The national bird of the Dominican Republic is the Cigua Palmera, known in English as the Palmchat (Dulus dominicus). It was officially declared the national bird on January 14, 1987, under Decreto No. 31-87, signed by President Joaquín Balaguer and published in Gaceta Oficial No. 9702.
Before going further, it is worth clearing up one of the most common mix-ups in Caribbean geography. The Dominican Republic and Dominica are two completely different countries. Dominica is a small island nation in the Lesser Antilles, and its national bird is the Sisserou, also called the Imperial Amazon (Amazona imperialis), a large and striking parrot. If you searched for the national bird of "Dominica" and landed here, that is the bird you are looking for. But if you were asking about the Dominican Republic, the country that shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, then the Cigua Palmera is your answer. The two names cause confusion constantly, so you are definitely not alone in needing the clarification. For context on nearby Caribbean nations, you can also read about Haiti's national bird, which shares the same island as the Dominican Republic.
The Cigua Palmera goes by a few names depending on where you look. In Spanish, it is Cigua Palmera. In English, the accepted common name is Palmchat. The scientific name is Dulus dominicus. All three refer to the same bird, and it is worth knowing all three if you are doing research, because different sources use different names.
The legal foundation is Article 1 of Decreto No. 31-87, which reads: "Se declara la Cigua Palmera (Dulus dominicus), el ave nacional dominicana." That translates directly to: "The Cigua Palmera (Dulus dominicus) is declared the national bird of the Dominican Republic." The decree also establishes a permanent protection order ("veda permanente") on the species, meaning hunting or capturing it is prohibited by law.
The Jardín Botánico Nacional of the Dominican Republic (the national botanical garden) refers to it explicitly as "Nuestra Ave Nacional" (Our National Bird) and confirms both the January 14, 1987 date and the decree number. That institution is one of the most reliable domestic sources for confirming this information quickly.
The decree does not just name the bird. It explains why, and the reasoning is genuinely interesting. The "considerando" (rationale) section of Decreto No. 31-87 highlights two key points: the Cigua Palmera is exclusive to the island of Hispaniola, and it is the only member of its entire family, Dulidae. There is no other bird like it anywhere else in the world.
That uniqueness is a big part of what makes it a meaningful national symbol. Choosing a bird that exists nowhere else on Earth makes a statement about the country's distinct identity and natural heritage. The Cigua Palmera is not just native to Hispaniola, it belongs entirely to it. That exclusivity maps well onto the idea of national pride.
Culturally, the bird is also a familiar, everyday presence for Dominicans. It is not a rare or elusive species that most people never see. The Palmchat builds bulky stick nests at the tops of palm trees, often in communal structures shared by multiple pairs. These nests are a common sight across the island's landscape, which means the bird is woven into daily life in a way that reinforces its connection to the national identity. Research out of Princeton that focuses on the ecology and conservation of the Palmchat emphasizes this cultural familiarity alongside the bird's ecological importance.
The Dominican Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources includes the Cigua Palmera in its environmental education materials, listing it among the country's biodiversity symbols. It also features in official educational guides used in schools, which means generations of Dominican children grow up learning about the bird as part of their national identity.
The formal adoption happened on January 14, 1987, during the presidency of Joaquín Balaguer, one of the most influential and longest-serving political figures in Dominican history. The decree was published in the Gaceta Oficial No. 9702 on the same date, making it part of the official public record.
The 1987 timing fits into a broader pattern of Caribbean and Latin American nations formalizing their national symbols during the latter half of the twentieth century. Many countries in the region made similar declarations during this era as part of strengthening national identity frameworks. The inclusion of a permanent hunting ban in the same decree is also notable. It shows that the designation was not purely ceremonial. The government paired the symbolic act with a conservation measure, recognizing that the bird's status as a national symbol came with a responsibility to protect it.
| Feature | Dominican Republic | Dominica |
|---|---|---|
| National bird (common name) | Palmchat (Cigua Palmera) | Sisserou (Imperial Amazon) |
| Scientific name | Dulus dominicus | Amazona imperialis |
| Bird type | Passerine (songbird family) | Parrot |
| Habitat | Hispaniola (shared with Haiti) | Island of Dominica, Lesser Antilles |
| Uniqueness | Only member of family Dulidae | Critically endangered parrot, endemic to Dominica |
| Official designation date | January 14, 1987 | Long-standing national symbol |
| Legal basis (RD) | Decreto No. 31-87 | N/A (different country) |
The confusion between these two is understandable because the names are so similar, but the countries, the birds, and the contexts are completely different. When in doubt, the simplest check is: Dominican Republic is the larger country on Hispaniola, and its bird is the Palmchat. Dominica is the small island in the Eastern Caribbean, and its bird is a parrot.
If you want to confirm this information from official sources, the most direct route is the text of Decreto No. 31-87 itself, which is available through FAOLEX (the FAO's legal database) and the BVEARMb digital repository, both of which host the full decree text with Article 1 clearly stated. The Jardín Botánico Nacional website is the easiest domestic Dominican source to cross-reference.
For English-language reference, searching "Palmchat" (the common English name) will connect you with ornithological databases and resources that describe the species in detail. The scientific name Dulus dominicus is the most precise identifier if you are searching databases like the Cornell Lab of Ornithology or similar resources.
If you are exploring national birds across the Caribbean more broadly, the region has some genuinely fascinating choices. Puerto Rico's national bird, the Reinita Mora, tells a completely different story about island identity and conservation. Cuba's national bird, the Tocororo, was chosen partly because its feathers match the colors of the Cuban flag, which is one of the more vivid selection stories in the region. You might also find it interesting to look at Jamaica's national bird, the Doctor Bird, one of the most visually striking hummingbirds in the world. And if you want to stay close geographically, the national bird of the Bahamas offers another interesting example of how Caribbean nations have approached this kind of symbolic designation.
The short version: the Dominican Republic's national bird is the Cigua Palmera (Palmchat, Dulus dominicus), declared officially on January 14, 1987, under Decreto No. 31-87. It is unique to Hispaniola, the only member of its family, and protected by permanent law. Do not confuse it with Dominica's Sisserou parrot, which is a completely different bird from a completely different country.
The national bird is the Cigua Palmera, also called the Palmchat, scientific name Dulus dominicus. If you see a different common name online, switch to the scientific name to confirm it is the same species.
Decreto No. 31-87 includes a permanent protection measure (veda permanente), so hunting, capturing, or otherwise harming the species is treated as prohibited under the law, not just discouraged.
The bird is native to Hispaniola, so it is not just “found” on the island, it is described as exclusive to Hispaniola. That exclusivity is part of what makes it a national symbol in the decree’s rationale.
The Dominican bird and Dominica’s bird can be swapped easily because the country names sound similar. As a rule of thumb, Dominican Republic is the country on Hispaniola, and its national bird is the Palmchat, while Dominica’s national bird is the Sisserou parrot.
If your goal is confirmation from official materials, look for Decreto No. 31-87 and Article 1 text, then use a domestic reference like the Jardín Botánico Nacional to cross-check the same date and decree number.
Many bird databases list Dulus dominicus under the species name rather than the national-symbol common name, so searching both “Palmchat” and “Dulus dominicus” usually yields the most complete results.
Because it is a protected species, you may see educational and conservation messaging focused on coexistence and habitat preservation rather than exploitation. Avoid buying wildlife products or taking souvenirs that could involve protected animals or their parts.
The national bird designation is tied to the Dominican Republic’s January 14, 1987 adoption under Decreto No. 31-87, so if a source mentions a different year or decree number, treat it as likely outdated or referring to another country.
