The Essence of Iridescence

Bird Anatomy, Insects, Musings & News
Anna’s hummingbird (photo from Wikimedia Commons)

16 July 2023

What causes iridescence? What makes a hummingbird glow red in one position, then dull green when he moves his head?

video from NDTV on YouTube

Other dazzlers, including beetles, shells, and rocks, have similar physical iridescent characteristics.

Six-spotted tiger beetle in Maryland (photo from Wikimedia Commons)
Nautilus shell sliced in half (photo from Wikimedia Commons)
Nautilus shell cut in half (photo from Wikimedia Commons)
Iridescence on anthracite, a.k.a. peacock coal (photo from Wikimedia Commons)
Sun dog — an iridescent cloud (photo from Wikimedia Commons)

Find out what causes iridescence in this 16 minute video from PBS @BeSmart. If you don’t have much time, watch the first 4+ minutes about hummingbirds.

video embedded from PBS @BeSmart

p.s. This article was inspired by All About Birds: What Is the Essence of Iridescence? Ask a Hummingbird.

(credits are in the captions, click the links to see the originals)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *