Keep River Important Bird Area
Encyclopedia
The Keep River Important Bird Area is a 983 km2 tract of land on the upper Keep River straddling the border between Western Australia
and the Northern Territory
. It lies at an altitude of 150–210 m and is about 400 km south-west of Darwin
and 40 km east of Kununurra
.
es. Most of it consists of land within the Keep River National Park
and the Newry Station
pastoral lease
in the Northern Territory, but it also includes some pastoral land in Western Australia. The area is dominated by grassland
and by open savanna
woodland
containing an understorey of native grass
es on sandstone
. The climate is highly monsoon
al, with an average annual rainfall of 873 mm (recorded at Newry Station) falling mainly from December to March. The ranges are drained by a network of ephemeral creeks, with the larger watercourses retaining pools of water through the dry season
. As well as the presence of persistent waterholes for drinking, key features of suitable Gouldian Finch habitat result from the area’s history of low grazing pressure and few widespread hot bushfire
s, so allowing grasses to seed for the finches to feed on, and providing hollow
-bearing trees for them to nest in.
as an Important Bird Area
(IBA) because it supports a significant population of the endangered Gouldian Finch as well as populations of Bush Stone-curlew
s, Australian Bustard
s, White-quilled Rock-pigeon
s, Varied Lorikeet
s, Northern Rosella
s, White-gaped
, Yellow-tinted
, Bar-breasted
and Banded Honeyeater
s, Silver-crowned Friarbird
s, Sandstone Shrike-thrush
es, and Star
, Masked
and Long-tailed Finch
es.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
and the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
. It lies at an altitude of 150–210 m and is about 400 km south-west of Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
and 40 km east of Kununurra
Kununurra, Western Australia
Kununurra is a town in far northern Western Australia located at the eastern extremity of the Kimberley Region approximately from the border with the Northern Territory. Kununurra was initiated to service the Ord River Irrigation scheme....
.
Description
The site is defined by the presence of habitat known to support Gouldian FinchGouldian Finch
The Gouldian Finch, Erythrura gouldiae , also known as the Lady Gouldian Finch, Gould's Finch or the Rainbow Finch, is a colorful passerine bird endemic to Australia. There is strong evidence of a continuing decline, even at the best-known site near Katherine in the Northern Territory...
es. Most of it consists of land within the Keep River National Park
Keep River National Park
Keep River National Park is in the Northern Territory of Australia, 418 km southwest of Darwin and 468 km west of Katherine. The nearest town is Kununurra in Western Australia.-Environment:...
and the Newry Station
Newry Station
Newry Station is a 2500 km2 pastoral lease in the Northern Territory of Australia. It adjoins the Territory’s border with Western Australia and is operated as a cattle station by the Consolidated Pastoral Company .-Description:...
pastoral lease
Pastoral lease
A pastoral lease is Crown land that government allows to be leased, generally for the purposes of farming.-Australia:Pastoral leases exist in both Australian commonwealth law and state jurisdictions....
in the Northern Territory, but it also includes some pastoral land in Western Australia. The area is dominated by grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
and by open savanna
Savanna
A savanna, or savannah, is a grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of C4 grasses.Some...
woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
containing an understorey of native grass
Grass
Grasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns ...
es on sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
. The climate is highly monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
al, with an average annual rainfall of 873 mm (recorded at Newry Station) falling mainly from December to March. The ranges are drained by a network of ephemeral creeks, with the larger watercourses retaining pools of water through the dry season
Dry season
The dry season is a term commonly used when describing the weather in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which oscillates from the northern to the southern tropics over the course of the year...
. As well as the presence of persistent waterholes for drinking, key features of suitable Gouldian Finch habitat result from the area’s history of low grazing pressure and few widespread hot bushfire
Bushfires in Australia
Bushfires in Australia are frequently occurring events during the hotter months of the year due to Australia's mostly hot, dry climate. Large areas of land are ravaged every year by bushfires, which also cause property damage and loss of life....
s, so allowing grasses to seed for the finches to feed on, and providing hollow
Tree hollow
A tree hollow or tree hole is a semi-enclosed cavity which has naturally formed in the trunk or branch of a tree. These are predominantly found in old trees, whether living or not...
-bearing trees for them to nest in.
Birds
The site has been identified by BirdLife InternationalBirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...
as an Important Bird Area
Important Bird Area
An Important Bird Area is an area recognized as being globally important habitat for the conservation of bird populations. Currently there are about 10,000 IBAs worldwide. The program was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife International...
(IBA) because it supports a significant population of the endangered Gouldian Finch as well as populations of Bush Stone-curlew
Bush Stone-curlew
The Bush Stone-curlew or Bush Thick-knee is a large, ground-dwelling bird endemic to Australia...
s, Australian Bustard
Australian Bustard
The Australian Bustard, Ardeotis australis, is a large ground bird of grassland, woodland and open agricultural country across northern Australia and southern New Guinea. It is also commonly referred to in Central Australia as the Bush Turkey, particularly by Aboriginal people.The male is up to ...
s, White-quilled Rock-pigeon
White-quilled Rock-Pigeon
The White-quilled Rock Pigeon is a species of bird in the Columbidae family. It is endemic to Australia.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 24 July 2007....
s, Varied Lorikeet
Varied Lorikeet
The Varied Lorikeet is a species of parrot in the Psittacidae family.It is endemic to northern Australia.-Description:...
s, Northern Rosella
Northern Rosella
The Northern Rosella , also known as Brown's Parakeet or Smutty Rosella, is found in Australia's Top End. It is unusually coloured for a rosella, with a dark crown and white cheeks similar to its relatives the Pale-headed Rosella and the Eastern Rosella.At 28 cm long it is smaller than all bar...
s, White-gaped
White-gaped Honeyeater
The White-gaped Honeyeater is a species of bird in the Meliphagidae family.It is endemic to Australia.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical mangrove forests....
, Yellow-tinted
Yellow-tinted Honeyeater
The Yellow-tinted Honeyeater is a species of bird in the Meliphagidae family.It is found in Australia and Papua New Guinea....
, Bar-breasted
Bar-breasted Honeyeater
The Bar-breasted Honeyeater is a species of bird in the Meliphagidae family.It is endemic to Australia.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 27 July 2007....
and Banded Honeyeater
Banded Honeyeater
The Banded Honeyeater is a species of bird in the Meliphagidae family.It is endemic to Australia.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical mangrove forests, and Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . ...
s, Silver-crowned Friarbird
Silver-crowned Friarbird
The Silver-crowned Friarbird is a species of bird in the Meliphagidae family.It is endemic to Australia.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical mangrove forests.-References:...
s, Sandstone Shrike-thrush
Sandstone Shrike-thrush
The Sandstone Shrikethrush is a species of bird in the Colluricinclidae family.It is endemic to Australia.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 25 July 2007....
es, and Star
Star Finch
The Star Finch is a species of estrildid finch found in Australia. It inhabits dry grassland and dry savanna habitats.-Subspecies:It has three subspecies:...
, Masked
Masked Finch
The Masked Finch is a small passerine bird in the estrildid finch family, Estrildidae. It is a common resident of dry savanna across northern Australia, from the Kimberley, across the Top End, the Gulf country and the southern part of Cape York Peninsula, as far east as Chillagoe, but always near...
and Long-tailed Finch
Long-tailed Finch
The Long-tailed Finch is a common species of estrildid finch found in Australia; also known as the Blackheart Finch, Shaft-tail Finch, Heck's Grassfinch, Heck's Grass Finch, and Heck's Finch. It is a predominantly fawn-coloured bird with a pale grey head and prominent black bib and eyes...
es.