Bowen Island (Jervis Bay) facts for kids
Bowen Island is a small island made of sandstone. It's located about 250 meters (273 yards) off the coast of the Bherwerre Peninsula in Jervis Bay, Australia. Even though it's near New South Wales, the island is actually part of the Jervis Bay Territory. This means it's managed by the federal government of Australia, not the state. Bowen Island is also a special part of the Booderee National Park.
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What Bowen Island Looks Like
Bowen Island has a unique shape, like a tear drop. It's about 1.1 kilometers (0.68 miles) long from north to south and 600 meters (656 yards) wide. The eastern side of the island has steep cliffs facing the ocean. From these cliffs, the land slopes down to rocky areas at sea level on the western side. Much of the island is covered in sand blown by the wind. Different types of plants grow there, helping to keep the sand in place.
The island was named after Lieutenant Richard Bowen from the Royal Navy. Interestingly, another island called Bowen Island in Canada is named after his older brother, Rear-Admiral James Bowen.
Amazing Birds of Bowen Island
Bowen Island is a very important place for birds, especially those that nest near the sea. To protect these birds and their homes, the waters on the western side of the island are a special zone. This means that people generally cannot visit the island to avoid disturbing the birds.
Many different seabirds make their nests here. You might find sooty oystercatchers, which are birds with dark feathers and bright orange beaks. There are also three types of shearwaters: the little shearwater, the wedge-tailed shearwater, and the short-tailed shearwater. These birds are known for flying low over the water, almost "shearing" the waves.
The Little Penguin Colony
Bowen Island is famous for its large colony of little penguins. These are the smallest penguins in the world! The island is home to around 5,000 pairs of breeding penguins. Their numbers have grown a lot over the years. In 1979, there were about 1,000 breeding pairs. By 1985, that number grew to 1,500 pairs, and by 1993, it reached 2,500 pairs.
Scientists are very interested in the penguins on Bowen Island. In 2012, researchers marked over 50 individual penguins to study them. They also collected DNA samples and even micro-chipped some birds. The researchers visited the colony several times in 2013, and their findings will help us learn more about these amazing birds.
People have known about the penguins on Bowen Island for a long time. As far back as 1908, people described seeing large numbers of them. A description from 1948 even joked that "one is apt to trip over penguins if he wanders around at night," showing just how many there were!
Images for kids
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Cliffs on the southern coast of Bowen Island
