• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

Site description (2007 baseline)
The site is located on the southeastern coast of St. Thomas and includes several mangrove cays (Bovoni Cay, Patricia Cay, Cas Cay) and lagoons (bays) around them. There is a protected cove on the northwestern side of Saba with a small sandy beach. Behind the beach is a relative open, flat area adjacent to the west pond. A nature trail was developed some years ago but has mostly grown over. A bird observation blind is located near the pond shore and overlooks the pond and vicinity. Offshore of both Saba and Flat Cay are modest sized coral reefs. The islands are publicly owned by the territorial government of the U.S. Virgin Islands and legally protected against terrestrial visitors during the seabird nesting season (April - October). Saba Island is vegetated by scrub-thorny brush and introduced guinea grass on the north facing slopes.

Key biodiversity
Observed in summer 2006: Brown Pelican, Magnificent Frigatebird, Little Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Great Egret, Green Heron, Laughing Gull, Scaly-napped Pigeon, White Crowned Pigeon, Zenaida Dove, Common Ground-Dove, Green-throated Carib, Gray Kingbird, Yellow Warbler, Bananaquit, Lesser Antillean Bullfinch.

Non-bird biodiversity: Marine sponges, sting rays, small schools of fish, and an occasional barracuda or shark occupy the surrounding waters. There is a small cove at one outlet (“false outlet”) of the lagoon that has a good diversity of littoral sea life.

Acknowledgements
Jim Corven

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Mangrove Lagoon (Virgin Islands (to USA)). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/mangrove-lagoon-iba-virgin-islands-(to-usa) on 23/12/2024.