Kemp Cay to Pigeon Cay

Kemp Cay to Pigeon Cay is an uninhabited site located on the Berry Islands which form part of The Bahamas. The Berry Islands consist of about thirty small islands. The area nominated as a WHSRN site includes four cays and the extensive sandy shoals and tidal flats associated with them, covering approximately 1,650 hectares. The cays are generally long and narrow and are separated by inlets with small creeks that extend westward to the tidal flats, eventually ending on the flats. The flats are extensive at low tide and cover approximately 1,500 ha. The beaches are generally narrow and made up of sand and limestone.

The site is considered public land (also called crown land by the Bahamian government), therefore, the entities responsible for making management decisions are the Berry Islands Local Council and the Berry Islands Association. The site is not under any category of protection, however, at the international level it is recognized as a Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) and Important Bird Area (BS042 Kemp Cay to Pigeon Cay). A recent evaluation of shorebird census data collected in the Bahamas between 2006 and 2020 indicates that this site triggers criterion D1a of the Global Standard for the Identification of Key Biodiversity Areas. The WHSRN site boundaries mirror the boundaries of the KBA and IBA.

Kemp Cay to Pigeon Cay is designated as a WHSRN Site of Regional Importance for the presence of more than 1% of the biogeographic population of the Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus). Based on a dataset of long-term shorebird censuses conducted in the Bahamas, the site holds a Piping Plover population with an average abundance of 150 individuals between 2011 and 2020. Considering the biogeographic population estimate of 3,600 individuals reported by Andrés et al. (2012), this average abundance represents 4% of the Atlantic population of the Piping Plover (biogeographic population threshold = 35 individuals).

Besides the Piping Plover, Kemp Cay to Pigeon Cay supports populations of Red Knots (Calidris canutus rufa), Wilson’s Plovers (Ch. wilsonia) and Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola). Large numbers of Sanderlings (C. alba) and Short-billed Dowitchers (Limnodromus griseus) have been also recorded. Nonetheless, recorded numbers of these species have not reached the threshold level of their biogeographic populations.

Kemp Cay to Pigeon Cay is considered a relatively pristine area and there are currently no development plans as the site is difficult to access, especially from land. The main human activity on the site is bone fishing on the west side. This activity is considered of low impact because few boats go to this place and people avoid overfishing through the rotation of fishing sites. Fishermen sometimes spot yachts with tourists who dock on the east side of the island during the day but the impact of these visits on the habitat is considered small.

More concerning is the presence of some invasive plant species that affect the quality of shorebird habitat at the site. Although the area does not have a management plan, the removal of the invasive plant species of Australian Pine (Casuarina equisetifolia and Casuarina glauca) and Asian Scaevola (Scaevola taccada), that cause the deterioration of sand dunes and reduce the size of safe beaches to roost on, is considered a habitat management priority.

A priority would also be increasing community awareness and engagement in shorebird conservation at Great Harbour Cay, the nearest inhabited site. This is because during the consultation processes, it was observed that the local people of Great Harbor Cay are unaware of the relevance of the site for Piping Plovers and other shorebirds. It is believed that raising awareness would be valuable, as the community could support possible future conservation projects or even a possible nomination of the site as a protected area.