Listening to a Continent Sing

the companion website to the book by Donald Kroodsma

BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD ID-255

Central Idaho—Lava Hot Springs, Idaho

May 30, 6:19 a.m.

Sunrise at 5:54 a.m.

Download the Recording

A broad-tailed hummingbird calls a few times, then takes flight, the whistle in his wings fading into the distance as he disappears into space.

How beautiful his wing whistles as I look on the computer monitor, and how nice to calculate wing speed: 42, 45, 48, 48, 48, and 47 beats per second I calculate for successive beats of 10.

Background

Ruby-crowned kinglet, a calling American robin.

bthu-21

Photo by Brian L. Sullivan