Seconds after I took the previous photo, I took this one of the same bird. Notice that the Hummingbird's throat has changed color from bright red to bright green. How does this happen?
Answer:
Color in nature can be the result of different things. Some things get their color from pigments, chemicals that absorb some colors and reflect others. Others get their color by using structure to break up light, which is what produces the color of this hummingbird's throat. By changing the angle of the feathers, it can cause its throat patch to flash red or green.
You can see another example of structural color by looking at a CD or DVD. The colors that you see when light reflects from the surface are produced by structure, and they vary depending on the angle of the light.
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