Salt Ponds of Anegada, BVI

Flamingo Pond (seen in this aerial photo) is the largest of four salt ponds occupying approximately one quarter of Anegada's total land mass. This fragile ecosystem supports a small (but growing) population of Caribbean Flamingos which were successfully reintroduced to Anegada in 1992.

Flamingo Pond

Flamingo Facts

• The Caribbean Flamingo is the second largest of its species, often growing to 5 feet tall!
• These vertebrates do not reach sexual maturity until they are three to six years of age and generally only lay one or two eggs in a one year period after mating. Females usually only reproduce every other year.
• Flamingos frequently mate for life and both male and female take turns incubating their egg. Some males may have more than one mate.
• The Incubation period is usually about 30 days ... give or take.
• Both parents participate in training and raising their young.
• Flamingos live in mud and straw nests built on the ground.
• They often fly in a V formation.
• Their roseate colouring is due to their diet which is mostly brine shrimp. Their diets are supplemented by various types of water bugs, small sea creatures and fish.
• Flamingos are very noisy birds which produce several vocalizations including honking, growling and grunting and they also communicate using several different visual displays as well.
• They can live up to 40 years under ideal conditions and in an undisturbed habitat. Nobody knows their average life span as not enough research is available.
• Flamingo chicks are grey when born.

You can see a slight pink ring in the bottom right hand corner (north shore) of the salt pond. Those are flamingos! In the mornings, these noisy birds gather near Neptune's Treasure Hotel & Restaurant on the south side of the pond where you can see boats at Setting Point. As the sun moves ... so do the Flamingos! We didn't want to fly too low over the salt pond as we didn't want to disturb these very shy birds. Next time, I'll use a telephoto lens for a closer picture!

Three additional salt ponds are known as Red Pond, Bumber Well and Budrock Pond. Stay tuned for more photographs of these salt ponds and their residents.

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