Article on Hummingbird iridescence with mention of UV iridescence

[lonesome_dave]

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.

[colinbm]

Structural colours are fascinating.

[Lou Jost]

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?

[ulf]

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?

 

 

[ulf]

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?

[Lou Jost]

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

 

[Lou Jost]

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...

 

[colinbm]

These are very interesting articles Lou.
Thanks for sharing them.

[Andrea B.]

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.

[Lou Jost]

8 hours ago, colinbm said:

These are very interesting articles Lou.
Thanks for sharing them.

Colin, thanks.

 

[Lou Jost]

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.

[colinbm]

@Andrea B. " I've often encountered UV iridescence in my flower photography."
Yes I will be interested to know more to please.

[JCDowdy]

Oh, this makes me want to UV video my feeder..........

[Foxfire]

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?
 

[Lou Jost]

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.

 

 

[Foxfire]

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.