Bird Islands Conservation Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bird Islands Conservation Park South Australia
IUCN Category VI (Managed Resource Protected Area)
Bird Islands Conservation Park Location in South Australia
Nearest town or city	Wallaroo
Established	23 May 1968
Area	3.58 km2 (1.4 sq mi)
Managing authorities	Department for Environment and Water
See also	Protected areas of South Australia

Bird Islands Conservation Park is a special protected area in South Australia. It is located in the eastern part of Spencer Gulf. The park is found at Warburto Point on the Yorke Peninsula. This is about 10 kilometers south of the town of Wallaroo.

The park covers about 3.69 square kilometers. It was first set up on May 23, 1968. Over time, the park grew bigger. In 1991, more land was added to include the areas between high and low tides around the islands. Later, in 1999, a larger section on the mainland was included. This part helps protect important plants like mangroves and samphire.

Plants and Trees

The two islands in Bird Islands Conservation Park have lots of interesting plants. Around their edges, you'll find woodlands of grey mangrove trees. There are also areas with special salt-loving plants called chenopod shrublands.

On the sandy, higher parts of the islands, you can see tall bushes. These include the coast daisy-bush. There are also some grassy areas. The mainland part of the park at Warburto Point is similar. It has sandy beaches with dunes. These dunes support more coast daisy-bush and different types of Acacia bushes. So far, nine types of native plants have been found here.

Amazing Wildlife

Bird Islands Conservation Park is a very important place for birds. Many birds that travel long distances visit this park. Australia has agreements with Japan and China to protect these migratory birds. These agreements are called JAMBA and CAMBA.

Some of the amazing migratory birds you might see here include:

• Sharp-tailed sandpiper
• Red knot
• Red-necked stint
• Greater sand plover
• Grey-tailed tattler
• Caspian tern
• Terek sandpiper

Other important birds that live or visit the park are:

• Cape Barren goose
• Lesser sand plover
• Pied oystercatcher
• Rock parrot
• Eastern osprey
• Fairy tern

How to Visit

You can get to the park by car. Just follow Warburto Road. If you want to reach the islands, you can walk out to them when the tide is low. You can also use a boat when the tide is high. There are some sandy tracks for four-wheel-drive vehicles, but access is limited.

Fun Activities

The park is mainly for protecting nature. So, activities allowed are those that don't harm the environment. You can enjoy things like:

• Walking on existing tracks and trails.
• Learning about nature and the park's history.
• Scientific research is also done here.
• Nature appreciation, which means enjoying the beautiful plants and animals.
• Kayaking around the Bird Islands is also a great way to explore.
• Beach fishing is allowed in the waters near the park. Just make sure you are not in a Marine Park Sanctuary Zone.

Protecting the Park

It's important to protect Bird Islands Conservation Park. The government department in charge of the environment watches over the park. They have noticed that driving four-wheel-drive vehicles on the beach can harm the environment.

More and more people are moving to the nearby Copper Coast area. This means more visitors might come to the park. It's important to manage how people use the park. This helps make sure the natural beauty and wildlife are protected for everyone to enjoy.