Jamaica’s Enigmatic National Hummingbird Symbol of Beauty and Cultural Pride

Meet Jamaica’s iconic Doctor Bird, a stunning hummingbird species that inspires national pride and wonder.

Endemic to Jamaica only, the red-billed streamertail dazzles with iridescent feathers and graceful long tails.

Male Doctor Birds sport two streamer tails edged with black, shimmering emerald green body plumage.

Called “Doctor Bird” for their tailcoat‑like tail feathers and crest resembling old doctors’ attire.

These hummingbirds hover, fly backward, and beat wings up to eighty times per second effortlessly.

Jamaican folklore sees the Doctor Bird as magical; indigenous Arawaks named it “God Bird” historically.

First designated in 1962, the Doctor Bird became Jamaica’s national bird—a symbol of independence and identity.

A living symbol of Jamaica’s biodiversity, culture, resilience, and natural splendor worth preserving proudly.