The Codrington Lagoon on Barbuda's western side holds one of the largest frigate bird colonies in the western hemisphere, with several thousand birds nesting in the mangroves each season. The best time to visit is from September through February, when males are displaying their inflated red throat pouches as part of the mating ritual — a sight that is as surreal as it sounds.
Access is by small boat from the lagoon's edge, a short drive from Codrington village. Local boatmen pole silently through the mangroves, getting close enough to the nesting trees that you can hear the birds' bill-clattering and watch chicks being fed. The trip takes about an hour. There is no fixed price and no official entrance fee; negotiate with the boatman beforehand and tip generously — these tours are one of the island's few sources of income.
Outside nesting season the colony is quieter but still worth visiting. Herons, pelicans, and various wading birds share the lagoon year-round.