When it comes to dating, the male Costa's Hummingbird really has to go above and beyond. In this clip from a new airing tonight, one eager male reveals a mating display that's equal parts shocking, impressive, and somewhat terrifying. While the look might seem bizarre even for the world of birds, for the female Costa鈥檚, it鈥檚 simply irresistible.
Like most avian suitors, male Costa鈥檚 Hummingbirds are experts at showboating. Typically, though, they woo their mates by hovering in the air before nosediving while giving off a high-pitched whistle. The mating behavior shown in this Nature preview is actually quite rare to see, says Kenn Kaufman, bird expert and 探花精选 field editor. 鈥淚 lived in Arizona for a long time and had Costa's Hummingbirds in the backyard, and I only glimpsed this kind of display a couple of times at a distance,鈥 he says. Kaufman thinks the display might be used during peak courtship, just before the pair copulates. That said, the female in this video doesn鈥檛 seem .
All that tentacle waving鈥攄efinitely not the scientific name for it鈥攃an be exhausting, so it wouldn't be surprising if the male saves it until the very end. 鈥淭his is a truly impressive aerodynamic feat, and is also very demanding considering the speed at which [the birds] perform it,鈥 says Alejandro Rico-Guevera, a hummingbird researcher who鈥檚 featured in the episode. He explains that for the Costa鈥檚 to pull off the stunt, it must keep its beak open to increase oxygen flow. Also, the gorget feathers, which flare out, need to be held at the perfect angle against the sun鈥檚 rays for maximum effect.
Experts still aren't sure how the males lift their feathers up, but both Kaufman and Rico-Guevera agree that it involves flexing the subcutaneous muscles under the birds鈥 skin. Add it to the growing list of hummingbird super abilities, from to . See all the footage and learn more during tonight鈥檚 Nature episode (we鈥檒l be from 8 to 9 p.m. EST).