St Martin/St Maarten / Special Interests / Birdwatching

Being a heavily developed holiday island, it is perhaps surprising to find St Martin/St Maarten has appeal to birdwatchers. Fortunately, thanks to its varied habitats and the efforts of local enthusiasts, over 150 species have been sighted here. The largest is the brown pelican – St Martin/St Maarten's national bird – and they can often be spotted at Pelican Key near Simpson Bay.

Other commonly seen coastal species include the frigatebird, laughing gull and various terns. The offshore island of Tintamarre is home to the brown noddy and red-billed tropicbird. Inland, look out for the American kestrel, egrets, herons and hummingbirds. The island's ponds are also a valuable habitat for birdlife such as the American coot, ruddy duck and Antillean common moorhen. Birdwatchers are best catered for on the French side where measures have been taken to protect important wildlife areas through the establishment of La Réserve Naturelle de Saint-Martin, based in Anse Marcel, t 590 590 29 09 72.