Saba Island, United States Virgin Islands facts for kids
Geography | |
---|---|
Location | Caribbean Sea |
Coordinates | 18°18′20″N 65°00′03″W / 18.30556°N 65.00083°W |
Administration | |
Federal Department | U.S. Department of the Interior |
Federal Agency | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
Capital city | Washington, D.C. |
Largest settlement | New York City |
President | Joseph Biden |
Saba Island is a small, rocky island in the United States Virgin Islands. It is located in the beautiful Caribbean Sea. The island is about three miles south of Cyril E. King Airport. It is also 2.6 miles west of Water Island.
Saba Island is quite steep, rising about 200 feet high. It has a sandy beach on its northern side. A shallow sandbar connects it to Turtledove Cay. The island also has natural salt ponds on its eastern and western sides. These ponds are great places to watch birds. The southern shores have many rocky cliffs where sea birds live.
Besides bird watching, Saba Island is a popular spot for scuba diving and snorkeling. The waters around the island are full of colorful coral reefs. They are also home to several old shipwrecks. Some famous wrecks include the Witshoal II and the Grainton. These underwater sites are exciting to explore.
Amazing Birds of Saba Island
Saba Island is a very important place for birds. It has the largest bird colonies in the entire Virgin Islands. More than 30,000 sooty terns live here!
Other Seabirds You Might See
Many other types of seabirds also make Saba Island their home. These include:
- Bridled terns
- Sandwich terns
- Royal terns
- Roseate terns
- Brown noddies
- Laughing gulls
- Red-billed tropicbirds
- White-tailed tropicbirds
Because so many important birds live here, BirdLife International has named Saba Island an Important Bird Area (IBA). This means it is a special place that needs to be protected for birds.