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close| Location | Bahamas, Andros |
| Central coordinates | 78o 7.00' West 25o 16.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A1, A4i |
| Area | 16,000 ha |
| Altitude | |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2012 |
Site description The Joulter Cays (25o 16.00 North 78o 7.00 West) lie on the margins of the Grand Bahama Bank north of Andros Island. It is a large intertidal to shallow subtidal area of stabilized sand flats that covers approximately 160 km2 (16,000 ha). The sand flats are penetrated partly by tidal channels with grass beds. The flats area fringed on the windward eastern and northeastern boarders by mobile sands creating roosting habitats for shorebirds. On the seaward side there is a ridge of vegetated islands up to 6 m above mean sea level. The primary vegetation on the Joulter Cays is Red and Black Mangrove. Other vegetated islands are scattered among the sand flats. The sand bars are primarily made up of Ooid or Oolite sand. This unique spherical grained sand resembling Fish-roe is developed through a chemical process adding concentric layers around a central nucleus. The sands have a large surface area that promotes bacterial growth and are mainly used in the aquarium industry.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piping Plover Charadrius melodus | winter | 2012 | min 326 individuals | medium | A1, A4i | Near Threatened |
| Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus | winter | 2012 | min 2,339 individuals | medium | A4i | Least Concern |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joulter Cays | Wild Bird Reserve | 117 | protected area contained by site | 117 |
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Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| nature conservation and research | minor |
| tourism/recreation | major |
| Notes: Bonefishing | |
Other biodiversity Bonefish, Lemon Shark, Green Sea Turtle, Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Sawfish
Management considerations Sea level rise , sSand mining (area thought to be under concession) and invasive plants.
Protection status Not currently protected. The Joulter Cays are named under the 1968 Wild Bird Act as a Wild Bird reserve. The Act stipulates that it is illegal to harm, kill or capture or attempt to harm, kill or capture ANY wild birds in these areas at any time. While the legislation does not protect the habitats directly it does provide the platform for future protections.
Conservation response Piping Plover Iinternational Census 2011 - National Audubon Society, and Environment Canada. Follow up survey in 2012 by National Audubon Society. 2011 - Primary focus of this 1 day survey effort was Piping Plover as part of the International Plover Census. 5 people one day with low tides. 2012 - Shorebird Survey of the Joulter Cays - 4 day expedition counting all shorebirds, Waterbirds and other notable species. Good Tides.
Acknowledgements Compilers: Matt Jeffery, Walker Golder - National Audubon Society
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Joulter Cays . Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 19/06/2013
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
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