Jamaican Mango Hummingbirds

The Jamaica Mango Hummingbirds-

The Jamaican Mango Hummingbirds/ also known as 

The Black Hummingbirds or Black Mango Hummingbird are only

Found on the Island of Jamaica. They are particularly common along

The northern coastline, where they can inhabit various levels of open lowlands that are at the edges of the forests. At the end of the flowering season these Amazing hummingbirds will usually migrate to the south 

In the mid-altitude areas of Jamaica. Also, they have been known to

Also go to the Blue and John Crow Mountains. 

I so much wanted to find a different kinda of hummingbird that was from a very different area. And only survived on a particular habitat as these gems do; The Jamaica Mango's Hummingbirds with all their different names too. 

These Hummingbirds are quite beautiful-

They are plumage is blackish with attractive iridescent magenta streaks on the cheek of the sides of the head that go down to their neck, which is golden/oranges sheen on their shoulders if you will. Their body is mostly blue, green, golden and bronze. With orange streak all over most of their body. They have a black bill that is curved -down, which is very useful with the type of flowers and plants on the Island for them to collect the nectar to drink. 

Note; the juvenile male Jamaican Mango has blue throats until they are about two years old. 

Their Diet-

The Jamaican Mangos will feed primarily on the Brightly colored,  scented small flowers of trees, herbs and shrubs of the island. One is the Epiphytes, but their favorite flowers are the ones with the highest sugar content. These flowers are usually red-colored and tube-shaped and will seek-out them very aggressively. Once these Jamaican Mangos hummingbirds do find them, they will also protect those areas containing the flowers with the high sugar nectar just as aggressively.

Their favor nectar sources on the island of Jamaica are the flowers of large trees

such as the Inga, Erythrina, Ceiba and the kapok too. Now I know these trees don't sound familiar to any boat, to our friends who are lucky to live on the islands of Jamaica. I am sure they know what these types of trees are and what they even look like. 

How they get the tasty sweet nectar is by their long extendible, straw-like tongues to retrieve the sweet nectar while hovering over, under, sideways with their tails cocked upwards as they are licking at the nectar up to 13times per second. Pretty fast Eh!Sometimes these beauty's maybe even seen hanging on the flower while feeding on the sweet nectar! Of course, these games are well suited for this being that their wings will move up to 80times per second! 

Many of the native and cultivated plants of the Jamaican Islands are whose

flower these gems feed heavily on and they rely on them for pollination as well. The mostly tubular-shaped flowers are actually 

Exclude most bees and butterflies from feeding on them on the Island. So the Jamaican Mango's are the only one's to keep the flower pollinated. This is also true with many of the plants and trees on the Island too.

If you were to live on the Island of Jamaica as does the locals you may see hummingbird feeders for some sugar water they love to drink out of. This is also true with the bird baths or water fountains where they will either hover and sip at the water as it runs over the edge of his fountains; or they might be perched on the edge and then drink at the fountains, but like all other birds of the island the Jamaican Hummingbirds will only remain still for a short moment. As all hummingbirds are. 

These types of hummingbirds will also feed on small spiders and insects too. It

is an important source of their diet because it provides a good amount of protein, particularly during the breeding season to ensure the proper development of their babies. The insects are often caught in flight, by snatching them off a leaf or branches in the tall trees. They will also take spiders from their webs too. A nesting female can capture up to 2,000 insects a day for their young for the proper growth. 

How the Males will establish a feeding territory to feed their young, in which they can be very aggressive by casing any other male Jamaican Mango's away. Other males as well as large insects such as the bumblebees and hawk moths that want to feed in these Jamaican males territories will get cheesed off. They use aerial flights and intimidating displays to defend their habits. 

Breeding- These hummingbirds will nest  year around, unlike most

hummingbirds that will do this just once a year. Although the Jamaican Mango does have a favorite time to breed which is from January and May. 

These types of Hummingbirds are quite solitary birds in all aspects of their lives. The only part that would be neat is when they are breeding for their young. The only time that the Male Jamaica Mango hummingbirds do get involved is in the reproductive process which is the actual mating with the females. They will either live either, nor migrate in flocks;  and there is not a pair bonding for these hummingbirds, which is very different compared to  some of their cousins in the U.S. Male Mango hummingbirds will court females by flying in a u-shaped pattern in front of them. They will separate from the female immediately after the two have copulated hehehe. From what i can tell one male may mate with several females at once. Oh, My! That Island love! In all likelihood, the female will also mate with several males too. These are free spirted hummingbirds that is what I can say! The males do not participate in choosing where the nest will be located,built or the duties of the raising of the young.

The Nest-The female is always responsible for building the tiny cup-shaped nest

out of plant fibers woven together and green moss on the outside for camouflage in protected locations in shrubs,bushes, or trees that are quite high-up. They may even take advantage of man-made structures that are on the island too. These female Jamaica Mango hummingbirds will line the nest with a soft plant fibers, animal hair and feather down. They will also use the strength of the structure of the spider web and other sticky material to give their nests an elastic like quality to allow it to stretch to double its size as the chick grow and need more room as they grow. The nest is typically found on a low, skinny horizontal branch. The average amount is two white eggs, which she will incubate alone for about 16 to 17 days, while the male defends his territory and the flowers he feeds on. The young are born blind, immobile and without and down. 

So these female Mango's alone will protect and feed the chicks with regurgitated food - mostly partially - digested insects since nectar is an insufficient food for the young ones! 

Now the young ones! Are brooded only in the first week or two and left alone, even on the coolest nights - which I guess happens on the island of Jamaica. After about 12days and probably due to the small nest that they are in, with space being a big problem how! The young ones will leave the nest when they are about 24days old

Their Vocals- are quite different too. Like most hummingbirds on the island the Jamaican Mango isn't very vocal, but they do have some kinda sound - Its a high pitched sound like; .'Chi-chi-chi-chi-chi-chi-chi-' call and a sharp 'chip" called the note. That can be occasionally heard, particularly when they are chasing away intruders.

While these hummingbirds may be confined to the island of Jamaica, They are not considered endangered species- This is done to Careful planning and plantation management with wild - life friendly Techniques

And minimal pesticide use can continue to preserve the Jamaica mangos and the increasing population of feeding hummingbirds It also insures safe features for these hummingbirds in a greater variety of locations around the island.

In some part of the Island of Jamaica, where there are quiet a few of these beautiful Jamaican Mango's and other kinds of hummingbirds it can be quite a fuse of blur of colours as these gems beat their wings 80times a min. Creatively, this is how the hummingbird goes their name- hum-hum that they are named after.. 

Here's a little bit of facts about the beauty of these gems of the hummingbird that you might find interesting..

Despite their small cranberry size hearts working overtime at 500 beats per minute. Just with perching on a branch, hummingbirds can live up to 17years of age. These gems lean, mean nectar machines, weight only at between 2-20 grams. To survive. They need to consume twice their own body weight in nectar daily to survive.

Like all birds, In the Hummingbird family the male has the breathtaking plumage. Their gorget or - throat patch is made up of iridescent feathers brought alive by the chemical carotenoid. [I didn't know that either-o)] These partially reflected the light, causing the brilliant reds, purples, greens, and blues to be seen on these tiny gems. The hummingbird can be feisty and downright frosty at having borders of their feeding territory overstep, no matter if you are a fellow hummingbird or even a crow or Raven - They will take you on and defend their territory or habitat vigorously.

I hope that you Enjoy this wonderful hummingbird..

The Jamaica Mango hummingbird is for you all. Love you all, my dears. Wendy