lonesome_dave Posted July 29, 2023 Share Posted July 29, 2023 Here's a recent article describing the colorful iridescence of hummingbirds that explores how it works and what it is for. Visible + UV iridescence is described. Lots of great hummer pics of course. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/what-is-the-essence-of-iridescence-ask-a-hummingbird Edit: I see there is a Fauna forum. Please move this post there. Link to comment
colinbm Posted July 29, 2023 Share Posted July 29, 2023 Structural colours are fascinating. Link to comment
Lou Jost Posted July 30, 2023 Share Posted July 30, 2023 On 7/28/2023 at 7:46 PM, lonesome_dave said: Here's a recent article describing the colorful iridescence of hummingbirds that explores how it works and what it is for. Visible + UV iridescence is described. Lots of great hummer pics of course. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/what-is-the-essence-of-iridescence-ask-a-hummingbird Edit: I see there is a Fauna forum. Please move this post there. What a fascinating article! Thanks for pointing it out. I have many species of hummingbirds in my yard; I will have to try to take a UV+ vis photo of them...I wonder how much UV iridescence there is? Link to comment
ulf Posted July 30, 2023 Share Posted July 30, 2023 5 hours ago, Lou Jost said: What a fascinating article! Thanks for pointing it out. I have many species of hummingbirds in my yard; I will have to try to take a UV+ vis photo of them...I wonder how much UV iridescence there is? I envy you in that. Here is way too cold and the wrong continent. I am very ignorant about this but I think humming birds are a speciality of the Americas? Link to comment
ulf Posted July 30, 2023 Share Posted July 30, 2023 About structural colours, is that only found in the fauna or are there some plants that have found the same optical principle to generate colours? Link to comment
Lou Jost Posted July 30, 2023 Share Posted July 30, 2023 Yes, there are many plants with structural color. The blue of some seeds is especially noteworthy: https://earthsky.org/earth/brightest-biological-substance-reveals-its-secret/ but leaves often have iridescence as well: https://www.indefenseofplants.com/blog/2016/10/30/shade-gives-this-begonia-the-iridescent-blues Some members of the iris genus Moraea has amazing patches of iridescence on their flowers, for example Moraea aristata: https://www.alamy.com/south-african-iris-moraea-aristata-image5175549.html Link to comment
Lou Jost Posted July 30, 2023 Share Posted July 30, 2023 6 hours ago, ulf said: I envy you in that. Here is way too cold and the wrong continent. I am very ignorant about this but I think humming birds are a speciality of the Americas? Yes, that's right. Mostly tropical America, but some in North America as well, especially in the west. The northern Andes, where I live , is the center of diversity and endemism. They are amazing. Here is a crazy one that I wrote about on my blog: https://ecomingafoundation.wordpress.com/2019/01/29/sword-billed-hummingbird-ensifera-ensifera/ This discussion has inspired me to look at hummingbird UV iridescence more closely; there are large hummingbird collections in Ecuadorian museums... Link to comment
colinbm Posted July 30, 2023 Share Posted July 30, 2023 These are very interesting articles Lou. Thanks for sharing them. Link to comment
Andrea B. Posted July 30, 2023 Share Posted July 30, 2023 Hummingbirds are such fascinating little creatures. Thank you for the link about their iridescence. I've often encountered UV iridescence in my flower photography. Lou, that's a great hummer shot. Link to comment
Lou Jost Posted July 30, 2023 Share Posted July 30, 2023 8 hours ago, colinbm said: These are very interesting articles Lou. Thanks for sharing them. Colin, thanks. Link to comment
Lou Jost Posted July 30, 2023 Share Posted July 30, 2023 3 hours ago, Andrea B. said: Hummingbirds are such fascinating little creatures. Thank you for the link about their iridescence. I've often encountered UV iridescence in my flower photography. Lou, that's a great hummer shot. Thanks Andrea. Can you tell us more about UV flower iridescence? That would be very interesting. Link to comment
colinbm Posted July 31, 2023 Share Posted July 31, 2023 @Andrea B. " I've often encountered UV iridescence in my flower photography." Yes I will be interested to know more to please. Link to comment
JCDowdy Posted July 31, 2023 Share Posted July 31, 2023 Oh, this makes me want to UV video my feeder.......... Link to comment
Foxfire Posted August 1, 2023 Share Posted August 1, 2023 On 7/30/2023 at 4:24 PM, Lou Jost said: Yes, there are many plants with structural color. The blue of some seeds is especially noteworthy: https://earthsky.org/earth/brightest-biological-substance-reveals-its-secret/ but leaves often have iridescence as well: https://www.indefenseofplants.com/blog/2016/10/30/shade-gives-this-begonia-the-iridescent-blues Some members of the iris genus Moraea has amazing patches of iridescence on their flowers, for example Moraea aristata: https://www.alamy.com/south-african-iris-moraea-aristata-image5175549.html Nice examples of plants! Begonias are a surpriseing for me, these seems to be iridescent for about similar reason as a Schistostega moss (adaption to dim light) https://www.indefenseofplants.com/blog/2021/2/15/goblins-gold-the-story-of-a-luminous-moss Adding to topic: interestingly, some structurally colored scarab beetles are known to reflect polarized light (left-handed circular). So, by using polarization filters might reveal some otherwise unseen aspect about suchkind of colors. Maybe something will happen also with the colors of hummingbirds? Link to comment
Lou Jost Posted August 2, 2023 Share Posted August 2, 2023 On 8/1/2023 at 5:11 AM, Foxfire said: Nice examples of plants! Begonias are a surpriseing for me, these seems to be iridescent for about similar reason as a Schistostega moss (adaption to dim light) https://www.indefenseofplants.com/blog/2021/2/15/goblins-gold-the-story-of-a-luminous-moss Adding to topic: interestingly, some structurally colored scarab beetles are known to reflect polarized light (left-handed circular). So, by using polarization filters might reveal some otherwise unseen aspect about suchkind of colors. Maybe something will happen also with the colors of hummingbirds? That's a wonderful optical phenomenon! I hope I see that some day. I think some of the colors of begonias and ferns that grow in low light might also be caused by thin films that serve as anti-reflection coatings, like those of lenses. The author of the "In Defense of Plants" site you mentioned is a very interesting guy. I was lucky enough to be the subject of one of his podcasts: https://www.indefenseofplants.com/podcast/2022/7/24/ep-379-tiny-orchids-amp-protected-forests His site is full of interesting plant information. Link to comment
Foxfire Posted August 3, 2023 Share Posted August 3, 2023 On 8/2/2023 at 4:24 PM, Lou Jost said: That's a wonderful optical phenomenon! I hope I see that some day. I think some of the colors of begonias and ferns that grow in low light might also be caused by thin films that serve as anti-reflection coatings, like those of lenses. The author of the "In Defense of Plants" site you mentioned is a very interesting guy. I was lucky enough to be the subject of one of his podcasts: https://www.indefenseofplants.com/podcast/2022/7/24/ep-379-tiny-orchids-amp-protected-forests His site is full of interesting plant information. Great, i will listen to the podcast when i get the opportunity. Link to comment
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