Coastal preserve
Roebuck Bay
Kimberley, Western Australia
On the red-soiled coast of the Kimberley, Roebuck Bay's tidal flats are a first landfall for shorebirds arriving in Australia from Asia.
Red cliffs and rich mud
Roebuck Bay is a tropical bay fringed by red cliffs, mangroves and tidal creeks. Its intertidal flats teem with the small invertebrates that shorebirds feed on. Seagrass beds support dugongs and green turtles.
Why it matters for birds
The bay is one of the most important sites for waders in Australia and on the entire East Asian–Australasian Flyway. Between August and October it is a main arrival point for birds that have flown from breeding grounds in Siberia and China. It regularly supports internationally significant numbers of at least 22 wader species, including great knots, bar-tailed godwits and eastern curlews.
Research and education
The Broome Bird Observatory on the bay's northern shore runs long-term shorebird research and public education programs.
Connected to the world
The birds of Roebuck Bay depend on stopover sites thousands of kilometers away, such as the Yellow Sea mudflats. Protecting them requires cooperation across the whole flyway.
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