Codrington Lagoon
Encyclopedia
Codrington Lagoon is a long lagoon
which takes up much of the west of the Caribbean
island of Barbuda
. Its access to the sea is via Cuffy Creek, at the northern tip of the lagoon. The water is shallow, and much of the shore of the northern half of the lagoon is marsh
land. The town of Codrington
, the main settlement on the island, is located on the eastern shore of the lagoon.
To the north of Codrington is a frigatebird
colony, centred on the lagoon's tiny Man of War Island. One of the main tourist attractions in Barbuda is the Frigate Bird Sanctuary, which is a forty-minute boat ride and is a spectacular sight even for non-bird watchers. In the mating season, from September to April, this rare bird displays a huge red breast to attract a female mate and they lay one egg on a nest, built precariously on the mangrove
. These birds cannot walk or swim; they soar high in the clouds and live solely on fish, which they often steal from other birds, giving them their local name, Man of war. They have few predators here and this nesting site is one of the most important in the world for these endangered birds.
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
which takes up much of the west of the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
island of Barbuda
Barbuda
Barbuda is an island in the Eastern Caribbean, and forms part of the state of Antigua and Barbuda. It has a population of about 1,500, most of whom live in the town of Codrington.-Location:...
. Its access to the sea is via Cuffy Creek, at the northern tip of the lagoon. The water is shallow, and much of the shore of the northern half of the lagoon is marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
land. The town of Codrington
Codrington
Codrington is a town located on the island of Barbuda, which is part of the country of Antigua and Barbuda.Codrington was founded by the family of Christopher Codrington and John Codrington in 1685, to be the main residential centre on the island...
, the main settlement on the island, is located on the eastern shore of the lagoon.
To the north of Codrington is a frigatebird
Frigatebird
The frigatebirds are a family, Fregatidae, of seabirds. There are five species in the single genus Fregata. They are also sometimes called Man of War birds or Pirate birds. Since they are related to the pelicans, the term "frigate pelican" is also a name applied to them...
colony, centred on the lagoon's tiny Man of War Island. One of the main tourist attractions in Barbuda is the Frigate Bird Sanctuary, which is a forty-minute boat ride and is a spectacular sight even for non-bird watchers. In the mating season, from September to April, this rare bird displays a huge red breast to attract a female mate and they lay one egg on a nest, built precariously on the mangrove
Mangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
. These birds cannot walk or swim; they soar high in the clouds and live solely on fish, which they often steal from other birds, giving them their local name, Man of war. They have few predators here and this nesting site is one of the most important in the world for these endangered birds.