Bird Island Nature Reserve

For the nature reserve in South Africa, see Bird Island Nature Reserve (South Africa).

Bird Island Nature Reserve New South Wales
IUCN category Ia (strict nature reserve)
Aerial view of Bird Island
Bird Island Nature Reserve
Nearest town or city	Budgewoi
Coordinates	33°13.77′S 151°36.14′E / 33.22950°S 151.60233°E / -33.22950; 151.60233Coordinates: 33°13.77′S 151°36.14′E / 33.22950°S 151.60233°E / -33.22950; 151.60233
Established	June 1960
Area	7.2 ha (17.8 acres)^[1]
Visitation	less than 10
Managing authorities	NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service
Website	Bird Island Nature Reserve
See also	Protected areas of New South Wales

The Bird Island Nature Reserve is a protected nature reserve located near Lake Munmorah on the Central Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. The 7.2-hectare (18-acre)^[1] reserve that is also a continental island is situated 1.4 kilometres (0.87 mi) off the east coast of New South Wales, within the Tasman Sea. The reserve may be seen from the lighthouse at Norah Head.

Features

The island reaches a height of around 20 metres (66 ft) above sea level, and the prominent rocky cliffs make access difficult by boat.^[2]^[3] The island was once part of the Australian mainland,^[3] however it separated four to six thousand years ago with rising sea levels. The geology of the island is sedimentary rocks from the Sydney Basin.^[3] The island is roughly circular in shape,^[2] not more than 250 metres (820 ft) long at any point.^[4] The official website states a size of 7.2 hectares (18 acres), but another source suggests a more likely area of 4 hectares (9.9 acres).^[5]

Fauna

No introduced animals have been recorded on Bird Island Nature Reserve.^[3]

Birds

Over twenty types of birds have been recorded on the island. Up to 7,000 pairs of wedge-tailed shearwaters and short-tailed shearwaters breed on the island. The sooty oystercatcher is listed as a threatened species. Other birds include, ruddy turnstone, eastern curlew, whimbrel, bar-tailed godwit, red-necked stint, Arctic jaeger, Caspian tern, common tern, white-fronted tern, white-faced storm petrel, eastern reef egret, little penguin, black cormorant, little black cormorant, white-breasted sea eagle, whistling kite and little tern. Land birds such as the Australian raven, little grassbird and welcome swallow have been recorded. A pair of peregrine falcons breed on the island; their main food consists of young white-faced storm petrels.^[2]^[3]

Lizards

Two types of lizards have been recorded, an unidentified skink and the jacky lizard. The jacky lizard has an unusual pink mouth. No terrestrial mammals or amphibians are known here.^[3]

Flora

Two types are recognised. A low open heathland with tree broom heath, an unusual variety of the Sydney golden wattle, tuckeroo, and the coastal tea tree. The flora on the more exposed areas has pigface, a tussock grass and a long stalked form of Lomandra.

Weeds

Despite the island's isolation and very few visitors, weeds are present. They include bitou bush, prickly pear, inkweed and trad. Bitou bush is affected by disease. The prickly pear can spread and diminish the area for bird's nesting sites. However, control has been sought with the use of the cochineal insect.^[3]

Aquatic life

The shallow waters near the island support blue groper, Port Jackson sharks, stingrays and cuttlefish. Reef fish and many other creatures may be found in the gutters and caves near the rocky shores.^[6] Dolphins, seals, turtles and other large animals may be seen near the island. Humpback whales swim near the island during their annual migration to and from Antarctica.

Shipwrecks

A number of shipwrecks occurred at or near Bird Island. They include the Adelaide and Allenwood.^[7]

References

1 2 "Bird Island Nature Reserve". NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service. NSW Government. Retrieved 31 August 2012.
1 2 3 Lane S. G. (July 1965). Breeding Sea Birds on Bird Island - The Emu (PDF) (PDF). Volume 64; pt. 4. Retrieved 31 August 2012.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Munmorah State Conservation Area and Bird Island Nature Reserve Plan of Management" (PDF). NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service (PDF). Government of New South Wales. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
↑ Analysis from Google Earth
↑ "Map of Bird Island". Bonzle.com. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
↑ Coleman, Neville. "Central Coast". Underwater Australia. Retrieved August 31, 2012.
↑ "All Shipwrecks in the Central Coast Region". Maritime Heritage Online, New South Wales. New South Wales Government. Retrieved August 31, 2012.

Nature reserves of New South Wales, Australia

Central NSW	Abercrombie Caves Arakoola Avisford Barton Binnaway Boomi Boomi West Borenore Caves Boronga Brigalow Park Budelah Careunga Coolbaggie Copperhannia Dapper Donnybrook Dural Eugowra Freemantle Gamilaroi Girralang Jenolan Caves Kemps Creek Kirramingly Koorawatha Kuma Macquarie Marshes Midkin Munghorn Gap Narran Lake Pilliga Planchonella The Rock Tollingo Turallo Wambool Weetalibah Winburndale Woggoon Wongarbon Yaegl Yarringully

Hunter and Mid North Coast	Awabakal Baalijin Back River Bagul Waajaarr Bandicoot Island Bird Island Bollanolla Boonanghi Boondelbah Boorganna Bowraville Bretti Brimbin Bugan Burning Mountain Bushy Island Camels Hump Camerons Gorge Cedar Brush Coocumbac Island Coolongolook Cooperabung Creek Coramba Corrie Island Coxcomb Darawank Fifes Knob Fishermans Bend Gads Sugarloaf Ganay Garby Goonook Hexham Swamp Jaaningga Jagun Jasper John Gould Juugawaarri Karuah Kattang Khappinghat Khatambuhl Killabakh Killarney Kooragang Koorebang Kororo Lake Innes Limeburners Creek Little Broughton Island Macquarie Mernot Mills Island Moffats Swamp Monkerai Monkeycot Moon Island Moonee Beach Mount Seaview Muttonbird Island Ngambaa North Rock One Tree Island Pambalong Pee Dee Pulbah Island Queens Lake Rawdon Creek Regatta Island Running Creek Seaham Swamp Seal Rocks Skillion Snapper Island Stormpetrel Talawahl The Castles The Glen Tilligerry Tingira Heights Tomalla Towibakh Valla Wallabadah Wallamba Wallaroo Wallis Island Weelah Willi Willi Caves Wingen Maid Wingham Brush Worimi Yahoo Island Yarravel Yessabah

New England Tablelands	Aberbaldie Ashford Caves Bluff River Bolivia Hill Booroolong Burnt-Down Scrub Deer Vale Demon Duval Georges Creek Gibraltar Guy Fawkes River Imbota Ironbark Jobs Mountain Linton Little Llangothlin Mann River Melville Range Mother Of Ducks Lagoon Mount Hyland Mount Mackenzie Mount Yarrowyck Muldiva Ngulin Serpentine Severn River Stony Batter Creek The Basin Tuggolo Creek Watsons Creek Yina

Northern Rivers	Andrew Johnston Big Scrub Ballina Banyabba Billinudgel Boatharbour Booyong Broken Head Brunswick Heads Bungabbee Byrnes Scrub Captains Creek Chambigne Chapmans Peak Clarence Estuary Cook Island Couchy Creek Cudgen Cumbebin Swamp Davis Scrub Flaggy Creek Gumbaynggirr SCA Hattons Bluff Hayters Hill Hogarth Range Hortons Creek Iluka Inner Pocket Julian Rocks Koukandowie Limpinwood Little Pimlico Island Marshalls Creek Moore Park Mororo Creek Mount Neville Mount Nullum Muckleewee Mountain Munro Island North-West Solitary Island North Obelisk North Solitary Island Numinbah Richmond River Sherwood Snows Gully South West Solitary Island Split Solitary Island Stotts Island Susan Island Tabbimoble Swamp Tallawudjah Tuckean Tucki Tucki Tweed Estuary Tyagarah Ukerebagh Uralba Victoria Park Waragai Creek Wilson Wilsons Peak Woodford Island Wooyung

Outback NSW	Big Bush Boginderra Hills Buddigower Cocopara Goonawarra Gubbata Ingalba Jerilderie Kajuligah Kemendok Lake Urana Langtree Ledknapper Loughnan Morrisons Lake Mutawintji Narrandera Nearie Lake Nocoleche Nombinnie Pucawan Pulletop Quanda Round Hill Tarawi The Charcoal Tank Yanga Yathong

South Coast and Highlands	Araluen Badja Swamps Bamarang Barren Grounds Barrengarry Bees Nest Bell Bird Creek Belowla Island Bermaguee Bimberi Binjura Black Andrew Black Ash Bobundara Bogandyera Bondi Gulf Bournda Broulee Island Brundee Swamp Brush Island Burnt School Burra Creek Burrinjuck Cambewarra Range Cecil Hoskins Clarkes Hill Comerong Island Coolumbooka Coornartha Courabyra Cullendulla Creek Cuumbeun Dananbilla Dangelong Devils Glen Downfall Eagles Claw Egan Peaks Ellerslie Five Islands Flagstaff Memorial Good Good Goorooyarroo Gungewalla Hattons Corner Illawong Illunie Ironmungy Jerralong Jingellic Joadja Kangaroo River Kybeyan Meringo Merriangaah Montague Island Mount Clifford Mount Dowling Mudjarn Mullengandra Mundoonen Myalla Nadgee Nadgigomar Narrawallee Creek Nest Hill Ngadang Nimmo Numeralla Oak Creek Parma Creek Paupong Queanbeyan Quidong Razorback Robertson Rodway Saltwater Swamp Scabby Range Scott Stony Creek Strike-a-Light Tabletop Tapitallee Tinderry Tollgate Islands Triplarina Ulandra Undoo Wadjan Wanna Wanna Wee Jasper Wiesners Swamp Wogamia Wollondilly River Woollamia Worrigee Wullwye Yanununbeyan Yaouk Yatteyattah

Sydney and surrounds	Agnes Banks Berkeley Bird Island Castlereagh Central Gardens Cockle Bay Dalrymple-Hay Dharawal Evans Crown Gulguer Lion Island Long Island Manobalai Mulgoa Muogamarra Newington Pelican Island Pitt Town Rileys Island Royal National Park Spectacle Island Towra Point Wallumatta Wamberal Lagoon Wambina Windsor Downs

Protected areas of New South Wales

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