Welcome to Creature Hearts

Explore the astonishing literal hearts that power the animal world. Inspired by Brian Doyle’s “Joyas Voladoras,” published in The American Scholar, Creature Hearts begins with the rapid pulse of South American hummingbirds and the immense heart of the blue whale.

Begin with two extraordinary hearts

Every creature’s heart tells a story of scale, survival, motion, and wonder. Start with our featured explorations, then continue through images, research, and new community discoveries.

Hummingbird hearts

Meet the tiny, tireless hearts of South American hummingbirds—built to sustain hovering wings, quick flights, and an astonishing pace of life.

Blue whale hearts

Consider the powerful heart of the blue whale, an organ of remarkable size that supports the largest animal known to have lived on Earth.

Creature heart gallery

Browse a visual collection celebrating the creatures, forms, and natural details that invite us to look more closely at the hearts around us.

Research and resources

Find sources and further reading to support thoughtful curiosity about animal anatomy, biology, and the enduring wonder of living creatures.

A blog for the hearts of creatures

Creature Hearts is a personal blog devoted to the literal hearts of animals. With “Joyas Voladoras” as a point of inspiration, this space gathers observations, stories, images, and resources about the organs that keep creatures moving through the world.

Made for wonder

From a hummingbird’s quick rhythm to a blue whale’s vast circulation, a heart can reveal a remarkable way of being alive.

"Many creatures, big and small, have so many different amazing aspects about them, including the way their hearts beat in tandem with their lives."

— Creature Hearts field note

“A creature’s heart is both anatomy and invitation—an invitation to pay attention.”

— Inspired by the wonder of “Joyas Voladoras”

Share a creature heart

Have a creature, observation, image, or resource that belongs here? Help Creature Hearts grow with a submission of your own.

Stay connected to the animal world