May 8
Empress Brilliant (Heliodoxa imperatrix), male, family Trochilidae, order Apodiformes, Pacific Slope of the Andes in Ecuador
photograph by Ignacio Yúfera
seen from Spain
seen from China
seen from Saudi Arabia
seen from China
seen from Argentina
seen from Australia
seen from Spain
seen from Maldives
seen from United States
seen from China
seen from Netherlands
seen from Malaysia
seen from Netherlands
seen from Netherlands
seen from China
seen from Malaysia
seen from Germany
seen from China
seen from China
seen from Russia
Empress Brilliant (Heliodoxa imperatrix), male, family Trochilidae, order Apodiformes, Pacific Slope of the Andes in Ecuador
photograph by Ignacio Yúfera
Fawn-breasted Brilliant by Adam Rainoff Via Flickr: This image of the Fawn-breasted Brilliant (Heliodoxa rubinoides) was taken at La Minga Ecolodge in Valle del Cauca, Colombia, a site well known for its diversity of hummingbirds. The bird is perched in a moment of stillness, allowing its shimmering green plumage and warm fawn-colored breast to show beautifully, accented by the subtle pink throat that glows in the soft light. The clean, defocused background isolates the subject, emphasizing the fine feather detail and color gradation without distractions. From a technical perspective, photographing hummingbirds in these conditions is always challenging. Light in the cloud forest can be inconsistent, so exposure requires a balance between maintaining sharpness and preserving subtle tones. I aimed to highlight the iridescence without losing the delicate contrast of the throat and chest, while the composition centers the bird in a way that conveys both elegance and intimacy. For me, this frame captures not just the subject but the fleeting quiet that makes photographing hummingbirds so rewarding. ©2025 Adam Rainoff Photographer
Empress Brilliant
Heliodoxa hummingbird
Which is the best bird?
Gould's jewelfront
Brazilian ruby
Velvet-browed brilliant
Fawn-breasted brilliant
Violet-fronted brilliant
Black-throated brilliant
Empress brilliant
Green-crowned brilliant
Gould’s Jewelfront (Heliodoxa aurescens), male, family Trochilidae, order Apodiformes, Peru
photograph by Dustin Chen
Gould’s Jewelfront (Heliodoxa aurescens), male, family Trochilidae, order Apodiformes, Ecuador
photograph by Edy Goodyear
Empress Brilliant (Heliodoxa imperatrix), male, family Trochilidae, order Apodiformes, found onthe Pacific Slope of the Andes in Ecuador and Colombia
photograph by Nancy Elwood