Sisserou Parrot: Dominica’s National Bird & Flag Symbol

The Sisserou parrot (Amazona imperialis) is widely recognized as Dominica’s national bird. Government sources call it the “Pride of Dominica” and describe it as native to the island’s tropical forests.

The bird is found only in Dominica, making it an unusually strong link between a national flag and a species endemic to a single country.

The national-flag description says the parrot symbolizes flight toward greater heights and fulfilment of aspiration. It was also taken from Dominica’s coat of arms, giving the flag a direct connection to the country’s official seal and heraldic tradition.

The Sisserou has naturally iridescent plumage. The Office of the President’s protocol makes one reproduction detail explicit: the breast of the bird is purple.

An earlier presidential discussion of national symbols also warned that the bird’s coloring was often reproduced inaccurately and encouraged artists to stay as close as possible to its natural appearance.

Government sources state that the Sisserou is found only in Dominica. That makes it more than a decorative national bird: it is a species closely tied to the island’s ecology and identity.