Culebra Island: BIRDWATCHING

The Culebra National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1909 as a wildlife preserve subject to naval and lighthouse uses. By 1976, primary jurisdiction for the outlying islands was transferred to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. With the addition of land on the main island of Culebra in the 1980's, the refuge currently totals approximately l,568 acres.

The refuge's diverse wildlife habitats include subtropical dry forest, mangrove forest, and numerous small islands. The refuge supports a variety of breeding seabirds including Laughing Gulls, Bridled Terns, Brown Noddies, Roseate Terns, White-tailed, and Red-billed Tropicbirds and three species of Boobies. More than 50,000 seabirds find their way to this tiny dot in the ocean every year to breed and nurture their young. The largest colony, numbering over 15,000 birds, is the Sooty Tern colony located on Flamenco Peninsula. The majority of the species nesting in the area are migratory and are present only from May to September. However, others breed throughout the year.
*The bird illustrations were drawn by ELM from FWS. In their order of appearance in this page they represent the brown booby, the sooty tern, and the white-tailed tropicbird

The Bird Checklist: The following list, as prepared by the FWS, is arranged in the order established by the American Ornithological Union. Symbols in this checklist represent the following:
 
 

 SEASONAL APPEARANCE

SP     Spring- March-May
S       Summer- June-August
F       Fall- September-November
W      Winter- December-February
 
 

 SEASONAL ABUNDANCE

a     Abundant ( A common species which is very numeous)
c     Common (Certain to be seen in a suitable habitat)
u     Uncommon (Present but not certain to be seen)
o     Occasional (Seen only a few times during the season)
r     Rare (Seen at intervals of 2 to 5 yrs.)
x     Accidental (Seen only once or twice)
z     Abundance unknown 
 
 

STATUS
.Endemic       E- Endangered       * Exotic         N- Nesting

The illustrations on this page were taken from Fish and Wildlife Service' Caribbean Islands National Wildlife Refuge, August, 1997.
 
 

 
Ethics for Birdwatching

Take care not to disturb nesting birds, exposing eggs and young to extreme temperatures and predation.
Disturb wintering wildlife as little as possible, particularly during critical feeding and resting periods. They need all of their energy reserves to withstand the stresses of harsh weather and migration.
 
 

 
 

Do not litter.Many birds die when they become entangled in fishing lines, 6-pack rings and other trash, or when they mistake garbage for food, This checklist is based on observations by refuge personnel and visiting ornithologists. If you should find an unlisted species, please let the Fish and Wildlife personnel know at the Culebra Refuge Headquarters. They will appreciate your updating their records.
For additioanl information, contact:

Culebra National Wildlife Refuge Manager
P.O. Box 190
Culebra, Puerto Rico 00775
Tel./Fax: 787-742-0115