Birding in Jamaica – Aerial Combat Erupts At Green Castle Estate House!
Guests at the Estate House cannot help but notice the furious battles waged regularly on the veranda. Luckily, no one is injured and the combatants seem perfectly content to repeat their skirmishes the next day.
The prizes are any of the numerous hummingbird feeders hanging from the veranda rafters. The contenders are two of Jamaica’s most spectacular endemics: Jamaican Mango and Red-billed Streamertail. The latter is emblematic of Jamaica and one of the world’s truly magnificent birds. It’s locally called Doctorbird as its long black tail feathers resemble the coat tails of early British physicians.
Jamaican Mango lacks streamers but substitutes dark, iridescent plumage in shades of green and purple. Its frequently flared tail is an almost indescribable hue of pinkish-lavender-purple. Mangos are more aggressive and heavier bodied than Streamertails. Watch for a while, though, and you’ll notice that the Streamertails do find opportunities to feed.
The diminutive Vervain Hummingbird, one of the world’s smallest birds, wisely avoids these frays, but can still be glimpsed feeding on the Estate’s abundant flowering plants. A Caribbean endemic, the Vervain is found only on Jamaica and Hispaniola.
Why hummingbirds expend so much energy defending an abundant resource is curious. But they do, and it’s quite entertaining, if occasionally unnerving, to watch them dash around in hot pursuit of their rivals, almost oblivious of humans.
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| Robins Bay Road, St. Mary, Jamaica