Anna's hummingbird, Santa Cruz, California, USA
© yhelfman/Getty Image
Anna's hummingbird
Let's meet Anna's hummingbird, seen in today's image. Named after Anna Masséna, Duchess of Rivoli, it's one of an estimated 366 hummingbird species, and it's the most common species on North America's western coast. With its shimmering emerald feathers and sparkling rose-pink throat, this little bird is a sight to behold. Hummingbirds are known for their incredible speed; they can flap their wings up to 80 times per second, allowing them to hover in place and even fly backwards. Emily Dickinson aptly describes their swift movement: 'A Route of Evanescence / With a revolving Wheel—.' Their high metabolism requires them to eat constantly, so they spend their days flitting from flower to flower, sipping nectar and catching insects.
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