drink from:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/17/realestate/attract-birds-to-your-garden-bird-friendly-garden.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage&contentCollection=AtHome&package_index=0#commentsContainer

That could explain some of the behavior. Why the RTHU would follow back to the nest is still in question, unless it's just always focused on the possibility of food. And it certainly does not explain the hummingbird and turkey combo!

On Wednesday, June 3, 2020 at 4:15:37 PM UTC-4, Sean S wrote:

Re. the identity of the mystery call I posted on Sunday:  the answer which I believe to be correct points to a non-bird origin for this sound.  While the familiar squeaking element is apparently too distant to be heard on my recording, the frequency of the rattle matches the Red Squirrel vocalization sonogram sent by Josh Fecteau pretty much to a tee.   Big thanks to Josh and the others who sent their suggestions.

On Monday I saw and took photos of some interesting behavior involving a female Ruby-throated Hummingbird and a female Downy Woodpecker (one of a longtime pair which is now nesting).   The hummingbird was seen trailing immediately behind the Downy as she emerged from the woods, then buzzed around the woodpecker and perched for about 2 minutes as if waiting for the Downy to eat at the feeder and take some suet back to her nestlings (6-1-20 list with some hastily snapped photos:  https://ebird.org/atlasme/checklist/S69957355 ).  When the Downy left, the RTHU trailed her back into the woods in exactly the same way as the two emerged.

My thoughts at the time this took place were, well this is interesting, but likely just some inquisitive behavior by the RTHU, as they are known to exhibit.  However, the next day but later in the afternoon, I caught the hummingbird AGAIN trailing the Downy out of the woods to the suet feeder, buzzing around her while she ate and briefly perching on the line in the same exact spot as the day before (6-2-20 list with more hasty photos: https://ebird.org/atlasme/checklist/S69997418 ).  However this time the RTHU didn't hang around the Downy the entire time, but flew out of view and wasn't seen following her back into the woods.  Still, this happening two days in a row raises the question of some correlation between the two individuals.  There have been numerous documented incidents of what some call "Interspecies Friendship" ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interspecies_friendship), including incidences between wild bird species, though I would hesitate to use that terminology.   If I see it happen again, though, count me as convinced...

(Addendum:) Several years ago I witnessed similar behavior at a historical site in the midcoast region, again involving a female Ruby-throated Hummingbird.  That time a young Wild Turkey had apparently been separated from its family and was screaming, wailing and making a very loud racket.  The hummingbird in that instance was seen hovering close to the turkey's head for several minutes and following it as it ran awkwardly but rapidly through the woods, yelling its head off.   Half an hour later the RTHU was seen hovering around the poult again in a different spot.

Good birding,

Sean Smith

Hiram

 

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