Little Cayman

Bird-watching

Little Cayman offers bountiful bird-watching, with more than 200 indigenous and migrant species on vibrant display, including red-footed boobies, frigate birds, and West Indian whistling ducks. Unspoiled wetland blankets more than 40% of the island, and elevated viewing platforms (carefully crafted from local wood to blend harmoniously with the environment) permit undisturbed observation—but then, it's hard to find an area that doesn't host flocks of warblers and waterfowl. Brochures with maps are available at the hotels for self-guided bird-watching tours. National Trust. The Web site of the National Trust and the Sister Islands Tourism Authority has information on bird-watching. Little Cayman. www.itsyourstoexplore.com.

Booby Pond Nature Reserve. The reserve is home to 20,000 red-footed boobies (the largest colony in the Western Hemisphere) and Cayman's only breeding colony of magnificent frigate (or man-of-war) birds; other sightings include the near-threatened West Indian whistling duck and vitelline warbler. The RAMSAR Convention, an international treaty for wetland conservation, designated the reserve a wetland of global significance. Near the airport, the sanctuary is open to the public, and has a gift shop and reading library. Little Cayman.

Bird-Watching Sites

Grape Tree Ponds. This splendid wetland spot on the North Side is great for observing West Indian whistling ducks and has some lovely shore walks. Little Cayman.

Jackson's Pond. This is a vast mangrove-fringed body of water offering excellent viewing of herons, ducks, rails, stilt, plovers, and sandpipers. Little Cayman.

Tarpon Lake. There's more here than just fishing. A long deck extends into the writhing tangle of red mangrove roots where white herons, ospreys, and whistling ducks dive-bomb for fiddler crabs and mosquito fish skittering through the brackish water alongside sun-silvered pirouetting tarpon. Little Cayman.

West End Lighthouse. West End Lighthouse offers magnificent sunset views and serves as arrivals check-in for migrant shorebirds. Little Cayman.

Westerly Ponds. These shallow wading pools in the ironshore by Preston Bay are lined by low buttonwood trees and herbaceous vegetation where killdeer, willet, black-necked stilt, and American coot perform an aerial ballet. Little Cayman.

More Sports and Outdoors

• Bird-watching
• Diving and Snorkeling

• Fishing
• Hiking