Consider the hummingbird for a long moment. Brian Doyle begins his essay Joyas Voladoras with this act of attention—because, indeed, the hummingbird rewards a slower kind of looking. The phrase joyas voladoras, Spanish for “flying jewels,” is a historical nickname given to hummingbirds by early Spanish explorers. It’s a fitting name for a creature that embodies a streak of living color. … [Read more...]
May 11, 2026 By Anissa Bejaoui
Flying Jewels
Filed Under: Kalleco, Wildlife Tagged With: Archilochus colubris, Bee balm, birds, cardinal flower, columbine, Ensifera ensifera, flying jewel, gardening, Gardening Tips, hummingbirds, information, national pollinator month, nectar sources, oyas voladoras, penstemon, pollinator, pollinators, ruby-throated hummingbirds, salvia, spring migration, sword-billed hummingbird, Trochilidae, trumpet honesuckle
