Dominica Botanic Gardens Roseau, Commonwealth of Dominica, West Indies

Source: Dominica’s Birds Photo: Greg Lasley Photo: Greg Lasley

Description: Attractive, predominantly blackish green hummingbird; one of four species on the island and the second largest; 10-12 cm long (4-4.75 in); has distinctive downward curving bill, beautiful, luminous, green breast with luminous blue breast patch, hence its local name, Falvert; has greenish black abdomen and violet black tail; male and female plumage similar; feeds primarily on flower nectar, seemingly madly flitting from flower to flower, hence its patois name Foufou, from the French fou meaning mad, giving rise to local folklore that if you ate a hummingbird you too would go mad; the bird is a lowland resident of moist rain forest and food gardens, and is seen in both the ornamental plants and economic crops sections of the Botanic Gardens. References: Arlington James, Stephen Durand and Bertrand Jno.Baptiste. Dominica’s Birds. Forestry, Wildlife and Parks Division, Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment, Dominica, 2005 Bond, James. A Field Guide to the Birds of the West Indies. Peterson Field Guide Series. Houghton Mifflin Co., NY, 5th Edition 1993.