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Sway Cay - Bocas del Toro Panama
Sway Cay - is located on the north side of Isla Colon, also known
as Isla de los Pájaros. This small island, and those tiny patches
of land immediately surrounding it, are the only known nesting sites in
the southwest Caribbean for the Red-billed Tropicbird Phaethon aethereus.
Only some 30 pairs remain and breed here. Sway Cay is also one of only
three nesting sites of the Brown Booby Sula leucogaster on Panama's
entire Caribbean coast.
You cannot disembark on the island of Sway Cay because it is a marine
preserve. You can sit in your boat and observe the wild life as long as
you like though. Tours to this island are often for a full day and usually
include snorkeling at various spots along the way. Playa Drago is about
15 minutes away by boat, and you can purchase lunch there.
Swan Cay is about 150 feet long, and has a small sandy beach. Some bushes
and tropical vegetation cover the summit of about 130 feet, and there
are coconut palms. You will see rare bird nests on the ledges among the
rocks that face the sea. The special birds have very long tails, bright
colors, and fly about you as you approach. It is also strange to see them
swim because they hold their tails up out of the water. You should be
able to eggs and fledglings in the nests at certain times of the year.
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