Sites - Important Bird Areas (IBAs)

Ornithological information This cay is reported to be a nesting site for Bridled Terns.

Site description Peterson Cay is a National Park and is managed by The Bahamas National Trust and is located one and one-quarter miles east of the southern entrance to the Grand Lucayan Waterway. This windswept and sparsely vegetated limestone island is the only cay on the leeward side of Grand Bahama.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Protected areas

Protected area	Designation	Area (ha)	Relationship with IBA	Overlap with IBA (ha)
Peterson Cay	National Park	1	protected area contained by site	1

Habitats

Land use

Other biodiversity Shallow bars and coral reefs especially on the west side has created a small but uniquely beautiful range of coral gardens where fish, marine plants and animal life may be closely observed by snorkelers and divers.

Management considerations Development will cause destruction of habitat and disturbance of the birds. Uncontrolled tourism will introduce predators such as rats and domestic pets.

Further web sources of information 

Site profile from Important Bird Areas in the Caribbean: key sites for conservation (BirdLife International 2008)

References 2001. Yachtman's Guide to The Bahamas includes Turks and Caicos.

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Peterson Cay National Park. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 22/05/2013

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