Steely-vented Hummingbird by Adam Rainoff Via Flickr: High above the verdant Cauca Valley at Mirador Barlovento in Pradera, Colombia, I waited in the dappled light for this male Steely-vented Hummingbird (Saucerottia saucerottei) to settle. He chose a slender twig right in front of me and held still long enough for the magic to happen. Every scale-like feather on his head, back, and flanks glows with intense emerald-green iridescence that shifts to molten gold as the light plays across it. The crisp white belly and undertail stand in sharp contrast to his dark steely-blue tail, while the long straight bill and jet-black eye give him an alert, almost regal presence. The soft forest bokeh melts the background into gentle layers of green, letting the bird pop with jewel-like clarity. Working handheld with the Canon R5 and RF 100-500mm at 500mm, I chose 1/1500 second at f/6.7 and ISO 3200 to freeze any tiny movement while keeping the background beautifully diffused in that late-afternoon light. The combination delivered the tack-sharp detail and rich color I was after without disturbing this tiny pollinator. Moments like this at Mirador Barlovento remind me why I keep returning to these Andean slopes: to document the quiet brilliance of species that keep entire ecosystems alive. ©2026 Adam Rainoff Photographer
