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Vervain hummingbird

Birding Jamaican Style

Despite its sometimes roguish image Jamaica is beautiful, accessible and safe (yes safe!) for a birdwatching holiday, with a range of locations as inebriating as Jamaican rum.

Between the Blue Mountains and Port Antonio you can usually see almost all of the Jamaican endemics. Your comfortable base for your birdwatching holiday is Hotel Mocking Bird Hill in Port Antonio, on the northeast coast of Jamaica, itself a fine bird watching location.




You may find 265 different species of birds with over 20 endemic to Jamaica on a birdwatching vacation in Jamaica. Jamaica has 28 endemic birds more than any other Caribbean island - in fact Jamaica has the highest number of endemics for any island of its size - even more than neighbouring Cuba, an island 10 times larger.

Our bird names are intriguing: there are Sad Fly Catchers, “Doctorbirds” - because their long tails resemble the tailcoats once worn by medical men - Chestnut Bellied Cuckoos: the "Old Man Bird" and the smaller Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoo: "Old Woman Bird", Hopping Dicks, Auntie Katie, Big Tom Fool and the Duppy Bird to name a Few.

Many of the Jamaican endemics can be viewed on property at Hotel Mocking Bird Hill , which is particularly known as one of the best places to see the Black-billed Streamertail Hummingbird.

You will discover 40 different birds 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.

Local experts can be arranged to accompany you during you birdwatching vacation in Jamaica. The guides generally have to be booked prior to your arrival so please mention this request at the time of making your reservation. Average cost for a guide per day : US$ 125.00

Complete bird watching tours can be booked through Jamaica Explorations, Hotel Mocking Bird Hill's tour service.

List of Birds Sighted at Hotel Mockingbird Hill


Jamaican Endemics
Full Species
Comments
No. Bird Name Scientific name Endangered/ Rare
Blackbilled streamertail"What a wonderful place. In 2 days I was able to see all of the Jamaican
endemics but 2 (the Jamaican Pewee and the Red-billed Streamertail (which is not found in this area but was easily seen on the eastern part of the island.) 

Considering that this was November and none of the birds were
singing I considered this to be a feat. The birds that I did not see on the property were seen on the road to Ecklesdown. (The hotel arranged for a driver and birding guide for me.)

The Hotel is charming and relaxing and
the food is of gourmet quality. Flowering trees surrounding the pool were filled with hummingbirds and many of the endemics were spotted while relaxing with a cool drink. I strongly recommend this place."



1. Ring-tailed Pigeon Columba caribbaea Endangered
2. Jamaican Parakeet Aratinga nana
3. Chesnut-bellied Cuckoo Hyetinis pluvialis Rare
4. Jamaican Owl Pseudoscops grammicus
5. Jamaican Mango Anthracothorax mango
6. Black-billed Streamertail Trochilus scitulus Endangered
7. Jamaican Tody Todus todus
8. Jamaican Woodpecker Melanerpes radiolatus
9. Sad Flycatcher Mysiarchus barbirostris
10. Rufous-tailed Flycatcher Myiarchus validus Rare
11. Jamaican Becard Pachyrampus niger
12. Jamaican Crow Corvus jamaicensis
13. White-chinned Thrush Turdus aurantius
14. Jamaican Euphonia Euphonia jamaica
15. Jamaican Stripe-headed Tanager Spindalis nigricephalus
16. Orangequit Euneornis campestris
17. Jamaican Oriole Icterus leucopteryx








 

18. Jamaican Elenia




Subspecies
1. Northern Patoo Nyctibius (j.) jamaicensis
2. Bananaquit Coereba (f.) flaveola




Other Subspecies
1. Caribbean Dove Leptotila j. jamaicensis
2. Common Ground Dove Columbina passerina jamaicensis
3. Vervain Hummingbird Mellisuga m. minima
4. Loggerhead Kingbird Tyrannus caudifasciatus jamaicacensis
5. Greater Antillean Bullfinch Loxigilla violaceus ruficollis
6. Greater Antillean Grackle Quiscalus niger crassirotris

Other Species

  1. Northern Mockingbird
  2. Worm-eating Warbler
  3. Ovenbird
  4. Grey King Bird
  5. White Crowned Pigeeon
  6. Northern Parula Warbler
  7. American Redstart
  8. Black-throated Green Warbler
  9. Turkey Vulture
  10. Black-throated Blue Warbler
  11. Greenrumped Parrotlet
  12. Ruddy Quail Dove
  13. Prairie Warbler
  14. Cape May Warbler (migrant)
  15. Stolid Flycatcher
  16. Black and white Warbler (migrant)
  17. Blackpoll Warbler
  18. Mourning Warbler (migrant)

28 Endemics

1-Day Birding in Hotel Mocking Bird Hill's Gardens
US$125.00 PP incl.

Breakfast
Glass of juice or soft drink during the day
Lunch, light 2-course with entrée and dessert
Glass of wine
Access to the gardens and use of pool if desired during the day (for non HMH guests)

10-Day Jamaican Birding Celebration Tour

7 Day 28 Endemics Tour

Rates & Availability

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Adults         Children

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OR Package

Today's Weather:
75°F
Port Antonio, JM
Wed, 10 Mar 2010 5:00 am