Data Zone
Country/territory: Bahamas
IBA criteria met: A4i, B4i, B4ii (2007)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 41,165 hectares (411.65 km2)
Site description (2006 baseline)
North Atlantic Abaco Cays covers the range from Walker's Cay southwards to Scotland Cay, excluding Great Guana Cay, Manjack Cay, Powell Cay and Spanish Cay.
Gilliam Bay is located at the southeast point of Green Turtle Cay. There are extensive sand flats at low tide.
Key biodiversity
This site is a premier seabird nesting area. Most of them have to be birded from a boat. Bridled, Sooty, Roseate and Least Terns, Audubon's Shearwaters, White-tailed Tropicbirds, Magnificant Frigatebirds, Brown Boobies, Brown Noddies and many other species nest on these isolated rocks and cays each year.
Gilliam Bay encompasses a large area of tidal sand/mud flats which is home to many species of resident and migrating shorebirds. It is suggested, if possible to bird this area by boat to avoid flushing the birds.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: North Atlantic Abaco Cays (Bahamas). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/north-atlantic-abaco-cays-iba-bahamas on 23/12/2024.