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close| Location | Australia, Western Australia |
| Central coordinates | 119o 5.97' East 19o 35.31' South |
| IBA criteria | A4ii |
| Area | 31 ha |
| Altitude | 0 - 8m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2008 |
Summary In counts in 1982 and 1984, this island supported one of the world's largest populations of Brown Booby and more than 1% of the world breeding population of Lesser Frigatebird.
Ornithological information Additional breeding birds: 120-170 pairs Masked Booby, White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Silver Gull, Crested Tern and Lesser Crested Tern. Old records, possibly before Black Rats introduced, of Roseate Tern, Sooty Tern and Brown Noddy.
Site description Bedout Island is situated 40 km north of the mouth of the De Grey River in the Pilbara of Western Australia. It is an undulating sand cay, vegetated with Spinifex longifolius, has an arid climate with an annual average rainfall of ca 300 mm and is subject to occasional tropical cyclones.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lesser Frigatebird Fregata ariel | resident | 1972-1984 | 900-2,289 breeding pairs | good | A4ii | Least Concern |
| Brown Booby Sula leucogaster | resident | 1972-1984 | 1,000-10,700 breeding pairs | good | A4ii | Least Concern |
| A4iii Species group - seabirds | - | - | 10,000 breeding pairs | unknown |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedout Island | Nature Reserve | 31 | is identical to site | 31 |
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Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Coastline | Sand cays, islets & bars | 100% |
Land ownership Western Australian State Government with management by Dept of Environment & Conservation.
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| nature conservation and research | 100% |
Other biodiversity Rattus rattus was probably introduced from pearling vessels late 19th century; eradicated 1991.
Management considerations Seabirds need regular monitoring. The possible re-colonisation of rats (eradicated in 1991) and other exotic predators needs monitoring.
Protection status Bedout Island Nature Reserve.
Conservation response Rats eradicated in 1991.
Access/Land-Owner requests Apply for permission from DEC.
Acknowledgements The nomination was prepared by Andrew Burbidge in consultation with DEC.
References Burbidge, A.A., Fuller, P.J., Lane, J.A.K. & Moore, S.A. 1987. Counts of nesting boobies and Lesser Frigate-birds in Western Australia. Emu 87, 128-9.
Burbidge, A.A. and Morris, K.D. 2002. Introduced mammal eradications for nature conservation on Western Australian islands: a review. In: Veitch, C. R.; Clout, M. N. (eds) Turning the tide: the eradication of invasive species. Auckland, IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group, pp. 64-70.
DEC Seabird Breeding Islands Database
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Bedout Island. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 18/06/2013
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