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Site description (2006 baseline):

Area of forest, between the settlements of Lorimers & Bambarra, at various stages of recovery after clearance in the Plantation period, from scrub to higher forest and including various types of permanent and temporary wetlands. The site is adjacent and ecologically linked to TC003.

Important throughout the year for the globally threatened West Indian Whistling Duck and Kirtland's Warbler in the non-breeding season. This area supports the most consistently recorded breeding and the largest and most consistently recorded roost for the Duck and the most sightings of the Warbler in TCI.The area is important too for restricted-range species: Bahama Woodstar; Bahama Mockingbird; and, Thick-billed Vireo an endemic subspecies; for which it is probably the most important area. Other biome-restricted species include: Antillean Nighthawk; Greater Antillean Bullfinch an endemic subspecies; and, the Cuban Crow, probably the most important area in the country for the last two.

Non-bird biodiversity: Important habitat for certain bats, including Big-eared Bat Macrotus waterhousii, Buffy Flower Bat Erophylla sezekorni, Leach's Long-tongued Bat Monophyllus redmani, Cuban Fruit-eating Bat Brachyphylla nana and Red Bat Lasiurus borealis. One of the most important habitats for the following Turks & Caicos Islands endemic species of lizard: the gecko Aristelliger hechti (CR), Curly Tail Leiocephalus psammodromus, Caicos Islands Reef Gecko Sphaerodactylus caicosensis; and the one endemic species of snake: the Caicos Islands Trope Boa Tropidophis greenwayi. In addition there are further lizards that are endemic at the subspecific level: Turks & Caicos Bark Anole Anolis scriptus scriptus, Mabuya Skink (or slippery back or snake-doctor) Mabuya mabouya sloanei); and one snake: Bahaman Rainbow Boa Epicrates chrysogaster chrysogaster. The site is one of the areas in which re-establishment of woodland towards forest has moved furthest in places, so there is a good range of scrub and woodland types represented. Thus, there is a correspondingly wide range of invertebrate and plant species. It is an important area for plants still used for traditional purposes - this is important both for local people using these resources and for the potential interest to visitors; and additionally there are some important plantation ruins in the area.

The area needs Nature Reserve status. It is in the TCNT Biodiversity Management Plan. TCNT has applied to TCI Government to manage parts of the area. This great importance and interest is reflected in the fact that several of the field-roads re-opened by the Trust for development of interpretative trails run through these areas. Many parts of the area are in private ownership, and it is recommended that the Trust enter negotiations with appropriate owners to ensure awareness of the value of these areas, their conservation, and appropriate access for visitors. Some parts of the area are in Crown ownership. It is recommended that suitable parts of this important area be transferred to conservation ownership and management as soon as possible.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Middle Caicos Forest (Turks and Caicos Islands (to UK)). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/middle-caicos-forest-iba-turks-and-caicos-islands-(to-uk) on 22/11/2024.