Jamaica

Day 1: The trip begins this evening at our hotel in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Day 2: Birds around our hotel might include the endemic subspecies of Vervain Hummingbird and Bananaquit, and the introduced Saffron Finch, but more exciting birding awaits us after breakfast. We’ll work our way eastward along the northern coast, making stops to check roadside ponds and mangroves for migrants and resident water birds, among which may be Clapper Rail and “Golden” Mangrove Warbler. All along the roadsides we’ll see the endemic subspecies of Loggerhead Kingbird, as well as the first Gray Kingbirds to arrive from their South American wintering grounds.

The Red-billed Streamertail lives on our first night’s hotel grounds, but as we work our way eastward to our lodging in Port Antonio we enter the range of the recently-split Black-billed Streamertail. These and Jamaican Mango visit the feeders at our hotel, while White-chinned Thrush, Jamaican Euphonia, Jamaican Spindalis, and Jamaican Woodpecker could be active when we arrive. Weather permitting, we’ll also make an attempt for Jamaican Owl, also on our hotel grounds. Night in San San.

Day 3: We’ll bird at a slow pace along Ecclesdown Road in the Drivers River Valley at the base of the John Crow Mountains. This is the wettest forest on the island and the single most endemic-rich spot in the entire Caribbean. We’ll concentrate on the difficult Crested Quail-Dove and the scarce Jamaican Blackbird. The quail-dove may be found walking on the roads at dawn (and sometimes later in the day as well), and their haunting songs should be heard from the dense woods, a sound that has earned them the local name “mountain witch.” The blackbird, in its own genus Nesopsar, doesn’t appear to be closely related to any other blackbird. Pairs sing short duets, males perform display flights in the canopy, and they search bromeliad and vine tangles more like a foliage-gleaner than any icterid. The blackbirds require mature wet forest, a habitat much reduced in Jamaica, and this is one of the best places for them. The general birding is also great fun: Blue Mountain Vireo is found here, sometimes appearing quietly and unexpectedly only a few feet away, and the cheeky Rufous-tailed Flycatcher, noisy Jamaican Woodpecker, and delightful Jamaican Tody are other examples of the fabulous birds we should see. By lunchtime, we’ll likely have seen well over half of the island’s endemics. Night in San San.

Day 4: We’ll return this morning to the Ecclesdown Road with a stop to look for White-tailed Tropicbird. After lunch, we’ll drive into the Port Royal Mountains and our hotel, perched on a mountain slope overlooking coffee fields at the junction with the Blue Mountains. Night in Silver Hill Gap.

Day 5: We’ll spend all morning high in the Port Royal Mountains, where as much as 100 inches of rain a year supports luxurious and fascinating vegetation—highland trees such as the Blue Mahoe and a heavy growth of mosses, lichens, endemic tree ferns, and bromeliads. The often elusive Crested Quail-Dove and Jamaican Blackbird are also possible here, and this will likely be our only chance at the lovely Rufous-throated Solitaire, an endemic subspecies that should probably be considered specifically distinct from the Hispaniolan and Lesser Antillean forms. We may also see Blue Mountain Elaenia (a recent split from Hispaniolan Elaenia), and Arrowhead Warbler seems to be most common in these mountains. Orangequits can be quite abundant in this area, and Chestnut-bellied Cuckoo, the “old man bird,” is often on our hotel grounds. After lunch in the mountains, we’ll work our way to our home for the next three nights, Marshall’s Pen on the outskirts of Mandeville.

Days 6-7: We’ll spend at least one full morning at Marshall’s Pen, where the birding experience starts even before we rise, with the glorious song of White-eyed Thrush. We’re likely to have seen all but one or two of the endemics by now, but maybe it will be this morning when we finally have our best views of the scarcer ones, such as White-chinned Thrush or Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoo.

On one day we’ll depart just after lunch for the radically different habitats of Portland Ridge. Here the arid acacia scrub resembles eastern Africa more than it does other parts of the island; it is home to the endemic subspecies of Bahama Mockingbird, while Vervain Hummingbird and Stolid Flycatcher are especially common. Searching for waterbirds in the mangrove lagoons and for northern migrants in the surrounding scrub will add to the day’s interest.

On another day we’ll rise early and drive into the Cockpit Country, home to several birds not always easily seen elsewhere on the island. We’ll arrive in time to see the mist lift from the “egg-box” hills that give the area its name, and more importantly, to view the early morning flights of Yellow-billed and Black-billed Parrots; with luck, we’ll also see them perched. The rugged karst formations here have been an effective deterrent to forest clearing, making the Cockpit Country some of the most pristine habitat in Jamaica, full of endemic plants, butterflies, and other creatures. We’ll look especially for Plain Pigeon, Rufous-tailed Flycatcher, and Jamaican Crow. We’ll return to Marshall’s Pen in mid-afternoon.

One of the best parts of the day at Marshall’s Pen is the evening meal on the verandah, the table full of delicious Jamaican food and the diners surrounded by the sounds of the Jamaican night: the voices of Jamaican Owl, Northern Potoo, and myriad amphibians. Nights at Marshall’s Pen.

Day 8: We’ll conclude with our return to Montego Bay, stopping at several birding hotspots to scan ponds, lakes, and marshes for additional species. If we’re lucky, we might see a Yellow-breasted Crake, Spotted Rail, West Indian Whistling-Duck, Masked Duck, or perhaps an American Crocodile waiting expectantly under a heron roost. Night in Montego Bay.

Day 9: The tour concludes this morning in Montego Bay.

2026 Narrative

Brief Summary

It was little surprise that the endlessly adorable and confiding Jamaican Tody was voted favorite of our Jamaica tour this year. There's just something irresistible about its size, shape, color, and behavior, not to mention that it's one of only five species of todies, a family endemic to the Greater Antilles. There were many other bird highlights among the complete list of 29 endemics that we saw. Notably, some of the scarcer and more difficult endemics were seen very well on just the second day of the tour: both Yellow-billed and Black-billed Amazon were perched, as was a Ring-tailed Pigeon – species that we might have seen only in flight – while Jamaican Blackbird and Blue Mountain Vireo are easily overlooked. We had amazing luck with two Crested Quail-Doves, four different Jamaican Owls perched during the day, and got our fill of the amazing Red-billed Streamertail at several locations. Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoo was yet another tour favorite among the endemics, but our short side trip to see some Masked Ducks was a long-awaited lifer for many. We also reveled in the many endemic plants, lizards, and invertebrates on this amazing island while taking in the stunning views at our lodging in San San and the east coast at Hector's River, sampling the delicious Jamaican food at local restaurants, and being treated to a stay at the wonderful Marshall's Pen. Add to all that a really great group of participants and the pleasure of meeting local guide Veda who found day-roosting owls and potoos like no other, and we had a simply perfect tour to Jamaica.

Detailed Summary

Our first day of birding was essentially a travel day to make our way to the wetter, richer east end of the island, but we started off with one nice endemic– the distinctive White-chinned Thrush just down the street from our Montego Bay hotel. We also nabbed a Yellow-throated Warbler here, not a common bird on the island, and only the second time we've seen it on this tour. We made a couple stops, one that resulted in the endemic subspecies of Mangrove Yellow Warbler, and another for a fun lunch at Miss T's in Ocho Rios. Upon arrival at Goblin Hill, we were suddenly surrounded by endemics, highlighted by a Jamaican Mango at the hummingbird feeders. After dinner we searched for a Jamaican Owl juvenile that had been calling in the nearby trees and instead spotted a the eyeshine of a Northern Potoo just across the driveway from the hotel, and we watched it forage from its low perch for a while.

In less than six hours of birding along the Ecclesdown Road on our second morning of birding we logged an amazing 22 of the island's 29 endemics. The highlight of all was the Jamaican Blackbird, whose subtle call note gave it away. We were able to watch its unique foraging behavior as it probed amongst the bromeliads, orchids, moss, and other epiphytes in this lush forest. We also had stellar views of a super cooperative Blue Mountain Vireo, saw several Yellow-shouldered Grassquits, and became acquainted with our first Jamaican Todies. Lunch at Boston Bay, supposedly the birthplace of Jamaican jerk recipes, was a fun event as we passed the food around on brown paper. We took a very short drive after our afternoon siesta to find that a stakeout Jamaican Owl wasn't at its former roost, but with a little coaxing, it began to call and revealed that it was in an even better spot than before. We also heard another sleepy owl up the road, and in looking for it we glimpsed Worm-eating Warbler, Ovenbird, and Cape May Warbler.

We had a more relaxed second morning around our hotel, where highlights were perched Ring-tailed Pigeons, Yellow-shouldered Grassquit, Black-throated Blue Warbler, and a Stripefoot Anole staking his territory on an abandoned washing machine. We took a mid-morning drive around the wonderfully scenic eastern end of the island to the picturesque bay of Hectors River and Happy Grove. We spied the White-tailed Tropicbirds almost immediately, and with patience we had some very close fly-bys of these graceful birds.  We returned to the hotel to find the second van's battery jump started, loaded up our luggage, and began our journey into the mountains. First was lunch at the hidden gem of Likkle Portie where we sought shelter during a downpour while our lunch of fresh yellowtail snapper and queen snapper was being prepared. The fish was served in two ways with several classic Jamaican side dishes, adding up to a veritable feast. We had just a few minutes to make one last birding stop before arriving at our hotel in the mountains, but that's all we needed to unearth a most obliging Crested Quail-Dove that perched right over our heads. To top off the day were the Red-billed Streamertails coming to the hotel feeders, bring the trip total to 26 endemic species, some still with better views desired.

Before breakfast at our hotel in the mountains we found yet another super cooperative Blue Mountain Vireo, finally got everyone on the charming Arrowhead Warbler, added Jamaican Elaenia, and had views of a skulky Ovenbird. Later in the morning, while trying to get views of a Rufous-throated Solitaire, we stumbled upon yet another Crested Quail-Dove, this one singing spontaneously from an exposed perched well below the road. In positioning ourselves to get better views of the dove, we eventually realized that a distant speck on the horizon was the Rufous-throated Solitaire that we had been hearing. Fun was sharing both of these birds with a passing Birdquest tour group that just happened by at the same time. After finding Jamaican Pewee, we now were on the search for Blue Mountain Elaenia. We spent some time on a side road where we ended up with fabulous views of Jamaican Tody, but no elaenia. Lunch was comparatively efficient, and we enjoyed an opportunistic female Black-faced Grassquit that fed at our feet and were surprised by a pair of Olive-throated Parakeets that had been feeding silently on the seeds of an African Tulip Tree in plain sight for probably well over a half hour before any of us noticed them. It was a long slog through the congestion of Kingston, but the timing couldn't have been better for our arrival at dusk at Marshall's Pen, for when we had all exited the vans and were about to get our luggage, a magnificent Northern Potoo flew over to forage for the night.

It was delightful to spend a morning getting more fully acquainted with Jamaican birds at Marshall's Pen. We finally all got great views of Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoo, had a more cooperative Chestnut-bellied Cuckoo, and were treated to day roosts of three Jamaican Owls and the Northern Potoo that Veda found. A big surprise, and nailing the final endemic for the island, was a Blue Mountain Elaenia above the driveway in view of the main house just before lunch. The afternoon involved a drive to some wetlands where West Indian Whistling-Ducks had been reported. We felt lucky to have seen the one that flew in after our first check had revealed none, and it was good to add several other water birds, such as Solitary Sandpiper, Common Gallinule, and several species of herons and some very close fly-bys of White-collared Swifts.

Skipping another morning of birding at Marshall's Pen, we instead made a beeline for the Portland Cottage area for its localized specialties. We first found our main target, the endemic subspecies of Bahama Mockingbird well before the usual spots, right on the road in front of the vans. We then had a pair of Mangrove Cuckoos, the first one flying in front of and landing right next to the van. Breaking for a snack in the acacia and mesquite woodland, we walked up to a Stolid Flycatcher. We then made quick work out of a bold Clapper Rail, which gave us time to make a detour to Old Harbour to follow up on the Birdquest tour's report of Masked Duck. The elusive ducks were there, along with Black-crowned Night-Heron and Northern Jacanas. The afternoon was consumed by a steady rain, and some stalwarts ventured out to look for Grasshopper Sparrow, instead finding Palm Warbler and Loggerhead Kingbirds.

The final early morning of birding at Marshall's Pen resulted in more Jamaican Vireos than we had seen all week, some very confiding Sad Flycatchers, and a nice mix of migrants such as Cape May Warbler and Prairie Warbler, as well as a territorial Vervain Hummingbird. After breakfast, as Ann was finishing up with a tour of the great house, the Blue Mountain Elaenia reappeared, and everyone was able to get on it at last. We made a quick check of the Northern Potoo that Veda found on yet another perch, found two Jamaican Owls on their roosts, and had great views of Orangequits at their namesake favorite food. After breaking up the long drive by dropping off Veda in her hurricane ravaged town, we then had a nice hour at Rocklands Bird Sanctuary, where Red-billed Streamertails (and one Jamaican Mango) fed from our hands, Jamaican Woodpeckers came in for fruit, and a very vocal Jamaican Oriole perched at close range. The Montego Bay sewage ponds were supposed to be our final birding stop, and they were great for Black-necked Stilt and a rare West Indian Whistling-Duck, but not far from the hotel a bit of slow traffic allowed us to pull off onto the sidewalk for an emergency – a Lesser Black-backed Gull was loafing with some Laughing Gulls. There are only a handful of records for the country, and it was a new Jamaica bird for everyone present.

-Rich Hoyer

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