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close| Location | Bahamas, Inagua |
| Central coordinates | 73o 21.03' West 21o 4.77' North |
| IBA criteria | A1, A4i, A4iii, B4i |
| Area | 178,139 ha |
| Altitude | 0 - 5m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2007 |
Ornithological information This IBA has the largest known concentration of Greater Flamingo in The Bahamas estimated to be in excess of 50,000 birds. Also, home to a race of the Bahama Parrot. There is also a wide variety and large numbers of shorebirds, herons, egrets and waterfowl. Many species of land birds, resident and migratory have been recorded in and around the Inagua National Park.
Site description Lake Rosa is a permanent shallow brackish lake, up to 1.5m deep with small islands scattered through out and a fringe of brackish marshes, there are dense mangrove swamps on the northern and eastern borders and the lake is surrounded by a broad belt of open scrub with seasonal marshes. This is a RAMSAR site.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Indian Whistling-duck Dendrocygna arborea | resident | 2005 | - | poor | A1, A4i | Vulnerable |
| American Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber | resident | 1965-1985 | abundant individuals | good | A4i | Least Concern |
| Reddish Egret Egretta rufescens | resident | 2005 | - | poor | A4i | Near Threatened |
| Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis | resident | 2005 | - | poor | B4i | Least Concern |
| Laughing Gull Larus atricilla | resident | 2005 | - | poor | B4i | Least Concern |
| Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica | resident | 2005 | - | poor | B4i | Least Concern |
| Royal Tern Sterna maxima | winter | 2005 | - | poor | B4i | Least Concern |
| Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis | winter | 2005 | - | poor | B4i | Least Concern |
| Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii | resident | 2005 | - | poor | A4i | Least Concern |
| Common Tern Sterna hirundo | resident | 2005 | - | poor | A4i | Least Concern |
| White-crowned Pigeon Patagioenas leucocephala | breeding | 2005 | - | poor | A1 | Near Threatened |
| Cuban Amazon Amazona leucocephala | breeding | 2005 | - | poor | A1 | Near Threatened |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | resident | 1965-1985 | - | good | A4iii |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inagua | National Park | 74,333 | protected area contained by site | 74,333 |
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Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands (inland) | Intertidal mud, sand or salt flats; Salt/brackish marshes; Water fringe vegetation | - |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| agriculture | - |
| tourism/recreation | - |
| urban/industrial/transport | - |
Other biodiversity The endemic Inagua Freshwater Turtle - (Chrysemys malonei)
Management considerations Wild Pigs, (Sus scrofa) and Donkeys, (Equus asinus) constitute a threat to the natural vegetation and nest trampling. Unauthorized hunting can cause trauma, injury and death to the birds and also cause nest abandonment.
Protection status Other wetlands in the INP include:Union Creek - a saline lagoon with opening to the sea with extensive salt marshes and scattered mangroves. Palacca Point - stretching southward is a permanent brackish marsh with many scattered pools and some mangroves. Point Lakes - a permanent brackish marsh with dense mangrove swamps is located northwest of southeast point.
Further web sources of information
References White, A.W. 1998b. A Birder's Guide to the Bahama Islands (Including Turks and Caicos). American Birding Association. Colorado Springs, CO. 302pp. Bainton, Aileen M. and Anthony W. White. 2006. A Bibliography of Birds, Ornitogy and Birding in The Bahamas and Turks & Caicos Islands. Media Enterprises Ltd. Nassau, Bahamas. 96pp.
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Great Inagua. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 24/05/2013
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