The Bermuda Maritime Museum (BMM) recently announced they are taking a bold step into the future by going into timeshares.

The museum in Dockyard is starting a new club so exclusive that humans don't actually qualify.

Construction is almost complete on the Longtail Residence Club, a "gated" community, open only to white-tailed tropic birds, otherwise known as Bermuda longtails.

And while most new hotels in Bermuda are going for a Caribbean feel, the BMM are building igloos.

"So far, we have put in about twenty igloos for the longtails along our ramparts," said Elena Strong, curator of the BMM.

The truly posh amongst the longtail crowd can take up residence in a bastion of the BMM.

"We are experimenting under guidance of Dr. David Wingate former Government Conservation Officer," said Miss Strong. "There is an empty bastion at the museum, where they stored ammunition."

"We have put a ramp coming from the window. If you put the igloos within that room, it will be another protected area for them to nest."

Even in a resort like this, there's no privacy. The BMM are considering putting up Plexiglas, so that visitors can get a look at the birds without disturbing them. They might also hook up a webcam so people can watch the birds online.

"In everything we do we would be sensitive to the longtails," said Miss Strong.

She said erecting the special bird igloos was sometimes a bit of a challenge.

"The ramparts are quite steep, but our head of maintenance, Andrew Harris, and Johnny Bernard have been installing them.

"It has been pretty windy so they have bad to be quite careful. They have a scaffolding so they don't fall. Construction is still ongoing.

"The igloos are on the east side at the moment."

So far the new tenants haven't arrived, but the first are expected next month.

"Longtails generally nest in March," said Miss Strong. "The first longtail was spotted already.

"They spend their time out of sea and come to land to nest. They generally have about one chick."

Food at this upscale resort will consist mainly of fresh squid.

The new project at the BMM is one of the largest longtail developments on the Island.

"Because the old Casemates Prison has now been incorporated into the museum we have 16 acres.

"That property has ramparts that these igloos can be built on."

Longtails need the new homes because there is a housing shortage for them, just as there is for the rest of Bermuda.

"It is because of the damage from hurricanes and human developments their habitats are becoming fewer," said Miss Strong.

But the longtails need financial assistance if they are going to move into their dream homes.

The BMM is asking the longtail's human friends to lease the igloos for $100 a year, or $300 for five years.

Buy one for eternity, at $5,000, and get lifetime museum membership, a museum magazine and an annual calamari lunch with BMM director Edward Harris. Real advertisements for the project run as follows: "Exclusive deeded fractional, time- and nest-share ownership club with breathtaking seaviews of the Atlantic Ocean. No neighbours, except of your own kind... as in 'birds of a feather flock together'."

"They have access to rich feeding grounds, and a constructed approached for landing and ocean on three sides," said Miss Strong. "It is bird paradise."

For those among us with less well-feathered nests, the BMM is offering free entry in February for residents.

And all children under the age of 13 enter the museum free.

For more information about the bird igloos, contact the Bermuda Audubon Society.

To subsidise the highlife for a longtail at the BMM E-mail director@bmm.bm or telephone 704-5480.