Bird Island, the island of the birds! |25 March 2014

Bird Island is the island of the birds

A recent trip to Bird Island by a young Seychellois couple revealed that the island has preserved its reputation as one of the natural splendours of the Seychelles islands with the birds dominating the islands landscape. They are everywhere – they land on your shoulder, your head, cover a whole area of sand and the noise they make are deafening but in a pleasant way!

The island is a natural treasure but is it experiencing coastal erosion?

The island is a perfect way to get away from it all, to relax in a serene environment and escape the everyday technologies like the internet, televisions and mobile phones!

The pictures taken the couple perfectly portrays the serenity of the place but environmentalist may ponder the effect of sea erosion on the island. The dry sea washed twigs, tree roots may look splending to the eyes as they have become works of art but does it mean there used to be a green environment where they now stand which has been washed away by the sea? Is coastal erosion becoming a problem for the island?

Bird Island is the northernmost island in the Seychelles archipelago, 60 miles from Mahe. is known for its birdlife, including sooty terns, fairy terns and common noddies, and for hawksbill and green turtles. It is now a private resort with 26 bungalows. It also contains a small weather station and a small landing strip Bird Island Airport which connects the island with Mahe.

Bird Island was formerly known as "Ile aux Vaches" due to the numerous dugongs (sea cows) that lived in nearby waters. Between 1896 and 1906, 17,000 tons of guano were removed from the island and exported to Mauritius as fertilizer. It formerly was a coconut plantation, and cash crops such as papaya and cotton were also grown.

A Seychellois girl enjoying the natural beauty of Bird Island

Since 1967 it has been privately owned, and conservation measures have taken place such as protection of birdlife and Hawksbill Turtle nesting sites, the eradication of feral rats and rabbits and the translocation of a population of Seychelles Sunbird.

Bird Island is named in honour of its spectacular colony of around 700,000 pairs of Sooty Tern that nest on the island. The birds arrive from late March, laying eggs in May and remaining until October before leaving the island. Another phenomena especially in October to December, arises from the geographical location of Bird Island on the northern edge of the Seychelles Bank. This means it is the first landfall for migratory Euarasian birds and Seychelles Bird Records Committee has recorded here many species new to the country.

This Bird Island lodge offers a restaurantand a bar/lounge. Additional amenities includea library, gift shops/newsstands, andlaundry facilities.