Listen closely. If you’re out in your garden in the eastern United States and you hear a sharp, metallic tk sound—sort of like two small pebbles being struck together rapidly—you might think you’ve stumbled upon a "red-throated hummingbird." It's a common mistake. Honestly, even seasoned backyard birders get the name slightly wrong because that iridescent, shimmering gorget on the male is so strikingly red. But here is the first thing you need to know: there is no such thing as a "red-throated" hummingbird in official ornithology. You are looking for, and listening to, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris).
Getting the name right matters because their vocalizations are subtle. Most people think hummingbirds are silent. They aren't. They’re actually incredibly chatty if you know what to listen for. These birds don't have "songs" in the way a Wood Thrush or a Northern Cardinal does. They don't have complex melodies designed to win over a mate from three blocks away. Instead, the red-throated hummingbird call—or rather, the Ruby-throat's repertoire—is a series of functional, high-pitched squeaks, chips, and chitters.
The Anatomy of the Squeak: Decoding the Ruby-Throated Sound
When we talk about the red-throated hummingbird call, we're mostly talking about agonistic behavior. That’s just a fancy science word for "get out of my space." Hummingbirds are notoriously territorial. They are tiny feathered balls of pure aggression. If you have a feeder, you’ve seen it. One bird sits on a branch, guarding the sugar water like it’s gold, and when another bird approaches, the air fills with a rapid-fire chi-ti-ti-ti-it.
This chattering is a warning. It’s high-frequency, often ranging between 2 kHz and 10 kHz, which is right at the edge of what some people with hearing loss can detect. If you’re older or have spent too much time at loud concerts, you might actually miss the highest notes of their vocalizations. It’s a thin, wiry sound.
Research from labs like the Cornell Lab of Ornithology suggests these sounds aren't just random noise. They convey intensity. A single chip might just be a "I'm here" signal. A rapid-fire succession of them means "I am about to dive-bomb you."
The Mechanical Hum: It’s Not Just a Voice
One of the most fascinating things about these birds is that their "call" isn't always vocal. The "hum" in hummingbird comes from their wings, obviously. They beat their wings about 50 to 80 times per second. This creates a low-frequency drone that we perceive as a hum, but did you know they use their feathers to make specific sounds during courtship?
In the heat of the breeding season, the male Ruby-throated Hummingbird performs a "U-shaped" aerial display. He swings back and forth like a pendulum. At the bottom of that arc, he reaches speeds that create a specific mechanical whistle. This isn't coming from his throat. It's the wind rushing through his primary feathers. It’s a specialized form of communication that tells the female, "Look how fast and strong I am."
Why the Red-Throated Hummingbird Call is Often Misidentified
People often search for the red-throated hummingbird call because they see that red patch and their brain fills in the blanks. If you are in the West, you might actually be seeing an Anna’s Hummingbird or a Broad-tailed Hummingbird. The Broad-tailed male has a wing whistle so loud it sounds like a literal cricket or a metallic trill. It’s much more intrusive than the Ruby-throat’s sound.
But if you are east of the Mississippi, the Ruby-throat is your only real option.
There’s a specific vocalization they make when they’re startled. It’s a sharp, descending tew. It sounds almost disappointed. You’ll hear it if you walk too close to a nest or if a cat wanders near their favorite perching spot. It’s different from the aggressive chatter. It’s more of an alarm.
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Distinguishing the Sounds: A Quick Breakdown
- The Feeding Buzz: Not a vocalization, but a change in wing beat frequency as they hover. It’s a steady, rhythmic thrum.
- The Chase Chatter: A series of rapid squeaks and clicks used when one bird is chasing another away from a flower.
- The Perch Chip: A single, sharp note repeated every few seconds while the bird is sitting on a dead twig or a wire. It’s a "stay away" signal to other males.
- The Wing Whistle: Only during high-speed dives, sounds almost like a tiny jet engine or a metallic zing.
The Secret Language of the Nest
We rarely hear the sounds made near the nest because Ruby-throats are incredibly secretive. They build nests out of spider silk and lichen, making them look like a knot on a tree branch. Female Ruby-throats are mostly silent near the nest to avoid attracting predators like Blue Jays or crows. However, some researchers have recorded very faint, soft "mewing" sounds between a mother and her chicks. These are so quiet that you’d need a parabolic microphone to hear them clearly.
It’s a stark contrast to the aggressive "red-throated hummingbird call" sounds we hear at our backyard feeders. It shows a level of social complexity we often overlook because they are so small. They aren't just mindless nectar-drones; they are communicating specific needs and warnings.
How to Better Hear Hummingbirds in Your Yard
If you want to experience the full range of these sounds, you need to change how you garden. A single plastic feeder is okay, but it creates a "resource monopolization" situation where one dominant male just sits there and yells at everyone else.
Plant tubular flowers. Bee Balm (Monarda), Trumpet Creeper, and Salvia are magnets for them. When you have multiple food sources scattered around, the birds move more. More movement means more "chase chatter."
Also, try to listen in the early morning. Just after sunrise, when the air is still and the neighborhood traffic hasn't started yet, the metallic tinks of the hummingbird are much easier to isolate. You'll start to notice that each bird has a slightly different "personality" in their vocalizations. Some are constant complainers, chipping at every leaf that moves. Others are silent hunters.
Actionable Steps for Birders
To truly master the identification of the red-throated hummingbird call (the Ruby-throat's sounds), follow these steps:
- Download the Merlin Bird ID App: It’s free from Cornell. Use the "Sound ID" feature while standing near your feeder. It will visually map the frequency of the chips so you can see the pattern.
- Look for the "Guard Post": Find where the male perches between feeds. This is where he will do most of his territorial chipping. Usually, it's a high, exposed, dead branch.
- Identify the "Wing Whistle": Listen for the difference between a hover and a dive. The dive has a sharp "zip" sound that is purely mechanical.
- Stop calling them Red-throats: If you're talking to a serious birder or trying to find accurate recordings on Xeno-canto or the Macaulay Library, search for Ruby-throated Hummingbird. You’ll get much better results.
- Observe the tail: When they make the aggressive chatter, they often spread their tail feathers wide. This is a visual-auditory combo move designed to intimidate.
The world of hummingbird communication is louder than it seems. Once your ears tune in to that specific metallic frequency, you’ll realize your garden is actually a very noisy place. It's a constant soap opera of tiny, high-pitched arguments and aerial displays. Just remember: it's a Ruby-throat, it's territorial, and it's probably telling you—and every other bird—exactly where the boundaries are.