Hummingbirds of the Dominican Republic – Overview
The Dominican Republic has a small but distinctive hummingbird community, with only three species recorded across the country. All three are tied to the island of Hispaniola, making the Dominican Republic an excellent place to study how island hummingbirds occupy different habitats with little overlap in species.
Endemic hummingbirds of Hispaniola
All three hummingbird species found in the Dominican Republic are restricted to the Greater Antilles and show strong ties to the island of Hispaniola. The Hispaniolan Emerald (Riccordia swainsonii) and Hispaniolan Mango (Anthracothorax dominicus) are both endemic to Hispaniola, occurring only in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The Vervain Hummingbird (Mellisuga minima) is shared between Hispaniola and Jamaica, with the Hispaniolan population representing a distinct part of this species’ overall range.
Anthony has photographed all three hummingbird species recorded in the Dominican Republic, documenting Hispaniolan Emerald (Riccordia swainsonii), Hispaniolan Mango (Anthracothorax dominicus), and Vervain Hummingbird (Mellisuga minima) in their native habitats.
Major hummingbird habitats in the Dominican Republic
Montane forests and highland edges – Hispaniolan Emerald (Riccordia swainsonii) use moist montane forests, forest edges, and higher-elevation habitats across the island’s mountain ranges.
Lowlands, open country, and forest margins – Hispaniolan Mango (Anthracothorax dominicus) visiting flowering trees, edges, and more open landscapes in lowland and foothill zones.
Gardens, scrub, and secondary growth – Vervain Hummingbird (Mellisuga minima) uses gardens, hedgerows, scrub, and other disturbed or semi-open areas with abundant small flowers.
Planning a hummingbird trip
If you are interested in traveling with Anthony, joining a small-group hummingbird-focused tour, or reading detailed trip reports about the species and regions he has worked in, visit the Travel with Me page and the Hummingbird Expeditions section of the blog to explore current opportunities and past expeditions
Explore hummingbirds by country to see which species Anthony has photographed in each place and how his growing gallery fits together across the Americas.
