Montserrat
Montserrat is a small volcanic island in the Leeward Islands, dominated by steep forested hills and the still-active Soufrière Hills Volcano. The 1990s eruptions buried the former capital, Plymouth, and transformed much of the south of the island, creating a striking landscape of volcanic slopes, ash-covered valleys and recovering vegetation. The relatively intact Centre Hills in the north contain the island's largest remaining block of native forest, ranging from lower dry forest through evergreen rainforest to elfin woodland at higher elevations. The contrast between these recovering volcanic landscapes and lush northern forests is one of Montserrat's defining characteristics. The island is sparsely populated and relatively undeveloped compared with many Caribbean destinations. Montserrat can be reached by a short flight from Antigua or by ferry, although the latter takes around 90 minutes.
Overview
Montserrat's standout bird is the critically endangered Montserrat Oriole, found only on the island and particularly associated with the Centre Hills. The forest also supports Forest Thrush, Brown Trembler, Bridled Quail-Dove, Green-throated Carib and Purple-throated Carib, making the Centre Hills one of the most interesting birding areas in the eastern Caribbean. The Oriole Walkway is the best-known trail for the national bird, and local guides significantly improve the chances of finding this elusive species in dense forest. Montserrat has a small but genuine birding-tourism infrastructure, including specialist guides and a dedicated birding guidebook. The terrain can be steep and muddy, particularly after rain. For birders, Montserrat is primarily a destination for restricted-range forest species and the endemic oriole, rather than a high-diversity Caribbean stop.
Top 10 target species
| Species | Annual frequency | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bananaquit Coereba flaveola | 64.9% | 69.5% | 79.5% | 81.8% | 72.4% | 69.6% | 71.6% | 61.7% | 46.8% | 52.9% | 51.1% | 65.8% | 56.2% |
| Pearly-eyed Thrasher Margarops fuscatus | 60.2% | 55.1% | 51.7% | 61.7% | 58.1% | 67.6% | 80.0% | 67.5% | 65.1% | 56.5% | 49.9% | 58.0% | 50.7% |
| Zenaida Dove Zenaida aurita | 53.5% | 38.5% | 54.0% | 52.8% | 59.2% | 78.2% | 76.6% | 49.4% | 60.0% | 52.3% | 45.8% | 41.3% | 33.7% |
| Antillean Crested Hummingbird Orthorhyncus cristatus | 44.2% | 52.2% | 50.9% | 45.9% | 45.6% | 39.2% | 45.1% | 34.8% | 48.5% | 44.4% | 35.8% | 50.0% | 37.7% |
| Scaly-naped Pigeon Patagioenas squamosa | 41.8% | 29.3% | 27.8% | 29.3% | 33.9% | 60.9% | 74.7% | 59.2% | 50.7% | 50.0% | 35.3% | 30.4% | 20.3% |
| Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis | 37.0% | 37.3% | 42.5% | 25.6% | 28.6% | 37.0% | 39.0% | 25.4% | 31.1% | 44.2% | 49.8% | 42.1% | 41.1% |
| Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens | 36.9% | 30.4% | 34.7% | 28.8% | 28.1% | 32.4% | 49.0% | 31.1% | 35.9% | 49.2% | 48.8% | 40.4% | 34.4% |
| Gray Kingbird Tyrannus dominicensis | 32.2% | 36.2% | 41.9% | 34.9% | 28.4% | 42.4% | 44.0% | 16.3% | 22.2% | 31.2% | 30.0% | 35.2% | 24.3% |
| American Kestrel Falco sparverius | 29.5% | 26.9% | 38.5% | 33.7% | 33.6% | 32.3% | 29.6% | 13.6% | 24.9% | 31.2% | 32.8% | 31.7% | 25.0% |
| Scaly-breasted Thrasher Allenia fusca | 26.6% | 34.3% | 21.3% | 33.0% | 29.0% | 24.3% | 37.2% | 29.3% | 24.0% | 20.4% | 18.2% | 24.6% | 23.7% |