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 is 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 backward. 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.
Annas hummingbird, Santa Cruz, California, USA
Today in History
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World Donkey Day
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North American beaver, Moran, Wyoming, United States
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Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia
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Blue hour in Trondheim, Norway
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Rabindra Jayanti
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A smooth landing, feet first
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Boreal owl
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Big Bend National Park, Texas, USA
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A view that’s out of this world
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Common raven
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Your TEA comes from here!
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Oud-West neighbourhood, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Dusky eagle-owls, Pakistan
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Aqueduct, Arkadia Park, Poland
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Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute, Venice, Italy
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