When professional artist and photographer Christian Spencer saw a black Jacobin hummingbird flitting near his verandah in Rio de Janeiro, he was stunned to see a magical rainbow shining through its wings.
However, the array of beautiful colors wasn’t the result of weather conditions; rather, it was created when the light of the sun diffracted through the wings creating an incredible prism effect.
![A Fairy Sunrise (Courtesy of <a href="http://www.christianspencer.pro.br/PhotosNEW/index.html">Christian Spencer</a>)](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.theepochtimes.com%2Fassets%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F06%2F11%2FA-FAIRY-SUNRISE-Photo-Christian-Spencer.jpg&w=1200&q=75)
Then a few years later, the Australian-born photographer, who has been spending long periods of time in Brazil since 2001, decided to photograph this visual phenomenon with his camera and was delighted to see the prism effect.
The black Jacobin hummingbird—Latin name Florisuga fusca—has a black body with distinctive whitetails. The most impressive feature is its wingtips, which look brown until the sun shines through them and creates a beautiful rainbow-like effect.
![Hummingbird Mist (Courtesy of <a href="http://www.christianspencer.pro.br/PhotosNEW/index.html">Christian Spencer</a>)](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.theepochtimes.com%2Fassets%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F06%2F11%2FHUMMINGBIRD-MIST-Photo-Christian-Spencer.jpg&w=1200&q=75)
Unsurprisingly, the impressive display of colors he found in the wings and the tail of these large (by their species’ standards) hummingbirds haven’t gone unnoticed. The photos have become known around the world.
He further added, “I receive emails every day from people across the world touched by these images.”
One of them wrote, “The MOST spectacular photo I’ve ever seen what an absolute privilege to witness just breathtaking.”
While another chimed in: “Love this beautiful little creature thank you for sharing your magic with the rest of the world and making Facebook and Instagram worth watching.”
![Hummingbird Origami (Courtesy of <a href="http://www.christianspencer.pro.br/PhotosNEW/index.html">Christian Spencer</a>)](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.theepochtimes.com%2Fassets%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F06%2F11%2FHUMMINGBIRD-ORIGAMI.Photo-Christian-Spencerjpg.jpg&w=1200&q=75)
These hummingbirds, which can be commonly found across Brazil’s Atlantic forests, extending into eastern Paraguay and northeastern Argentina, aren’t just known for this prism effect that makes these petite birds look like tiny rainbows in the sky.
Scientists have discovered that the black Jacobin hummingbirds have a unique feature, which is to be able to vocalize at a higher pitch than any other known species of bird.
![In a Gadda Da Vida (Courtesy of <a href="http://www.christianspencer.pro.br/PhotosNEW/index.html">Christian Spencer</a>)](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.theepochtimes.com%2Fassets%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F06%2F11%2FIN-A-GADDA-DA-VIDA-Photo-Christian-Spencer.jpg&w=1200&q=75)
Check out the rest of the images below:
![Solar (Courtesy of <a href="http://www.christianspencer.pro.br/PhotosNEW/index.html">Christian Spencer</a>)](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.theepochtimes.com%2Fassets%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F06%2F11%2FSOLAR-Photo-Christian-Spencer.jpg&w=1200&q=75)
![The Ballerina (Courtesy of <a href="http://www.christianspencer.pro.br/PhotosNEW/index.html">Christian Spencer</a>)](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.theepochtimes.com%2Fassets%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F06%2F11%2FTHE-BALLERINA-Photo-Christian-Spencer.jpg&w=1200&q=75)
![The Sky God (Courtesy of <a href="http://www.christianspencer.pro.br/PhotosNEW/index.html">Christian Spencer</a>)](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.theepochtimes.com%2Fassets%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F06%2F11%2FTHE-SKY-GOD-photo-Christian-Spencer.jpg&w=1200&q=75)
![The Sun Dance (Courtesy of <a href="http://www.christianspencer.pro.br/PhotosNEW/index.html">Christian Spencer</a>)](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.theepochtimes.com%2Fassets%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F06%2F11%2FTHE-SUN-DANCE-Photo-Christian-Spencer.jpg&w=1200&q=75)
![This is my deepest blue (Courtesy of <a href="http://www.christianspencer.pro.br/PhotosNEW/index.html">Christian Spencer</a>)](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.theepochtimes.com%2Fassets%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F06%2F11%2FTHIS-IS-MY-DEEPEST-BLUE-Photo-Christian-Spencer.jpg&w=1200&q=75)
![Stardust (Courtesy of <a href="http://www.christianspencer.pro.br/PhotosNEW/index.html">Christian Spencer</a>)](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.theepochtimes.com%2Fassets%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F06%2F11%2Flarge-STARDUST-Photo-Christian-Spencer.jpg&w=1200&q=75)
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