Ian Dorney
CWRU Graduate Student School of Medicine

Rainbow Perch
The striking vibrant coloring of the male Anna’s hummingbird is the product of multiple layers of light reflection from its complex feathers. Air bubbles within tiny pigment-producing organelles called melanosomes allow some light to reflect off the surface and some to pass through the tiny air bubbles. When the wavelength of entering light matches the thickness of the air bubble exactly, the light wave is reflected back in phase with the light wave that was reflected off the outer surface, amplifying the color. The colorful array is only visible from certain angles and is entirely dependent on the direction of illumination - Anna’s hummingbirds often appear completely monochrome. Taken near my house in the Pacific Northwest, Anna’s hummingbirds are native to the western coastal region and I remember waiting at the feeder for one to appear while growing up. This digitally untouched picture shows the beauty of this hummingbird and its elusive coloring.