Hummingbirds make a few distinct sounds that English speakers attempt to describe using words that mimic those sounds. The most common sounds hummingbirds make are the humming and twittering noises their wings and beaks produce.
Hummingbirds get their name from the humming or buzzing sound created by the rapid flapping of their wings. Their wings beat on average around 53 times per second, and in some smaller hummingbird species up to 80 times per second. This causes a sustained humming or buzzing noise as the wings continuously beat at high speeds during flight. This is the most recognizable and iconic sound of hummingbirds.
Humming Sound
In English, the most common way to describe the humming sound a hummingbird’s wings make is simply to say it “hums.” The verb “to hum” means to make a continuous low droning sound, which perfectly describes the persistent humming created by a hummingbird’s rapidly beating wings. Examples include:
- “The hummingbird hummed as it hovered near the flower.”
- “I could hear the hummingbird humming as it flew past.”
The hummingbird’s hum comes from the aerodynamics of its wing movement through the air. As the wings beat at high speeds, air rushes over and under the curved surface of the wings, causing air turbulence and vortexes that make the characteristic hum.
Other Words to Describe Humming
While “hum” is the most common, other words that can also be used to describe the humming noise include:
- Whir – “The hummingbird’s wings whirred as they beat rapidly.”
- Whizz – “There was a whizz of the hummingbird’s wings as it zipped past.”
- Zip – “The hummingbird’s wings zipped through the air at high speeds.”
Words like “whir,” “whizz,” and “zip” emphasize the continuous, buzzing nature of a hummingbird’s hum while adding a connotation of quick speed and motion.
Chirp and Twitter Sounds
In addition to wing humming, hummingbirds also vocalize through chirps and twittering sounds from their beaks. These short, high-pitched vocal sounds are made mostly during courtship and mating behaviors rather than flight.
Some examples of words used to describe hummingbird vocalizations:
- Chirp – “The male hummingbird chirped repeatedly to court the female.”
- Twitter – “The hummingbird twittered a series of short chirps.”
- Squeak – “The baby hummingbirds squeaked in their nest.”
- Peep – “The hummingbird peeped softly as it perched on a branch.”
These chirp-like sounds are much shorter and higher pitched than the wing hum. English descriptors focus on the short, sharp nature of these peeping and squeaking vocalizations.
Specialized Hummingbird Vocalizations
Hummingbirds have some specialized vocalizations only heard during particular behaviors:
Behavior | Vocalization | Description |
---|---|---|
Courtship Displays | Squeaks and Whistles | Males perform courtship displays for females accompanied by squeaking and whistling sounds. |
Alarm | Sharp Chip Notes | Give off short, sharp chip notes when alarmed or chasing off intruders. |
Flight | Chatter or Clicketing | Some species make rattling, chattering, or clicketing sounds in flight. |
These more specialized vocalizations expand the range of hummingbird sounds beyond just their wings and typical chirping.
Mimicking Hummingbird Sounds
It can be challenging to accurately describe hummingbird sounds through words alone. Writers sometimes apply additional techniques to better recreate the experience of hearing a hummingbird’s various vocalizations and wing hums for the reader.
Imagery
Vivid imagery helps paint an auditory picture of hummingbird sounds. For example:
- The hummingbird’s wings beat like a little engine revving up as they blurred before my eyes.
- Its high-pitched squeaks pinged through the air like sonar.
- With whizzing wings it zipped past my ear, the draft buffeting my hair.
Visual and sensory imagery engages the reader’s imagination to recreate the experience of perceiving hummingbird sounds.
Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia refers to words that phonetically imitate or resemble the sound they describe. For hummingbirds, this could include:
- The hummingbird’s wings went “mmmmmmmmm” as they flapped at high speeds.
- Its beak let out a quick “peep peep” call.
- With a rapid-fire “chchchchch” the hummingbird took off.
While not grammatically correct as words, these onomatopoeic sound effects can give a sense of the real sounds.
Sound Recordings
When writing online, embedding audio clips of actual hummingbird sounds provides the most authentic recreation of their varied vocalizations for readers to experience.
Conclusion
In summary, there are a variety of English terms used to describe the sounds of hummingbirds:
- Words like “hum,” “whir,” and “whizz” convey the humming created by their rapidly beating wings.
- “Chirp,” “peep,” “squeak,” and “twitter” capture their short, high-pitched vocalizations.
- Vivid imagery and onomatopoeic words can recreate the experience of hearing hummingbird sounds.
- Recordings of real hummingbird sounds provide the most realistic replication.
So next time you hear the characteristic hum of hovering wings or sharp chirp of a tiny voice, listen closely and reflect on the diversity of sounds from our smallest avian neighbors, the hummingbirds.