Data Zone
Country/territory: Sint Maarten (to Netherlands)
IBA criteria met: A4i, B4i (2007)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 328 hectares (3.28 km2)
Site description (2006 baseline)
Pelican Rock is a small rocky islet about 3 acres in size located approximately one mile southeast of St. Maarten.
Key biodiversity
Audubon’s Shearwater Puffinus lherminieri is suspected of breeding at Pelican Rock in unknown numbers due to the presence of fledglings in March and May (Voous and Koelers 1967) although none were seen in June 2004 (EPIC, unpublished data). Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis breeds annually, with a maximum record of thirty-five nests (Voous 1983). One hundred breeding pairs of Laughing Gulls Larus atricilla were estimated in 2004. Royal Tern Sterna maxima observations included 47 nests with eggs and 90 individuals. Bridled Tern Sterna anaethetus eggs were found and 15 nests estimated based on the number of adults calling (EPIC, unpublished data). Brown Noddy Anous stolidus reported as breeding in unknown numbers by Voous and Hoogerwerf in 1970s and 80s but none observed in 2004 by EPIC (unpublished data).
Non-bird biodiversity: Not applicable.
Acknowledgements
St. Maarten Nature Foundation
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Pelikan Rock, Sint Maarten (Sint Maarten (to Netherlands)). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/pelikan-rock-sint-maarten-iba-sint-maarten-(to-netherlands) on 27/12/2024.