Rufous Hummingbird ©Tom Uslan
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Hummingbirds look delicate, bright and inspiring, but contrary to popular beliefs, they are extremely aggressive animals that fight to defend territories and access mates. The public is invited to the Yolo Bird Alliance’s at its last monthly general meeting of the season on May 20, 2026, featuring Paulina L. González-Gómez. In this talk, Paulina will focus on her research which explores the biological mechanisms behind male aggression, from behavior to physiology. Male hummingbirds often use specialized “bill daggers” – sharp tips on their beaks – to attack rivals during high-speed chases. Their research studies how behavior and traits such as wing size and body mass influence birds’ territorial defense. In addition, they investigate the role of hormones like testosterone in the development of bill weapons. They aim to learn how traits interact by linking field observations with hormone and morphology data. Our work is developed in tropical and temperate environments to understand how competition shapes evolution and behavior in one of the most extreme groups of birds.
Paulina will present, “Mechanisms of Hummingbird Aggression”, in-person at the Davis Senior Center located at 646 A Street in Davis on May 20, 2026. Additionally, this meeting will be on Zoom; instructions for joining via Zoom, follow. The meeting begins at 7:00 p.m. and ends at 8:50 (8:30 Zoom) p.m. People attending in-person are welcome to mingle following the conclusion of the Q&A portion, until 8:50.
SPEAKER BIO
Paulina L. González-Gómez is an integrative biologist and evolutionary ecologist specializing in hummingbird biology and avian physiology. Her research focuses on how animals cope with environmental variability over the course of the year. She uses hummingbirds as a model system to study adaptive timing, energetic balance, and the coordination of life-history stages such as migration, breeding, and molt. At the University of California, Davis, Paulina teaches ecophysiology and scientific writing, mentoring students in both field biology and effective science communication.
This event is free, and you do not need to be a member of Yolo Bird Alliance. But if you would like to join, visit https://yoloaudubon.org/join-renew-donate/.
The Yolo Bird Alliance fosters an appreciation of birds and other wildlife through educational programs and field trips, brings conservation issues to public awareness, and acts to preserve Yolo County bird life and habitat. To learn more about the Yolo Bird Alliance, visit its web page at https://yolobirdalliance.org/. You can also visit the Yolo Bird Alliance on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/YoloBirdAlliance. If you would like to join and receive the monthly newsletter, visit https://yolobirdalliance.org/join-renew-donate/.
The meeting will be held in person at the Davis Senior Center, 646 A St, Davis, CA 95616.
Or, Register to Attend the Meeting online via Zoom. Zoom participants will be admitted a few minutes before 7:00 pm.
Click here for the Zoom registration link, or you can copy & paste this link in your browser – https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/QRaKu8I2TG-NB74t5bok4A
Please note: Participants may join the meeting from the Zoom desktop client downloaded on their computer or on their Apple or Android mobile phone or tablet to access the meeting. Participants may also join from a browser (Visit https://bit.ly/3hNyP8h to learn how to join a Zoom meeting).
You may email Yolo Bird Alliance Program Chair Ken Ealy before the meeting if you need assistance.