Heade dedicated himself to studying hummingbirds for almost 25 years. He made numerous contributions to the magazine Forest and Stream. Although he began painting these birds in 1862, most of his works featuring them were created between 1875 and 1885, following his final journey to South America. This painting features the black-eared fairy (Heliothryx aurita), a hummingbird native to the Amazon basin’s lowlands, along with the passionflower (Passiflora racemosa), which flourishes in the same environment. Influenced by Charles Darwin’s scientific research, Heade presents the close relationship between the bird and the plant, emphasising their natural connection.