Montego Bay: Rocklands Bird Sanctuary Tour with Pickup

4.21

(14 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I noticed pulling up to the Rocklands Bird Sanctuary was how quiet it felt — just this old house tucked into the green hills above Montego Bay, sunlight flickering through the trees. Our driver from town (he’d grown up nearby) pointed out the little road winding up from Anchovy, and I remember thinking it looked more like someone’s backyard than a “sanctuary.” But then you hear all these bird calls, sharp and soft at once, and you realize you’re surrounded.

We met our guide, Miss Hope — she’s lived here for years and knows every bird by its call. She handed me a tiny bottle of sugar water and told me to hold still. I tried not to laugh when a red-billed streamertail (they call them Doctorbirds here) zipped right up and landed on my finger. Its feet were so light I barely felt them, but my heart was pounding. The hummingbird’s wings made this low whirring sound — almost like a tiny engine — and for a second everything else faded out. I didn’t expect to feel nervous feeding birds, but there it was.

Afterwards we wandered the garden with Miss Hope, who pointed out Jamaican mangoes growing wild and some herbs she uses for tea (“good for your nerves,” she said). The air smelled faintly sweet — maybe from the flowers or just the heat settling in. We saw bullfinches hopping around under the trees and a couple of shy doves watching us from the fence line. There wasn’t any rush; people chatted softly or just listened to the birds. It’s funny how quickly you forget about your phone out here.

I still think about that moment with the hummingbird — how something so quick can make you stand perfectly still. If you’re looking for a day trip from Montego Bay that feels gentle but kind of magical too, this is it.