Science
A hummingbird's brilliant magenta feathers depend on a hidden middle layer
Key Points
The brilliant magenta feathers on the head and throat of a male Anna's hummingbird present an optical puzzle. Magenta cannot be produced by a single wavelength of light. Instead, the feathers reflect a mixture of red and blue.
The brilliant magenta feathers on the head and throat of a male Anna's hummingbird present an optical puzzle. Magenta cannot be produced by a single wavelength of light. Instead, the feathers reflect a mixture of red and blue. Scientists understood the strong red reflection, but the weaker blue component was harder to explain.