“Anna’s Hummingbird” is a species of hummingbird which was named after the Duchess of Rivoli, Anna Masséna. It is native to the western part of North America, although they have been sighted in eastern America occasionally as well.
The little bird, which is about ten centimeters long, has incredibly gorgeous iridescent feathers. While the females and young birds have some iridescent patches, the mature male birds have a greater amount and their feathers are generally brighter.
When the sunlight isn’t striking the feathers, they appear to be dull shades of gray, green, or brown. But when light falls on them, they instantly transform into incredibly beautiful shades of crimson red and bright pink.
This video demonstrates the effect very well, as the male hummingbird filmed here moves his head back and forth several times. His feathers continually change color as they move from light to shadow and back again.
Anna’s hummingbirds are also able to shake their bodies at a rate of 55 shakes per second, which means that they are faster than any other vertebrate in the world. Even more amazing is the fact that they do this while in flight! The purpose of this is to remove pollen and dust from their feathers, similar to how dogs shake to dry off.