Bird-watching in Jamaica

Bird-watching

Jamaica is a major bird-watching destination, thanks to its varied habitat. The island is home to more than 200 species, some seen only seasonally or in particular parts of the island. Generally the early-morning and late-afternoon hours are the best time for spotting birds. Many bird-watchers flock here for the chance to see the vervian hummingbird (the second-smallest bird in the world, larger only than Cuba's bee hummingbird) or the Jamaican tody (which nests underground).

A great place to spot birds is the Rocklands Bird Sanctuary & Feeding Station (Anchovy. 876/952-2009), which is south of Montego Bay. The station was the home of the late Lisa Salmon, one of Jamaica's first amateur ornithologists. Here you can sit quietly and feed birds -- including the doctor bird, recognizable by its long tail -- from your hand. A visit costs $10. About 10 minutes from Negril, Royal Palm Reserve (Springfield Rd., Sheffield. 876/957-3736) is home to 50 bird species, including the West Indian whistling duck, which comes to feed at the park's Cotton Tree Lake. The park is also home to the Jamaican woodpecker, Jamaican oriole, Jamaican parakeet, and spectacular streamertail hummingbirds, who flit among the thick vegetation. Admission to the reserve is $10.