Anna's Hummingbird Landing on Branch

A male Anna's hummingbird (Calypte anna) lands on a maple tree that is beginning to leaf out. Males in the Calypte genus of hummingbirds are quite distinctive with iridescent crowns. All hummingbirds, however, have iridescent plumage, which reflects certain wavelengths of light and reflects them directly in front of the bird. The bright flashes of color are visible only when the bird is facing you. Several features of the feathers result in the iridescence. Barbules, which are flat in most birds, are angled to form a V shape in hummingbirds. Also, the surface of the barbules is covered with microscopic discs containing tiny air bubbles that amplify certain colors of light and cancel out others.

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A male Anna's hummingbird (Calypte anna) lands on a maple tree that is beginning to leaf out. Males in the Calypte genus of hummingbirds are quite distinctive with iridescent crowns. All hummingbirds, however, have iridescent plumage, which reflects certain wavelengths of light and reflects them directly in front of the bird. The bright flashes of color are visible only when the bird is facing you. Several features of the feathers result in the iridescence. Barbules, which are flat in most birds, are angled to form a V shape in hummingbirds. Also, the surface of the barbules is covered with microscopic discs containing tiny air bubbles that amplify certain colors of light and cancel out others.