Current view: Text account
Site description (2008 baseline):
Site location and context
The IBA consists of Lake Barlee and surrounding small satellite lakes in south-western Western Australia. Lake Barlee is a large ephemeral saline lake that is probably inundated about once every ten years following major rainfall events. The lake, which receives water from direct precipitation and periodic inflow from many short creeks, may retain water for six to nine months after major rainfall events. The bed of Lake Barlee is bare but features some exposed greenstone rocks and many hundreds of islands of variable size (microscale to macroscale) and height (less than one to more than 10 m) that support low samphire vegetation. The margin of Lake Barlee also supports low samphire vegetation. When Lake Barlee is inundated, at least five of the islands may support large numbers of breeding Banded Stilt.
At least 15 species of waterbird have been recorded at Lake Barlee. Six of the 15 species (Black Swan, Australian Shelduck, Pink-eared Duck, Black-winged Stilt, Banded Stilt and Red-capped Plover) are known to breed at Lake Barlee (Chapman & Lane 1997; DEWHA 2007).
Non-bird biodiversity: Eleven taxa of invertebrate were recorded at Lake Barlee during an inundation event in July 1992 with ostracods (Diacypis spp., Cypridae spp.), copepods (Calamoecia spp.) and brine shrimp (Parartemia spp.) found to be abundant at this time (Australian Wetlands Database 2001).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Exclude mineral exploration from areas critical to Banded Stilt.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
Breeding events of the Banded Stilt are monitored by the Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation (DEWHA 2007).
The IBA overlaps with the proposed Mt Elvire Reserve.
Unallocated Crown land managed by the Western Australian Department for Planning and Infrastructure. Northern Uranium Limited are currently awaiting approval of an application to mine a 227 km² block of land that includes the part of the bed at the south-western end of Lake Barlee (Northern Uranium Limited 2006) and other mining companies are prospecting in the area.
A. Chapman, J.A.K. Lane, G. Pearson and Roger Jaensch (of Wetlands International) kindly provided data and comments.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lake Barlee (Australia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lake-barlee-iba-australia on 23/11/2024.
