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birding...
Jamaica
Birding Jamaica The total number of recorded species is approximately 300, many of which are winter migrants from North America, 100 plus local breeding birds and 26-30 [depending on what you split] endemics. Finding the endemics can be dead easy - the Red-billed Streamertail is present in virtually every flower-laden garden - to very difficult - the Jamaican Blackbird feeds exclusively on the creatures living in bromeliads. But with reasonable luck all can be found in a few days, visiting half-a-dozen easily accessible sites. Good local guides are available – but try to make arrangements ahead of your visit - local transport is available at reasonable cost [from a 4-seater car up to a 25-seater bus] and a wide range of accommodation choices can be provided. A few suggestions: |
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Black River Morass - wetland
This is a large wetland containing a variety of habitats. The northern part is probably the best place to find the endangered West Indian Whistling Duck. The southern area is open riverine country with herons, bitterns, rails and some friendly crocodiles.Blue Mountains
Drive north out of Kingston up,up,up, through Newcastle and Hardwar Gap, and stop on the roadside almost anywhere. Look for all three hummingbirds, Blue Mountain and Jamaican Vireos, various Flycatchers, Todies, Orioles, Stripe-headed Tanagers and many more. This is prime Blue Mountain coffee territory, and much of the limited accommodation is connected with coffee interests. A comfortable and attractive base is Forres Park Guest House at Mavis Bank, one hour`s drive from Kingston`s airport.Castleton Botanical Gardens
One hour`s drive out of Kingston on the Junction Road. About 20 acres of open rolling country with a variety of exotic trees that attract an interesting range of birds.Cockpit Country - Barbecue Bottom/ Burnt Hill road
This fabled area contains some of the richest birding in the island, but it is mostly trackless and inaccessible. The Barbecue Bottom road is the best area close to the Cockpit Country that can be reached by car. Look for both Parrots, Jamaican Blackbirds, Crested and Ruddy Quail Doves and both Chestnut-bellied and Jamaican Lizard Cuckoos. The choice of lodging is limited- beach hotels and villas on the north coast or rustic but clean and friendly, B&B`s in Albert Town, which is a useful base for any foray into the Cockpit area.Hope Botanical Gardens - Kingston
A possible site to visit en route from Kingston to the Blue Mountains. A flock of about 40 Yellow-Billed Parrots live in the Gardens and are easily seen; plus warblers and water birds in the ponds.John Crow Mountains
The Eastern face of the John Crow Mountains are best accessed from the narrow but good road through Ecclesdown. Look for Black-billed Streamertails, both Amazon parrots [Yellow- and Black-billed] Jamaican Blackbird, Jamaican Crow. Good range of accommodation in the Port Antonio area- my favourite is Mockingbird Hill Hotel, which is itself a fine birding location.Marshall`s Pen - near Mandeville
One of the best-documented and oldest birding sites in Jamaica, home of Robert and Ann Sutton - two of the country`s premier birders - and the oldest active banding centre in Jamaica. Robert has been birding this area all his life and known every nest and roost on it. He has recorded over 100 species there. Accommodation is available on site and there are alternatives in Mandeville.Royal Palm Reserve - near Negril
A managed but little-visited wetland on the Negril/ Savannah-la-Mar road, with a good selection of birds in an attractive setting. Boardwalk and viewing tower to add to one`s convenience.Yallahs Salt Ponds
25 miles east of Kingston on the coast road - strictly shorebirds and some migrant warblers. No lodging nearby, but can be a worthwhile stop on the drive between Kingston and the Port Antonio area.contributor |
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Mark Fletcher
Country Traders Ltd
(Kingston, Jamaica)
mail@countrytraders.com
http://www.countrytraders.com
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National Bird: Streamertail [Doctor Bird] Troclilus polytmus
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Jamaican Woodpecker Melanerpes radiolatus Jamaican Tody Todus todus Chestnut-bellied Cuckoo Hyetornis pluvialis Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoo Saurothera vetula Yellow-billed Parrot Amazona collaria Black-billed Parrot Amazona agilis Jamaican Mango Anthracothorax mango Streamertail Trochilus polytmus Jamaican Owl Pseudoscops grammicus Jamaican Poorwill Siphonorhis americanus Ring-tailed Pigeon Columba caribaea Crested Quail-Dove Geotrygon versicolor Jamaican Elaenia Myiopagis cotta Sad Flycatcher Myiarchus barbirostris Rufous-tailed Flycatcher Myiarchus validus Jamaican Becard Pachyramphus niger Jamaican Vireo Vireo modestus Blue Mountain Vireo Vireo osburni Jamaican Crow Corvus jamaicensis White-chinned Thrush Turdus aurantius White-eyed Thrush Turdus jamaicensis Arrowhead Warbler Dendroica pharetra Jamaican Euphonia Euphonia jamaica Yellow-shouldered Grassquit Loxipasser anoxanthus Orangequit Euneornis campestris Jamaican Blackbird Nesopsar nigerrimus
useful reading |
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A Field Guide to Birds of the West Indies
(Peterson Field Guides) James Bond, Don R. Eckelberry (Illustrator); Arthur B. Singer (Illustrator) Paperback (September 1999) Houghton Mifflin CompanyISBN: 0618002103
Buy this book from NHBS.com
A Photographic Guide to Birds of Jamaica and the West Indies
G Michael Flieg and Allan Sander Series: PHOTOGRAPHIC GUIDES SERIES (NEW HOLLAND NATURAL HISTORY) 144 pages, 300 col photos. New Holland Publishers 2006ISBN: 1845375912
Buy this book from NHBS.com
Bird Songs in Jamaica
George B Reynard and Robert L Sutton Series: MACAULAY LIBRARY OF NATURAL SOUNDS 2 CD set. Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology 2000ISBN: 123199
Buy this book from NHBS.com
The Birds of the West Indies
By Herbert Raffaele, James Wiley, Orlando Garrido, Allan Keith & Janis RaffaeleHelm Field Guides Sept 2003 Paperback RRP ?16.99p
See Fatbirder Review
ISBN: 0713654198
Buy this book from NHBS.com
useful information |
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BirdLife Jamaica
2 Starlight Avenue, Kingston 6. + 1 876 9278444 birdlifeja@yahoo
Jamaica has a rich heritage in birds: over 290 species have been observed on the island. This figure includes 47 species and subspecies which are endemic (found here and nowhere else in the world). The diverse landscape ranges from dry plains in the south to wet rainforest in the east and wet and dry limestone forests in the north and west. The map shows the breakdown of different habitat types. Birders are encouraged to communicate any notes or trip reports (or links to their site) to BirdLife Jamaica.
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Blue and John Crow Mountains
http://nature.org/wherewework/caribbean/jamaica/work/Although the two mountain ranges - the Blue and the John Crow - are geographically side by side, their geology, soil and vegetation are vastly different. The Río Grande Valley separates the two ranges...
Fonthill Wildlife Sanctuary
http://www.great-adventures.com/destinations/jamaica/StEliz.htmlThe Fonthill Wildlife Sanctuary includes a coastal mangrove preserve to protect the locally endangered American crocodile. They are best viewed early in the morning and a warden is available to accompany visitors to their favorite sunning spots. Birds are plentiful here...
Paradise Park
http://www.great-adventures.com/destinations/jamaica/paradi.htmlYou will not find this exquisite park in most of the guide books because it is primarily a cattle and dairy farm that has been owned and operated by the same family for over a hundred years...
Wetland of International Importance
http://www.ramsar.orgJamaica presently has 1 site designated as a Wetland of International Importance, with a surface area of 5,700 hectares.
trip reports |
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Travelling Birder
http://www.travellingbirder.com
The Travellingbirder.com birding trip report search engine guides you to 7,000+ birding trip reports on the Internet. You can search for trip reports from a specific country and time of year. Not all these reports are in English. So, if you can’t find the trip report you want on this Fatbirder page… give them a try!
1992 [September] - John Raby
http://hometown.aol.com/johnraby/jamaica1992.htmlA Caribbean island 95 miles south of Cuba and 110 miles west of Hispaniola, Jamaica is an independent member of the British Commonwealth with a 1987 population of 2.3 million. Covering an area of 4244 square miles, it is 146 miles long and up to 51 miles wide. The climate is tropical maritime, coolest from December to February and wettest in May and October with an average daily temperature of 27C in the coastal lowlands...
2000 [September] - Gruff Dodd
http://www.birdtours.co.uk/tripreports/jamaica/jamaica2/jamgrdo.htmJamaica is not a destination for anyone expecting to amass a large trip total - a trip list of 100+ would be a good score for a one-week trip. However, what it may lack in quantity, it more than makes up for in quality. The island boasts an extremely impressive total of 30 endemic species, all highly possible on such a short visit...
2001 [July] - Roger Ahlman
http://www.club300.se/Files/TravelReports/jamaica2001_RA.pdfWe found Jamaica to be more expensive than we thought. The only thing that was cheaper than Sweden was petrol which was about half the price, beer was about the same but food and other things were more expensive...
2001 [March] - Alex Kirschel
http://www.birdtours.co.uk/tripreports/jamaica/Jamaica4/jamaica2001.htmWe arrived at Montego Bay airport early in the afternoon and quickly had a look around the bushes in the car park, as we waited for our car to arrive. We quickly spotted Bananaquit, Greater Antillean Grackle, Jamaican Mango and Loggerhead Kingbird there, and also added Antillean Palm Swift on our drive to the Orange River Lodge. Other birds seen on the drive were Magnificent Frigatebird and Feral Pigeon. The road up to the Lodge was pretty bad and a sign of things to come, also the Jamaican drivers must overtake you at all costs, so be prepared! At the Lodge itself, we added another two new species for us, Jamaican Crow and Green-rumped Parrotlet, while other birds there included Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, Kestrel and Northern Mockingbird...
2004 [April] - Jay Carlisle
http://www.birdtours.co.uk/tripreports/jamaica/jamaica5/jam-ap-04.htmMain purpose of this trip was visiting a friend working on a Smithsonian Institution study of wintering American Redstarts in southwestern Jamaica (Westmoreland Parrish). However, included in this trip was a 3-day journey around the island – largely in search of endemic or Caribbean specialties but also to see the sights & changing scenery around the island...
2004 [March] - Avian Adventures
http://www.birdtours.co.uk/avian-adventures/jamaica/Jam-2004.htm...Starting our tour in the southern marshes of the Great Morass, we encountered scores of wetland birds and American wood warblers. Amongst the multitude of birds were Least Bittern, Tricoloured & Little Blue Herons, Black-and-white, Black-throated Blue and Prairie Warblers, American Redstart and Common Yellowthroat...
2006 [November] - Jim Holmes - Travelling Birder
http://www.travellingbirder.com/tripreports/view_birding_tripreport.php?id=149My wife and I spent from November 5-November 10, 2006 in Jamaica. The trip was a combined relaxing vacation with several excursions to try and find the Jamaican endemics...
2007 [January] - Keith Grant - Travelling Naturalist
http://www.naturalist.co.uk/reports2007/jamaica.php...We gathered at 6am to walk up the hill before breakfast. With the sun just up, the hill slope was alive with small birds, most notably we had excellent views of two Jamaican Pewees and four Jamaican Euphonias. Six Olive-throated Parakeets flew over but alighted out of sight, and various pigeons and doves included Band-tailed Pigeons, again flying over without stopping. We returned down the hill for breakfast at 8:30am and awaited Wayne’s arrival in the bus. Two further Jamaican Euphonias were in the bushes out front, as was the female Cape May Warbler from yesterday...
tour operators |
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Amazilia
http://www.amaziliatours.com/EN/jamaica.htmMore than 28 endemics can be seen on this tropical island with a land surface of 11425 km2. Jamaica supports around 265 species. This mountainous island is surrounded by beautiful beaches and cliffs. The interior of the country, with its rugged landscape (highest point 2256 m) once most entirely forested is now covered with plantations and remnant wet limestone and montane rainforest...
Birdfinders
http://www.birdfinders.co.uk/tours/jamaica.htmWith 28 endemics, it shares the same number of unique species as the much larger island of Dominica, and has more than the 24 of the largest Caribbean island, Cuba. Despite bad press over the years, Jamaica is a very safe and friendly country to visit and most of the endemic birds are very easy to see...
Birding Pal
http://www.birdingpal.org/Jamaica.htmLocal birders willing to show visiting birders around their area...
Black River Safaris
http://www.silver-sands.com/black_river_safari.htmlDiscover the beauty of the South Coast with a 1/12 hour boat tour by motor launch up Jamaica`s largest navigable river and through what is Jamaica`s largest wetland area, the Black River lower morass...
Caligo Tours
http://www.caligo.com/jamaica/We are pleased to announce a new tour for independent travellers to the best part of Jamaica, its unspoiled eastern region - the Blue Mountains, Port Antonio and the John Crow Mountains - an area that is home to 43 endemic and near-endemic species most of which can be seen on our tour...
Earthfoot
http://www.earthfoot.org/jm.htm...Hosts Barbara Walker and Shireen Aga point out that some of Jamaica's best birding is available around the award-winning hotel described above. There are 40 different bird species on the hotel’s property alone, of which 2 are on the endangered list: the Ring-tailed Pigeon and the Black-billed Streamertail. A further two are listed on the international rare list, the Chestnut-bellied Cuckoo and the Rufous-tailed Flycatcher...
Focus on Nature
http://www.focusonnature.com/Caymans&Jamaica'07Itinerary.htm...In Jamaica the Doctorbird, Mountain Witch, Old Woman Bird,Hopping Dick, Mountain Judy, Little Tom Fool, Big Tom Fool, just plain Tom Fool, Sarah Bird, Banana Katie, Shine-eye, & Ants Picker...
Forres Park
http://www.neilmar.com/forres/forres_test.phpJamaica is an island where you may find 265 different species of birds with 30 or so endemic to the island at the last count!
Jamaica Palace Hotel - Port Antonio
http://www.jamaicapalace.comJamaica Palace is one of the most luxurious and elegant hotels in all of Jamaica. The 80 uniquely designed air-conditioned suites and rooms are located within walking distance to the most romantic private coves & beaches in Port Antonio...
Mark Smith Nature Tours
http://www.marksmithnaturetours.com/destinations/jamaica.htmlJamaica is biologically one of the richest islands in all the Indies and presents a relaxed introduction to the diverse natural and cultural history of the Indies. In addition to rainforest walks...
Victor Emanuel Nature Tours
http://www.ventbird.com/Next trip March 2003...
Wings
http://www.wingsbirds.com/tours/view/3...With at least 27 endemic bird species - more than any other Caribbean island - as well as a host of Antillean and Neotropical specialties, Jamaica offers some of the most exciting birdwatching in the West Indies...
places to stay |
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Forres Park
http://www.neilmar.com/forres/forres_test.phpForres Park is located just outside Mavis Bank St. Andrew, in the scenic Blue Mountains of Jamaica. A working farm, growing world famous Blue Mountain coffee,as well as offering fine dining and accommodation.
Mocking Bird Hill Hotel
http://www.hotelmockingbirdhill.com/...an ideal base for exploring the various natural attractions in the area. The natural, tropical gardens with a multitude of birds and flowers are a paradise for nature lovers. Guests can also enjoy the range of lovely beaches and coves close by. The romantic Frenchman`s Cove beach is just 5 minutes away...
Sonrise Beach Retreat
http://www.in-site.com/sonrise/A unique and affordable Eco-Tourism experience awaits visitors to our secluded 18 acre Tropical Nature Reserve Resort/Sanctuary surrounded by thousands of acres of undeveloped coastal paradise to explore...
Strawberry Hill
http://www.seejamaicacheaply.com/hotels/kingston_jamaica/strawberry_hill.htmlStrawberry Hill is a modern-day classic — a mountainside retreat with harmonious proportions on a former tea estate. Designed by Ann Hodges, its 12 airy cottages are based on 19th century buildings. It`s the perfect choice for guests who value luxury, privacy, romance and verdant beauty...
Tamarind Great House
http://reservations.bookhostels.com/traveluk/hostel.php?HostelNumber=2554English family run. Elegant Modern Great House in 12 acres of Lush Vegetation, Tranquil surroundings - Panoramic Views. Exotic fruits, flowers & birds.
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Birdwatching in Jamaica
http://www.jamaicans.com/tourist/birdwat.htmMany of the birds in Jamaica are closely linked to the various species in Central America. Though not very popular among visitors to the island`s birdwatching is becoming more popular among visitors to the island. The best time for bird watching in Jamaica is early morning or late afternoon though there are quite a few known birding spots in Jamaica experts say that time and patience is the key to enjoy the beautiful and relaxation of this exercise. Below is a list of places where birders can observe what Jamaica has to offer.
Birdwatching In Jamaica
http://www.negrilonestop.com/birdwatching.htmNot everyone goes to Jamaica for the beaches and golf courses. Many now go for the flora and fauna this lush tropical island possesses as well as the peace and solitude one can find in the hills. Jamaica is blessed with over 200 species of birds (30 are considered endemic to the island) and 50 or more species of visitors. The best time of the year is from December through the end of May both for the birds and tourists from the cold Northern climes. During this time many of the resident birds are nesting and singing. The Northern birds following the Mississippi and Atlantic flyways either stay and spend the winter in Jamaica and other islands in the West Indies or stop briefly on their way further South. Some of the birds commonly seen in North America are also considered fairly common in Jamaica and during the winter migration their numbers grow. This makes Jamaica an ideal place for any birder to add new birds to their life lists.
Birdwatching in Jamaica
http://babybirdcalendar.com/jamaica.htmlJamaica is one of the most beautiful islands in the world! The bird life there is extremely varied and interesting. With approximately 200 native species that include a whopping 25 endemic species...
Birdwatching in Jamaica
http://www.avesint.com/jamaica.htmlJamaica is one of the most beautiful islands in the world! The bird life there is extremely varied and interesting. With approximately 200 native species that include a whopping 25 endemic species, Jamaica has much to offer the bird watcher!
Cockpit Country
http://www.cockpitcountry.com/Birds represent the most conspicuous terrestrial vertebrates on Jamaica. At least 64 of Jamaica`s 67 resident breeding land birds have been reported from the Cockpit Country, including 27 of the island`s 28 endemic species. Several other human-introduced species and those species extending their geographic ranges naturally have become established along the periphery. The majority of Jamaica`s resident birds occur across the island in suitable habitats and no species is endemic to the Cockpit Country. It is, however, the stronghold of the endemic Black-billed Parrot (Amazona agilis) and is the only region on the island where both species of endemic Amazona parrots occur sympatrically in significant numbers.
Colourful Characters - Jamaica`s Birds
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/pages/history/story0061.htm...many birds, like the Doctor Bird, are endowed with spiritual significance. Many, like the owl, are considered symbols of the dead as well as messengers between spirit worlds...
Jamaica Parrot Project
http://www.cockpitcountry.com/JPP.htmlThe Jamaica Parrot Project was established in 1995 by BirdLife Jamaica (formerly Gosse Bird Club) with the assistance of the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica and Wildlife Preservation Trust International (Philadelphia, PA). The project represented the first systematic study of Jamaica`s two endemic Amazona parrots - the Black-billed Parrot Amazona agilis and the Yellow-billed Parrot Amazona collaria...
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