As its name indicates, the creek near the beach often has limited numbers of flamingos and other wading birds. Pigeon Pond is an inland high salinity pond that is part of the greater Pigeon Pond and Frenchman’s Creek Nature Reserve on the southwestern coast of Providenciales.Īlso in the nature reserve and near Pigeon Pond is Flamingo Creek Bay.

Remote Flamingo Sighting Locationsįrenchman's Creek and Pigeon Pond Nature Reserve These exquisite creeks connect to the ocean on the eastern side of the cay, and the diversity of the environment is conducive for sighting both bird and marine wildlife. Flamingos and many other types of birds can be seen throughout the island.Ī great place to start is the shallow tidal waterways at North Creek and South Creek. The small island of Salt Cay features many abandoned salt salinas and natural wetlands, which when combined with its isolated location, create an exceptional birdwatching destination. This area, near the inlet into North Creek and the Grand Turk Lighthouse, offers ideal feeding grounds for wading birds. Flamingos can be seen in nearly any of the salinas at various times, and are less skittish than those found in the wilds, as they are accustomed to people.Īnother decent spot for birds is the shallows off the northwest of the island. As is the same case with South Caicos, these shallow ponds attract birds. Grand Turk, home to our capital city of Cockburn Town and once the center of activity in the Turks and Caicos, was once a sea salt producing island, and consequently has a number of disused salinas. The scenic coastal environments of The Highlands and Plandon Cay Cut are great for birdwatching, yet it’s hard to do better than the central salinas when seeking flamingos. The central salt salinas on South Caicos offer great birdwatching opportunities, and relatively approachable flamingos can usually be seen, along with herons, egrets, and smaller coastal birds. On Middle Caicos, the rather small Village Pond and Montpeller Pond, which are located between the communities of Conch Bar and Bambarra, often have a few flamingos to see. Sightings typically include flamingos, West Indian Whistling ducks, white-cheeked pintail ducks, stilts, reddish egrets, tricolored herons, and more. A road leads along the northern side of the pond and allows for great views, so no hiking is necessary. The distance between the overlook and the pond is not conducive to photography.Īlso on North Caicos are Pumpkin Bluff Pond and Mud Pond, which are expansive and shallow ponds on the north-western side of North Caicos, and definitely worth at least a quick visit by birdwatchers visiting our central Garden Islands. Accessible Flamingo Sighting Locationsįlamingo Pond Overlook on North Caicos. As may be expected, some of the remote areas offer exceptional habitats, yet are not really an option for casual tourists. When seeking a flamingo sighting in the Turks and Caicos, in a broad sense, birdwatching locations can be split into two categories: easily accessible sites, and remote sites. The Best Places to See Flamingos in the Turks and Caicos American Flamingo The Bahamian island of Great Inauga, home to the world’s largest American flamingo colony, is actually located quite close to the Turks and Caicos, at only 40 miles (64 km) away, so it’s also possible that they transited from the Bahamas. Young flamingos have been spotted on East Caicos and West Caicos, so it is possible. Consequently, and due to our location in the tropical Atlantic and near the Caribbean, the American flamingo, ( Phoenicopterus ruber), also known as the West Indian flamingo or Caribbean flamingo, is found throughout the country.įlamingos are common in the Turks and Caicos, but it’s not confirmed that nesting takes place in the country. T he Turks and Caicos is an archipelago of more than 100 named islands, cays, and rocks, and a defining characteristic of our islands are the countless marine ponds, estuaries, and channels that are found on nearly every island. American flamingos (Caribbean flamingos) in the Turks and Caicos.

Flamingo lake golf course