Data Zone
Country/territory: Cuba
IBA criteria met: A1, A4i, B4i (2008)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 284,091 hectares (2,840.91 km2)
Site description (2008 baseline)
Cayería Centro-Oriental de Villa Clara IBA is located in the
Sabana-Camagüey Archipelago, and represents a group of cays
off the north coast of Villa Clara province. The IBA embraces
several cays including Cobos, Francés, Las Brujas, Ensenachos,
Fragoso, and Santa María. These are flat cays, with diverse
natural features including coastal evergreen forest, coastal scrub,
mangroves, coral reefs, and sandy beaches. The towns of
Caibarién, Camajuaní, and Encrucijada are close to but outside
of the IBA.
Key biodiversity
This IBA supports globally significant breeding colonies of
Laughing Gull Larus atricilla, Royal Tern Sterna maxima,
Sandwich Tern S. sandvicensis, Common Tern S. hirundo and
Least Tern S. antillarum. The area is a wintering site for the Near
Threatened Piping Plover Charadrius melodus and there are also
unconfirmed reports of Brown Noddy Anous stolidus breeding.
A wide diversity of waterbirds use this area including the
Vulnerable West Indian Whistling-duck Dendrocygna arborea.
Non-bird biodiversity: The Critically Endangered eared hutia Mesocapromys auritus is endemic to Cayo Fragoso. The lizard Anolis pigmaequestris is endemic to Cayo Francés. The most diverse coral reef of the Sabana-Camagüey Archipelago is within the IBA. Of the 248 plant species present, 29 are endemic.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Cayería Centro - Oriental de Villa Clara (Cuba). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/cayería-centro--oriental-de-villa-clara-iba-cuba on 22/12/2024.