Birds of Ashmore Reef facts for kids

The Birds of Ashmore Reef are super interesting! This special place is home to three main groups of birds:

• Seabirds: These birds spend most of their lives at sea. Ashmore Reef is a key spot for them. At least five types of terns actually build their nests and raise their young here! Other seabirds like petrels are also seen in the waters nearby.
• Migratory shorebirds: These amazing birds travel huge distances. They stop at Ashmore Reef on their long journey from northern Asia all the way to Australia. It's like a rest stop on a super long road trip!
• Landbirds: While Ashmore Reef is mostly about the ocean, a few landbirds also live and breed here, like two kinds of herons and a rail. Many other landbirds, including small songbirds called passerines, visit the reef. They might be migrating to northern Australia or just be accidental visitors.

Why Ashmore Reef is a Bird Paradise

Ashmore Reef is a very important place for birds, especially in the Indian Ocean. It's like a busy airport for birds traveling long distances. Many birds use the reef as a place to rest, feed, and even raise their families.

Seabirds: Ocean Explorers

Seabirds are birds that live on or near the ocean. Ashmore Reef is a vital breeding ground for many of them.

Terns and Noddies

Several types of terns and noddies breed here. They build their nests right on the islands.

• The Black noddy and Common noddy are known to breed here.
• The Bridled tern and Greater crested tern also raise their young on the reef.
• The Sooty tern is another important breeding species.

Boobies and Frigatebirds

You can also spot larger seabirds like boobies and frigatebirds.

• Masked boobies, Brown boobies, and Red-footed boobies are regular visitors.
• Lesser frigatebirds and Great frigatebirds are also often seen flying around.

Migratory Shorebirds: The Long-Distance Champions

Ashmore Reef is a crucial stopover point for many shorebirds. These birds travel thousands of kilometers every year. They fly from their breeding grounds in northern Asia to warmer places like Australia for the winter.

Sandpipers and Plovers

Many different kinds of sandpipers and plovers visit the reef.

• Common sandpipers, Ruddy turnstones, and Sanderlings are common passage migrants.
• You might also see Red knots and Curlew sandpipers resting here.
• Greater sand-plovers and Lesser sand-plovers are also frequent visitors.

Landbirds: Unexpected Visitors

While most birds at Ashmore Reef are linked to the ocean, some landbirds also make an appearance.

Herons and Rails

A few landbird species actually breed on the reef.

• The Little egret and Pacific reef-heron are known to nest here.
• The Buff-banded rail also breeds on the islands.

Other Landbird Visitors

Many other landbirds are seen as visitors. They might be migrating or just blown off course.

• You could spot different types of cuckoos, kingfishers, and even swallows.
• Some small songbirds, like the Arctic warbler, are regular visitors during migration season.
• Even birds of prey, like the Brown goshawk, have been seen here.

Bird Status at Ashmore Reef

Birds at Ashmore Reef can have different "statuses" depending on why they are there:

• Breeding: These birds build nests and raise their young on the reef.
• Regular Visitor: These birds come to the reef often, but don't necessarily breed there.
• Passage Migrant: These birds stop at the reef during their long migration journeys.
• Vagrant: These are birds that are usually found somewhere else but have accidentally ended up at Ashmore Reef. It's like a bird getting lost and ending up in a new place!

• Commonwealth of Australia. (2002). Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve and Cartier Island Marine Reserve (Commonwealth Waters) Management Plans. Environment Australia: Canberra.