Located just 8 miles north of Anguilla, Dog Island IBA is a 511 acre uninhabited rocky island that is home to 10 species of nesting seabirds. The island is surrounded by a marine park where endangered Green and Hawksbill turtles are present and nest on the island’s beaches. There is simply nothing quite like Dog Island IBA!

The center of the island comprised of dense prickly scrub, supports Anguilla’s only colony of Sooty Terns. Counts performed in 2007 documented 113,000 breeding pairs, making this colony globally significant.

Nesting Laughing Gulls and Brown Boobies are also noted to have global significance.

Regionally important species include the Red-billed Tropicbird, Masked Booby, Bridled Tern and Brown Noddy.

Anguilla’s only colony of Magnificent Frigatebirds dominates the eastern tip of the island. With a breeding cycle that generally starts in the fall, guests will find birds in various stages of development throughout the year. This population is also regionally important.

Least Terns, the smallest of Anguilla’s tern species, are also known to nest here. Invasive Black Rats were eradicated in 2012 through a multi-agency effort. At the successful completion of that project, the first instance of a nesting Audubon’s Shearwater was documented. This species continues to nest in small numbers.

Two large ponds located at Spring and Stoney Bays, play host to a number of species of waterfowl, herons and shorebirds. Land birds like the Caribbean Elaenia, Yellow Warbler, Black-faced Grassquit and Bananaquit can also be seen. During the winter months, Osprey and Peregrine Falcons can are present.

Access to Dog Island IBA is available via boat. Nature Explorers Anguilla conducts tours to the offshore cays on an arranged charter basis.

Entrance to the island is generally made through the beach at beautiful Great Bay on the north side of the island. This bay can fool visitors as it can quickly change from calm lake-like conditions to raging seas, especially during the winter months.

Nature Explorers Anguilla offers tours to this site!