Sites - Important Bird Areas (IBAs)

Ornithological information During April to August each year these isolated cays become home to many species of nesting seabirds.The eastern cliffs of Shroud Cay hosts a large colony of White-tailed Tropicbirds and Clapper rails and Yellow Warblers nest in the mangrove wetlands. The largest known colony of nesting Audubon's Shearwaters in the Exumas is found on Long Rock (also called Long Cay). These birds are nocturnal, they only come ashore as night. The birding highlight on Warderick Wells is the colony of White-tailed Tropicbirds nesting in the seaward cliffs at the north end of the island. Least Terns and Wilson's Plovers also nest here. Other resident birds you are likely to see in the ECLSP are; Bahama Mockingbird, Common Ground Dove, Zenaida Dove, Thick-billed Vireo, Black-faced Grassquit, Bananaquit, Barn Owl,White-cheek Pintail, Black-necked Stilts, Killdeer and Osprey. Gray Kingbirds and Antillean Nighthawks are common summer residents.

Site description The Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park is the first of its kind in the world. It covers 176 square miles beginning at Wax Cay Cut in the north and stretching some 22 miles southward to Conch Cut and extending out approximately four nautical miles on either side of the cays. It is a no-take zone by both land and sea - nothing living or dead, can be removed from the park. The headquarters building and visitors centre is located on Warderick Wells and several moorings sites are situated throughout the park.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Protected areas

Protected area	Designation	Area (ha)	Relationship with IBA	Overlap with IBA (ha)
Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park	National Park	45,584	protected area contained by site	45,584

Habitats

Land use

Other biodiversity Hutias have been introduced on Warderick Wells, in 1996 this rodent population was estimated to be about 25,000. They are nocturnal and not usually seen during the day, so you would have to go ashore after dark to look for them.

Management considerations Considerable tourist activity by private yachts create habitat destruction and disturbance of the birds especially in the nesting season. Predation of nests and adult birds by rats, Barn Owls and other introduced predators.

Further web sources of information 

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

References White, A.W. 1998b. A Birder's Guide to the Bahama Islands (Including Turks and Caicos). American Birding Association. Colorado Springs, CO. 302pp.

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 19/06/2013

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