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:

Sep 12, 2023North Sea at sunset, Norddorf, Germany
Apr 21, 2024Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Nov 7, 2023Kirkilai lakes, Biržai Regional Park, Lithuania
Nov 2, 2024American bison in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA
Jan 16, 2025Pinnacles National Park, California, United States
Sep 12, 2024Dolphin pod near Réunion island
Jun 24, 2024Kelimutu, Flores, Indonesia
Apr 25, 2024Adélie penguins, Antarctica
Jun 19, 2025Beach in Santa Catarina, Brazil
Nov 25, 2025Trevi Fountain, Rome, Italy
Feb 6, 2024Lake Tahoe
Jun 8, 2025Steller sea lions
Dec 24, 2023Town Hall Square, Tartu, Estonia
Apr 27, 2025Coastal redwoods in Redwood National and State Parks, California, United States
Dec 8, 2024Moorea, French Polynesia
Jan 1, 2024Red fox
Nov 19, 2024Tasmans Arch, Tasman National Park, Tasmania, Australia
Apr 19, 2024Ring of Brodgar, Orkney, Scotland
Apr 3, 2024Rainbow across the Kakshaal Too mountains, Kyrgyzstan
Feb 6, 2025Archway Islands, Wharariki Beach, South Island, New Zealand
Dec 3, 2025Sandhill cranes, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, United States
Oct 21, 2023Persepolis, Iran
Nov 28, 2023Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park, Canada
Sep 22, 2025Aspen trees, Fishlake National Forest, Utah, United States
Jan 15, 2024The Eiskapelle, Bavaria, Germany
Oct 10, 2024Ancient town of Sorano, Tuscany, Italy
Feb 28, 2025Taktsang Palphug Monastery, Bhutan
Oct 26, 2024Gespensterwald, Niehagen, Germany
Jun 7, 2025Summit of Pine Mountain, Angeles National Forest, California, United States
Jun 13, 2024Registan Square, Samarkand, Uzbekistan