Jamaican Hummingbird ~ Part Two
The little Jamaican Mango hummingbird is endemic to Jamaica. He was a frequent visitor to the hibiscus bush below my balcony.
The warm sunny days along with bright colorful flowers, butterflies and birds were a treat during the coldest winter months, when I would usually be enjoying the snowy weather in New England.
My beloved resident hummers and other passerines here at Flower Hill Farm might blush from the subtle beauty of this delicate tropical hummingbird. The Jamaican Mango Hummingbird wears a wide, high, iridescent magenta collar around his cheeks and sides of his neck and his body plumage is dappled with dazzling shades of orange, blue green, and gold. You can miss these sparkles of color if not for the sun.
I am not sure what inspired this display. But when he opened his fan-like tail he charmed rather than frightened me away.
I understand this is a very territorial bird and he will do aerial flight displays to ward off other birds, hummingbird moths, and even larger bees from his preferred nectaring sites.
This little bird is also known as Black Hummingbird or Black Mango Hummingbird. They do have a black chin and appear black when flitting about the flowers on cloudy days. One sunny February day, while walking down to the sea for a swim, I was lucky to have captured the portrait above. I have more to share of my time in the tropical paradise of Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth Jamaica.
I don’t want to give my beloved Ruby Throated hummers a complex, but wow! Those purple tones make this one a real looker.
Our little hummers would be wowed by the tails of these Jamaican hummers. Thank you Robin.
Good to hear from you again Carol. I love the hummingbird pictures. We don’t get them over here in Europe, so I have only seen them in the USA and the Caribbean. We have just inherited my father’s property in the Scottish Borders. It is quite like your Flower Hill Farm, with all sorts of habitats for different wildlife. I helped my father look after the place for the last 15 years, so I know it well and we have been working hard this year to keep the place looking good. We won’t be able to move down there permanently until my daughter has finished at school in two years’ time. We can’t wait to be living there, though!
Thank you for visiting Nick! Your property in the Scottish Borders sounds wonderful. I look forward to hearing more about it.
Dear Carol~~From one who will probably never visit Jamaica, I so appreciate seeing these photos. What stunning colors! I don’t know how you always seem to capture a bird’s wing spread, but each (this and those from past posts) is a special gift to the viewer.
Thank you Eva. It is the luck of the click to capture birds and butterflies in flight. My average lens does the best it can. Stronger ones that I could not even lift capture far better images. The link here will take you to a few.
Hello Carol,
I hope this finds you well and enjoying autumn. This is such a beautiful bird! I have never seen one in these colors, never been to Jamaica, so glad you went and are now sharing your sights with us.