The Broome Bird Observatory is an educational, scientific and recreational facility located 24 km from Broome in the

Kimberley region The Kimberley is the northernmost of the nine regions of Western Australia. It is bordered on the west by the Indian Ocean, on the north by the Timor Sea, on the south by the Great Sandy Desert, Great Sandy and Tanami Desert, Tanami deserts ...

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

. It began operating in 1988 under the auspices of the non-profit organisation Birds Australia to provide a base for the study and enjoyment of the birds of

Roebuck Bay Roebuck Bay is a bay on the coast of the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Its entrance is bounded in the north by the town of Broome, and in the south by Bush Point and Sandy Point. It is named after , the ship captained by William ...

and adjoining areas. The bay boasts the highest diversity of migratory

wader 245px, A flock of Dunlins and Red knots">Red_knot.html" ;"title="Dunlins and Red knot">Dunlins and Red knots Waders or shorebirds are birds of the order Charadriiformes commonly found wikt:wade#Etymology 1, wading along shorelines and mudflat ...

s in Australia. In March and April, immense flocks of waders can be watched as they depart to their breeding grounds in the northern hemisphere. Broome Bird Observatory is set in

pindan Pindan is a name given to the red-soil country of the south-western Kimberley region of Western Australia. The term comes from a local language and applies both to the soil and to the vegetation community associated with it.Lowe (2003). History ...

woodland A woodland () is, in the broad sense, land covered with trees, or in a narrow sense, synonymous with wood (or in the U.S., the ''plurale tantum'' woods), a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade (see ...

on the northern shore of Roebuck Bay. It was formally opened in 1990 and continues to provide accommodation and

birdwatching Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device like binoculars or a telescope, b ...

opportunities for visitors, tours, courses, as well as research facilities for scientists and

ornithological Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the "methodological study and consequent knowledge of birds with all that relates to them." Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and th ...

expeditions. The Clive Minton Discovery Centre at the Observatory, named after Clive Minton who undertook significant wader research in the area, was opened on 20 August 2021.

Facilities

A number of facilities at the observatory are available for use, including a number of accommodation options. Many

birdwatchers Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device like binoculars or a telescope, by ...

and researchers make use of these facilities when visiting the observatory.

Accommodation

There is one chalet and a number of rooms at the observatory. Those rooms include double/family rooms, bunk rooms, and single rooms. Camp sites are also available.

Amenities

At the observatory are located toilets, showers, a barbeque, and a camp kitchen, dubbed the 'Shadehouse'.

Activities

A large number of activities occur year-round at the Broome Bird Observatory, especially those concerning birdwatching.

Courses

Wave the Waders Goodbye

The Wave the Waders Goodbye 5 day course occurs over peak wader migration to the northern hemisphere, most often in March or April.

Birds of the Broome Region

The Birds of the Broome Region 5 day course occurs in September or October, when the most number of species are present in the region at any one time. This time of year is also when shorebirds return to the shores of Roebuck Bay, and are at their most numerous at the observatory.

Tours

The Broome Bird Observatory offers a number of tours, primarily focused on

Shorebirds Tour

The Shorebirds Tour provides an introduction to shorebirds of the region, whereupon the tour takes participants to various areas of

to observe shorebird species.

Mangrove Tour

The Mangrove Tour takes participants to Crab Creek and other mangrove areas of Roebuck Bay.

Common Redshank The common redshank or simply redshank (''Tringa totanus'') is a Eurasian wader in the large family Scolopacidae. Taxonomy The common redshank was formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his ...

is often seen on this tour.

Bush and Plains Tour

The Bush and Plains Tour takes participants to the

Roebuck Plains Station Roebuck Plains Station is a pastoral lease that is located close to the township of Broome in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. It is one of the closest pastoral leases to Broome. Roebuck Plains is also the name of a roadhouse on the ...

, which lies to the north and east of the observatory. Yellow Chat is often seen on this tour.

Lakes Tour

The Lakes Tour is a full day tour, visiting wetland locations around Roebuck Plains Station.

Yellow Chat Twitch

This tour is focused on observing the

Yellow Chat The yellow chat (''Epthianura crocea'') is a small passerine bird endemic to Australia.Houston, W., Porter, G., O’Neill, P., and Elder, R. (2004). "The ecology of the critically endangered yellow chat Epthianura crocea macgregori on Curtis Isla ...

, a rare bird species most easily seen around the observatory.

Australasian Wader Studies Group

The Broome Bird Observatory hosts members of the Australasian Wader Studies Group (AWSG) over summer, when bird banding and other research activities take place.

Access

The road to the Broome Bird Observatory is unsealed, and 4WD vehicles are recommended for accessing the observatory. The Broome Bird Observatory website recommends that one not follow the directions of Google Maps, and instead, when travelling from Broome, turn right onto Crab Creek Road.

References

* Robin, Libby. (2001). ''The Flight of the Emu: a hundred years of Australian ornithology 1901-2001''. Melbourne University Press: Carlton.

External links

Broome Bird Observatory

BirdLife Australia
{{coord, 17.9750, S, 122.3444, E, region:AU_type:landmark, display=title Buildings and structures in Broome, Western Australia Bird observatories in Australia Ornithological organisations in Australia 1988 establishments in Australia Birdwatching sites in Australia