Codrington Lagoon

Apr 24, 2026 - 08:52
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Codrington Lagoon

Frigatebird colony: added citations; revised some wording

← Previous revision Revision as of 03:20, 24 April 2026
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To the north of the lagoon is a [[magnificent frigatebird]] (''Fregata magnificens'') colony, on the tiny Man of War Island. The colony, known as the Frigate Bird Sanctuary, is one of the main [[ecotourism]] attractions in Barbuda. The colony is the largest in the Caribbean region, and is a [[Ramsar site]].{{cite web | url=https://www.ramsar.org/country-profile/antigua-and-barbuda | title=Antigua and Barbuda | the Convention on Wetlands, the Convention on Wetlands }}
To the north of the lagoon is a [[magnificent frigatebird]] (''Fregata magnificens'') colony, on the tiny Man of War Island. The colony, known as the Frigate Bird Sanctuary, is one of the main [[ecotourism]] attractions in Barbuda. The colony is the largest in the Caribbean region, and is a [[Ramsar site]].{{cite web | url=https://www.ramsar.org/country-profile/antigua-and-barbuda | title=Antigua and Barbuda | the Convention on Wetlands, the Convention on Wetlands }}


During the mating season (from September through March or April),{{Cite book |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_New_Yorker/j1jkAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=magnificent+frigatebird+%22mating+season%22+barbuda&dq=magnificent+frigatebird+%22mating+season%22+barbuda&printsec=frontcover |title=The New Yorker |date=1994 |publisher=F-R Publishing Corporation |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Carlozzi |first=Carl A. |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Conservation_and_Caribbean_Regional_Prog/3aCCAAAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=barbuda+frigate+september-april&dq=barbuda+frigate+september-april&printsec=frontcover |title=Conservation and Caribbean Regional Progress |last2=Carlozzi |first2=Alice A. |date=1968 |publisher=Antioch Press |isbn=978-0-87338-062-1 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Nicholson |first=Desmond V. |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Heritage_Landmarks/4PcpAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=barbuda+frigate+september-march&dq=barbuda+frigate+september-march&printsec=frontcover |title=Heritage Landmarks: Antigua and Barbuda |date=2001 |publisher=Museum of Antigua and Barbuda |language=en}} the male bird displays a large, scarlet red [[throat pouch]] to attract a female mate.{{Cite book |last=Etherington |first=Melanie |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Antigua_and_Barbuda_Companion/0MB5AAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=october |title=The Antigua and Barbuda Companion |date=2002 |publisher=Interlink Books |isbn=978-1-56656-477-9 |language=en}} The pair will lay one egg on a nest built on the [[mangrove|mangroves]] of Man of War island.{{Cite book |last=Bendure |first=Glenda |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Eastern_Caribbean/FLMfAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=mating%20season |title=Eastern Caribbean: A Lonely Planet Travel Survival Kit |last2=Friary |first2=Ned |date=1994 |publisher=Lonely Planet Publications |isbn=978-0-86442-235-4 |language=en}} These birds do not walk or swim.{{Cite journal |last=Diamond |first=Antony W. |last2=Schreiber |first2=E. A. |date=2020 |title=Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens), version 1.0 |url=https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/magfri/cur/introduction |journal=Birds of the World |language=en |doi=10.2173/bow.magfri.01 |issn=2771-3105}} They live solely on fish, which they often steal from other birds, giving them their local name, ''Man of war''. They have few predators in the lagoon, making this nesting site one of the most important in the world for the endangered species.
During the mating season, from September to April, this rare bird displays a huge scarlet [[throat pouch]] to attract a female mate; the pair will lay one egg on a nest built precariously on the [[mangrove]]. These birds cannot walk or swim; they soar high in the clouds and live solely on fish, which they often steal from other birds, giving them their local name, ''Man of war''. They have few predators here, making this nesting site one of the most important in the world for the endangered birds.


The colony had an estimated 2,500—5,000 nesting pairs prior to [[Hurricane Irma]] landfall in September 2017.{{cite news |first1=Emma|last1=Lewis |first2=Ann|last2=Sutton |title=After the Storm |url=http://www.birdscaribbean.org/2017/09/after-the-storm/ |work=BirdsCaribbean |publisher=2017-09-11 |access-date=2017-09-18}}{{Cite news |date=2018-06-25 |title=Barbuda sees a comeback of national bird after Hurricane Irma |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-44547090 |access-date=2026-04-23 |work=[[BBC]] |language=en-GB}} The lagoon was hit by Hurricane Irma's [[storm surge]], and although there was a temporary decline in magnificent frigatebird numbers,{{Cite web |title=Barbuda Frigatebirds still AWOL after Irma |url=https://antiguaobserver.com/barbuda-frigatebirds-still-awol-after-irma/ |access-date=2026-04-23 |website=Antigua Observer Newspaper |language=en-GB}} the population survived.{{Cite news |date=2018-06-25 |title=Barbuda sees a comeback of national bird after Hurricane Irma |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-44547090 |access-date=2026-01-26 |language=en-GB}}
The colony had an estimated 2,500—5,000 nesting pairs prior to [[Hurricane Irma]] landfall in September 2017.{{cite news |first1=Emma|last1=Lewis |first2=Ann|last2=Sutton |title=After the Storm |url=http://www.birdscaribbean.org/2017/09/after-the-storm/ |work=BirdsCaribbean |publisher=2017-09-11 |access-date=2017-09-18}}{{Cite news |date=2018-06-25 |title=Barbuda sees a comeback of national bird after Hurricane Irma |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-44547090 |access-date=2026-04-23 |work=[[BBC]] |language=en-GB}} The lagoon was hit by Hurricane Irma's [[storm surge]], and although there was a temporary decline in magnificent frigatebird numbers,{{Cite web |title=Barbuda Frigatebirds still AWOL after Irma |url=https://antiguaobserver.com/barbuda-frigatebirds-still-awol-after-irma/ |access-date=2026-04-23 |website=Antigua Observer Newspaper |language=en-GB}} the population survived.{{Cite news |date=2018-06-25 |title=Barbuda sees a comeback of national bird after Hurricane Irma |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-44547090 |access-date=2026-01-26 |language=en-GB}}
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