Green-crowned brilliant Jun 17, 2024

Let"s celebrate the small heroes who help plants flourish! The green-crowned brilliant hummingbird in today"s image, also known as the green-fronted brilliant, inhabits Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador and Panama. They usually feed in the middle and upper layers of the forest. Adult males of this striking species, belonging to the nominate subspecies, boast a mesmerising plumage: their heads and breasts shimmer in shades of green to blue-green, accentuated by a vivid, metallic violet-blue patch at their throats. These tiny jewels of the forest measure between 11 to 12 in length and tip the scales at a mere 8 - 9.5 grams. Their favourite nectar comes from the Marcgravia vines. Should we care? Absolutely! From fruits and veggies to nuts, chocolate or sugarcane, there are plenty of ingredients in our diet that are brought to us by these pollinators.

© adrian hepworth/Alamy

palette

Today in History

Jun 17, 2025Maritime forest in Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia, United States

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Mar 17, 2025Samuel Beckett Bridge, Dublin, Ireland
Feb 22, 2025Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri, United States
May 30, 2025Little Pigeon River, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, United States
Feb 3, 2025Ribblehead Viaduct, North Yorkshire, England
May 2, 2024Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho, USA
Oct 4, 2025ISS main solar arrays seen from SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour
Sep 9, 2023Ayutthaya Historical Park, Thailand
Feb 19, 2024Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, Spain
Sep 18, 2025Dunquin Pier, County Kerry, Ireland
Nov 8, 2025Bandon Beach in Bandon, Oregon, United States
Feb 13, 2024Saint-Pierre-Quiberon, France
Jul 14, 2025Young blue shark
Jan 26, 2024Northern hawk-owl
Jun 14, 2025Cinque Torri, Dolomites, Italy
Nov 10, 2024Caribbean flamingos, Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico
Mar 16, 2025A kingfisher perched on a branch
Jan 31, 2026Plains zebras, Etosha National Park, Namibia
Mar 19, 2024Tree frog on leaf
Aug 1, 2024Floating fruit market, Kaptai Lake, Rangamati, Bangladesh
Sep 15, 2024Varenna on Lake Como, Italy
Mar 9, 2025St Marks Clock Tower, Venice, Italy
Jun 17, 2024Green-crowned brilliant
Jul 18, 2025Eucalyptus forest, Urubici, Santa Catarina, Brazil
Dec 25, 2024Lakes of Covadonga, Asturias, Spain
May 21, 2024Poço Encantado cave, Brazil
Dec 12, 2024Poinsettia flower
Apr 17, 2025Andean cocks-of-the-rock, Ecuador
Jan 10, 2026The Matterhorn reflected in Lake Stellisee at sunrise, Zermatt, Switzerland
Dec 7, 2025A pine forest in Alsace, France
Jul 21, 2025Staghorn coral in shallow ocean