My local take
Rocklands is one of the most Jamaican small attractions there is. Lisa Salmon, remembered as “the Bird Lady”, built a cottage here in the hills near Anchovy in 1953 and spent years winning the trust of the wild birds around her garden until the hummingbirds came to her hand. Her family still runs it: the sanctuary says it is now owned by her nephew Conley Salmon and his wife Julie, and its senior host and bird guide, Fritz Beckford, has been there more than 20 years. There are no cages. You sit on a covered patio, hold out a feeder, and wild hummingbirds come to you, sometimes including the streamertail, the doctor bird, our national bird.
The patios are open and the birds feed as usual, but the walking trails haven’t reopened since the 2025 hurricane. My take: go. It is a quiet, one-hour visit, not a theme park, and your entry fee goes to a small family business. It suits patient people, birders and children old enough to sit still. If you want a full day out, pair it with something else.
Other guides nearby: Rose Hall Great House, east of Montego Bay, and bamboo rafting on the Martha Brae River. For the wider area, see our Montego Bay guide.
How to get there
Rocklands is on Rocklands Road in Wiltshire, in the hills above Reading and Anchovy, south-west of Montego Bay. From downtown Montego Bay, allow roughly 20 to 30 minutes by car: head out toward Reading, then climb into the hills. The last stretch is a steep, narrow country road, so take it slowly.
From the Rose Hall hotels east of town, add another 20 to 30 minutes to cross Montego Bay. From Negril, plan on roughly an hour and a half each way.
Without a car: There is no simple route taxi to the gate. Book a licensed taxi from Montego Bay and agree the waiting time and fare first, or take a Montego Bay tour that includes transport.
What to expect
A visit is about an hour. You sit on the covered patios while the host explains the birds, then you’re given a feeder of sugar water to hold. The hummingbirds are wild and free-flying, and the tamest species come right to a handheld bottle. You may also see other Jamaican birds that come to the feeders, such as orioles, bananaquits and bullfinches.
The sanctuary sells timed one-hour visits online, every day, with start times from 10 am to 4 pm, at US$30 for adults 13 and up and US$10 for children 6 to 12. Walk-ins are welcome but pay cash on site, because there’s no internet service at the sanctuary for now.
The sanctuary notes that the numbers and species of birds change with the season and with what is flowering in the wild.
Local tips
Bring US dollars in cash if you’re walking in, or book online if you’d rather pay by card.
Book a time slot ahead if you’re coming by taxi or tour, so you aren’t waiting on the patio for the next group.
Sit still and keep your hand steady. The birds come faster to calm, quiet guests, so brief children before you arrive.
Bring insect repellent and a light layer. It is a hillside garden, and the air is cooler up there than on the coast.
A phone camera works, but a camera with a fast shutter does better: hummingbirds don’t sit for portraits.
Before you go
- The road up is not a place to try your first drive on Jamaican hill roads in the dark.
- Online bookings are for ages 6 and up. Very young children may struggle to sit still for an hour.
- Older guides, including the old version of this page, say to go between 6 and 9 am and quote a lower price. The sanctuary now opens at 10 am, so use its current times and prices.
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Questions people ask
Is Rocklands Bird Sanctuary open?
Yes. The patios are open, the birds are feeding as usual, and the sanctuary sells daily time slots online. The walking trails are still closed, and walk-ins pay cash only.
How much does Rocklands Bird Sanctuary cost?
The sanctuary’s online booking lists US$30 for adults 13 and up and US$10 for children 6 to 12, for a one-hour visit. Prices can change, so check before you go.
Can you feed hummingbirds by hand in Jamaica?
Yes, at Rocklands. Visitors hold a feeder of sugar water and wild hummingbirds come to it. The birds are not caged.
How far is Rocklands Bird Sanctuary from Montego Bay?
It is in the hills near Anchovy, roughly 20 to 30 minutes by car from downtown Montego Bay. The last part of the road is steep and narrow.
What time does Rocklands Bird Sanctuary open?
The sanctuary lists daily hours of 10 am to 5 pm, with one-hour visits bookable from 10 am to 4 pm.
Sources & updates
- Rocklands Bird Sanctuary: official site (address, hours, hurricane status, cash only) · checked
- Rocklands Bird Sanctuary: Our Story (history, owners, guide) · checked
- Rocklands Bird Sanctuary: online booking (time slots, ages, prices) · checked
- BirdsCaribbean: Help Rebuild Rocklands Bird Sanctuary (hurricane damage) · checked
- BirdForum Opus: Rocklands Bird Sanctuary (species at the feeders) · checked
Update log
- — Rewritten as a researched guide; facts re-checked. Post-hurricane status, current hours and prices added; old early-morning hours and price removed.
- — Removed repeated advice
- — Trimmed hurricane references to where they change the advice
Spotted something out of date? Tell me and I’ll check it.