A 46-foot hummingbird sculpture has taken flight in Montego Bay, Jamaica. It’s the world’s largest – and celebrates the Caribbean country’s one-of-a-kind national bird, the streamer-tail hummingbird, found only in Jamaica.
While hummingbirds are found in many countries in North and South America, the streamer-tail, which is also affectionately known as the Doctor Bird for the resemblance of its long tail to the coattails of a 19th century doctor’s frock coat, is Jamaica’s alone.
In local folklore, the Doctor Bird was considered magical, with the power to deliver messages between the human and the spirit world. With shimmering colors that reflect the vibrancy of the country, the streamer-tail hummingbird is a source of national pride.
“This bird is a symbol of flight and resilience,” says hotelier Christopher Issa, who commissioned the work for his award-winning S Hotel Montego Bay. “Like Jamaica, it’s small but powerful. We wanted something super special — a landmark that inspires locals, intrigues visitors, and celebrates what’s unique to this island.”
Acclaimed Jamaican sculptor Scheed Cole brought the vision of a supersized streamer-tail hummingbird flying off the facade of the hotel to life. Built in eight massive sections and large enough to hold ten people inside, the sculpture is constructed of fiberglass, foam and sheet metal. The project pushed creative and engineering boundaries in Jamaica, built in eight massive sections entirely outdoors over three months.
Cole also created the dynamic welcome sign at Sangster International Airport and saw the project as a personal mission. “Every major work I do is to prove what’s possible here in Jamaica and this sculpture shows we can create world-class public art right at home.”
The sculpture is already drawing visitors, photographers and locals alike. The gleaming installation captures the Doctor Bird mid-flight with outstretched wings, iridescent plumage, and a hypnotic ribbon-like tail, and is visible from far along the coastline.
There's Mo' to Mo' Bay
The giant hummingbird is more than an art installation. It’s a bold symbol of Jamaican pride and a symbol of the cultural revival of Mo’ Bay’s ‘Hip Strip.’
Gloucester Avenue, now renamed Jimmy Cliff Boulevard, runs parallel to the shoreline and is a famous destination for visitors with its shops, bars, restaurants and beach access close to the city’s resort area. Jimmy Cliff was Jamaica’s legendary reggae singer, songwriter, and actor, best known internationally for hits like "Many Rivers to Cross" and his starring role in the classic Jamaican film The Harder They Come. The 2019 re-designation of the street in honor of Jimmy Cliff was itself a move to re-imagine the area and the city.
The record-breaking Doctor Bird installation is part of S Hotel’s commitment to a broader cultural revival of Montego Bay and Jimmy Cliff Boulevard. It has also inaugurated the S Hotel Art Walk, a vibrant mural series celebrating Jamaican music legends, and has themed hotel floors honoring icons like Bob Marley, Usain Bolt and Louise Bennett.
If it’s been a while – or never! – since you’ve visited Montego Bay, now’s the ideal time to plan your own ‘flight’ to join the Doctor Bird in discovering this seaside Jamaican city as it reinvents itself.
START YOUR TRIP!
Images courtesy of S Hotel Montego Bay
Top image: The sculptor putting the finishing touches on his work.
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