Bird Watching

Birdwatching on Cayman Brac

Cayman Brac is a nature lover’s paradise, and even more so a birdwatchers’ haven. With nearly 200 part- and full-time resident species, you'll see a lot of birds without even looking. In many locations listed in our Nature Tourism brochures, you can find plaques that provide information on the bird species in the surrounding areas.

The Best Time for Birdwatching on the Brac

Cayman Brac Parrot

The greatest number of species can be seen from late October to April — on a good day, you might count 50-60 species. In the summer, when non-breeding migrants have moved on, residents, including the near-threatened Cayman Brac parrot, rule the roost.

A Haven for Bird lovers

Brown Booby with Chick

Due to the geographical location of Cayman Brac, you can encounter many migratory species in search of the warm tropical weather for which we are famous. Over 70 species of non-breeding wetland migrants have been observed — egrets, ducks, plovers and sandpipers commonly, and flamingos and spoonbills occasionally.

Cayman Brac and Little Cayman have five seabird colonies: red-footed booby, brown booby, magnificent frigate bird, white-tailed tropicbird and least tern. Here's a quick guide to spotting some of the most notable avian attractions:

Cayman Brac parrot
Red-legged thrush
West Indian whistling-duck
Pied-billed grebe
Vitelline warbler
Brown booby
White-tailed tropicbird
Red-footed booby
Magnificent frigate

Recommended Birdwatching Guides

Vitelline Warbler

To get the experts’ view on birds in the Cayman Islands, and more specifically Cayman Brac, check out the handy reading list below.

Field Guides:

“Birds of the Cayman Islands” by Patricia E. Bradley and photographer Yves-Jacques Rey-Millet. 1995 ISBN 976-8053-10-4
“Where to Watch Birds on Cayman Brac” by Keith Prescott.1997. ISBN 976-8104-99-6