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Saturday, May 17, 2008

Photo: Hummingbirds Chirp With Tail Feathers When Diving


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A time-lapse image shows a male Anna's hummingbird performing a rapid dive that is part of the birds' courtship display.

At the bottom of the dive, a new study shows, the birds flick their tails open for a split second, producing a loud chirp. The find is the first demonstration of "a new way for a bird to make a sound," researchers say.

Photograph courtesy Proceedings of the Royal Society of London