Hummingbirds are a familiar backyard visitor, but scientists are still learning new things about them every year! Biologists at the University of Washington and Burke Museum research Seattle’s Anna’s hummingbirds to understand how their wings, tongues, and feathers help them survive and reproduce. 
 
There is currently an Anna's Hummingbirds study underway, using feather samples extracted from hummers in Seward Park. Using nest traps on-site, biologists from the Rico-Guevara and Leaché labs collect feathers to support evolutionary biologist Yasmeen Erritouni's research to identify the genes that make birds’ iridescent feathers so shiny.

Find out more about Rico-Guevara Lab

Find out more about University of Washington's Leache Lab

Stay connected with Yasmeen Erritouni, PhD student on Twitter