Rocklands Bird Sanctuary is located about 30 minutes from Montego Bay in the little town called Anchovy. The sanctuary is located down a narrow, rough road but a great haven for birds. 

The Rocklands property was purchased back in 1954 by Lisa Salmon also known as “the bird lady”. She loved to write, pain and feed birds. After awhile the property started to attract many wide varieties. Then in 1962 Miss Salmon opened the Rocklands Bird Sanctuary to the public.

Miss Salmon died in 2000 at the age of 96 but her legacy lives on. Rocklands is now run by Lisa’s nephew and managed by Fritz. Fritz has been working at Rocklands for over 15 years and has a gift for spotting and beckoning the birds which dwell in the surrounding trees.

For most people the highlight of a visit to Rocklands is the chance to hand feed humming birds from the patio. Several species of hummingbird (including the doctor bird, Jamaica’s national bird) are tame enough to fly down from the trees, perch on your finger and drink nectar from a bird feeder.

Finches and quits will also come to eat millet seed from your hand. You can also taked a tour around the grounds where your knowledgeable guide, Fritz, will point out many species of bird and plant life.

It is believed that there are over 200 species of birds in Jamaica and many of them can be seen at the Rocklands Bird Feeding Sanctuary.

Ornithologists have reported seeing the following species:

Red Billed Streamer-tail Hummingbird (aka Doctor Bird)

Jamaican Mango
Vervain Hummingbird
Bee Hummingbird
Black-faced Grassquit
Yellow-faced Grassquit
Orangequit
Banaquit
Grassquit
Yellow-shouldered Grassquit
Greater Antillean Bullfinch

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Jamaican Woodpecker

White-chinned Thrush

Northern Parula

American Redstart
Rufous-tailed Flycatcher
Jamaican Tody
Jamaican Euphonia
Jamaican Vireo
Loggerhead Kingbird
Jamaican Orioles
Shiny Cowbird
Saffron Finch
Nightingale
Oriole
White-winged Dove
Northern Potoos
White-crowned Pigeon
Ruddy Quail-Dove
Jamaican Parakeet
Green-rumped Parrotlet
Jamaican Woodpecker
Rufous-tailed Flycatcher
Jamaican Crow
Jamaican Vireo
Jamaican Euphonia
Greater Antillean Bullfinch
Jamaican Elaenia
Arrow-headed Warbler
Becard

To schedule a trip to Rocklands Bird Sanctuary, just click here to contact us.

A great tour is to pair this with rafting on the Martha Brae River, Mountain Valley Rafting, or a tour of Rose Hall.