When birds make noise, it's not always with a song

The wings of the smallest hummingbirds can reach 100 beats per second during courtship displays. As their wings slice through the air, it produces a hum. The hummingbird gets its name from this sound.

Pigeons and Mourning Doves use a wing whistlenoise to warn their flock about approaching enemies--the first example of a non-vocalized alarm call in birds. The source of the alarm noise may be a narrow outer feather on the pigeon's wing. A startled takeoff produces a faster tempo wing whistle that alerts the flock to danger.

Woodpeckers’ rigid tail and wing feathers produce a unique clacking sound in flight. No woodpecker produces a song, only calls. Most woodpeckers use drumming to communicate. You’ll hear an increase in woodpeckers banging their bill rapidly against wood, metal, or any surface that resonates, more and more as breeding season approaches. The drumming relays lots of information including the bird’s sex, health, availability, and right to a territory.

Related Articles:

• South American songbird reveals non-vocal communication http://bit.ly/yMm776
• Why do hummingbirds hum? http://bit.ly/A2VIYg
• A recent study reveals ravens have their own specific gestures http://bit.ly/xsBjOk
• Can All Birds Learn to Talk Like Humans? http://bit.ly/s0rflH
• Do birds attract mates with their scent? http://bit.ly/nQxXBg

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