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Dominica Botanic Gardens
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Birds of the Botanic Gardens

Purple-throated Carib: Eulampis jugularis; Local name: Madé, Fou-Fou Madé;
Family: Trochilidae (Hummingbirds)

​Description: About 10-13 cm long (4-5 in); is largest of the Hummingbird species in Dominica; plummage a beautiful, shiney velvet, black or dark-colored overall; bill well defined, long and downward sloping; head and back a dark velvet hue; throat and breast purple, the basis for this species’ common name; wings iridescent, emerald-green, one of only two of some 320 species of hummingbirds to have iridescent wings, which whisper when bird takes flight; tail and upper tail coverts metallic bluish green; legs short and dark; feeds primarily on flower nectar, going rapidly from flower to flower; two notable differences between males and females, making them readily distinguishable - males are about 25% larger than females; but female bills are about 30% longer and more downward curving than males, allowing females to feed from a broader range of plants than males, and from flowers of different lengths; in search of food, this Hummingbird typically moves very quickly from flower to flower, seemingly in a mad or foolish way, hence its local name Fou-fou, “fou” being the French for mad or fool; seen variously throughout Gardens; click  here  to listen to its calls (compliments of  3-Rivers Eco-Lodge).

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
Ethan J. Temeles. All the right curves: in an island hummingbird, the shape of the female's bill enables her to feast on local flora inaccessible to the male. Natural History, American Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC 2002.
​​Gardens Introduction

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Preface - How it Began
Introduction to Website
A Brief History
Plan of Gardens 
Contemporary Commentary​
​Trees, Shrubs, Birds

​
​
Selected Trees and Shrubs
Medicinal Plants
​
Gardens Activities
  Florida's Fairchild Garden
Parrot/Animal Sanctuary
Birds of the Gardens
Garden Views

​
​
Three Virtual Tours
Panoramic Views Today
Early Panoramic Views
 
Hurricane David's Ravages
Future Developments
Curators/Administrators
Reports and Documents
  
Getting Involved
Related Links
Sub-sites

​

Honorees
Island Scholars
Cabinet Photos
​​Treasures of the Cathedral

​Diaspora Policy Paper
​

Visit the DAAS  Website
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Copyright © -  Davison Shillingford, Clayton Shillingford and (the late) Raglan Riviere