Anguilla

Mangrove Cuckoo Coccyzus minor ©Birding Ecotours Website
Birding Anguilla

Anguilla is a British overseas territory in the Caribbean, one of the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles. It consists of the main island of Anguilla itself, approximately 26 km (16 miles) long by 5 km (3 miles) wide at its widest point, together with a number of much smaller islands and cays with no permanent population. The island’s capital is The Valley. The total land area of the territory is 102 km² (39.4 square miles), with a population of approximately 13,500 (2006 estimate).

Anguilla is a flat, low-lying island of coral and limestone in the Caribbean Sea, east of Puerto Rico. The soil is generally thin and poor, supporting only scrub vegetation. Anguilla is noted for its spectacular and ecologically important coral reefs. Apart from the main island of Anguilla itself, the territory includes a number of other smaller islands and cays, mostly tiny and uninhabited.Anguilla has a tropical though rather dry climate, moderated by northeast trade winds. Temperatures vary little throughout the year. Average daily maxima range from about 27 °C (80 °F) in December to 30 °C (86 °F) in July. Rainfall is erratic, averaging about 90 cm (35 in) per year, the wettest months being September and October, and the driest February and March. Anguilla is vulnerable to hurricanes from June to November, peak season August to mid-October.

IBAs – Anguilla has fourteen Important Bird Areas (IBAs) that cover 53km2 (including marine areas) which represent about 8% of the islands’ land area. They have been identified on the basis of 17 key bird species, including five restricted range species (Caribbean Elaenia, Green-throated Carib, Antillean Crested Hummingbird, Lesser Antillean Bullfinch, and Pearly-eyed Thrasher) and 13 seabirds. Unfortunately, almost all of Anguilla’s IBAs are on private land and very few are protected. All face varying degrees of pressure from encroaching, inappropriate development or threat thereof. The Anguilla National Trust is exploring options of how it can work to protect these internationally significant sites.

Contributors
Number of Species
  • Number of bird species: 173

    (As at September 2018)

    National Bird: Zenaida Dove Zenaida aurita

Checklist

  • iGoTerra Checklist

    iGoTerra Checklist
    Fatbirder Associate iGoTerra offers the most comprehensive and up to date birds lists on the web
Useful Reading

  • Fieldguides

    For further fieldguides covering the area, refer to useful reading on the general regional page HERE ISBN: Buy this book from NHBS.com
  • The Birds of the West Indies

    By Herbert Raffaele, James Wiley, Orlando Garrido, Allan Keith & Janis Raffaele | Christopher Helm | 2003 Paperback | 216 pages, 92 colour plates, 181 colour distribution maps | ISBN: 9780713654196 Buy this book from NHBS.com
Organisations
  • Anguilla National Trust

    Website
    The Anguilla National Trust (ANT) was established in 1993 to act as custodian of Anguilla's heritage, preserving and promoting the island's natural environment and its archaeological, historical and cultural resources for present and future generations.
Reserves

Abbreviations Key

  • IBA Sombrero Island

    InformationSatellite View
    Sombrero has been identified as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International because of its breeding seabirds.[13] The island has also been designated as a protected Ramsar site since 2018. It supports internationally important numbers of:Masked boobies (Sula dactylatra), Brown boobies (Sula leucogaster), Bridled terns (Sterna anaethetus), Brown noddies (Anous stolidus) and Sooty terns (Onychoprion fuscata)
Trip Reports


Click on WAND to see Fatbirder’s Trip Report Repository…

  • 2000 [02 February] - Julian Hughes

    Report
    This report is the result of a one month trip to Anguilla in January and February 2000. The purpose of the visit was to identify potential Important Bird Areas (IBAs) as part of BirdLife International`s Americas conservation programme and to produce the first country checklist for Anguilla, on behalf of the Anguilla National Trust…
  • 2005 [02 March] - Tim Male

    Report
    This is a brief summary of a one week trip to Anguilla between March 12 to 19, 2005. We were also in Anguilla between February 14 and 19, 2004 and observations from 2004 are noted. /Features/anguil2.html . Totals reported are for the highest total count on any visit…
Places to Stay


Click on WAND to see Fatbirder’s Trip Report Repository…

  • Anguilla Hotel Guide

    Accommodation
    Anguilla has a wide range of hotels, resorts and guest houses, from five-star legends like Cap Juluca to charming local inns like Lloyd`s. And many vacation villas too. This service of the Anguilla Local News groups accommodations by price, based on the lowest double rate in the high season. Hotels also have specials and greatly reduced rates in the low season (April 15 to Dec 14); and prices do change over time. Be sure to visit the hotel`s web site and inquire about exact pricing.
Other Links
  • A Field Guide to Anguilla's Wetland

    Webpage
    A new book was published on June 5, 1998, with information about Anguilla's ponds. This is a field guide, so there are maps, pictures of the bird species you may see, botanical notes of the flora, directions to find the many ponds, and room for you to make Field Notes and record your bird sightings…
  • Birding on Anguilla

    Article
    This report is the result of a one month trip to Anguilla in January and February 2000. The purpose of the visit was to identify potential Important Bird Areas (IBAs) as part of BirdLife International`s Americas conservation programme and to produce the first country checklist for Anguilla, on behalf of the Anguilla National Trust.

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