Goyder Lagoon

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The IBA is an important site for Inland Dotterels

Goyder Lagoon is a large ephemeral swamp in arid north-eastern South Australia. It is part of the Diamantina River floodplain, lying beside the Birdsville Track close to the state border with Queensland. Exceptionally large floods in the Georgina-Mulligan River system may contribute water to the north-western side of Goyder Lagoon via Eyre Creek and the Warburton River. Most of the lagoon consists of shallow, braided micro-channels. It lies within the Clifton Hills cattle grazing pastoral lease. Median annual rainfall is 100–150 mm and average maximum summer temperatures are 36-39 Celsius.[1]

Birds

An area of 2684 km2 containing Goyder Lagoon has been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area (IBA) principally because, when flooded, it supports large numbers of waterbirds, with a total of 170,000 estimated from aerial surveys in 2002. The largest waterbird aggregations are found on the southern side of the lagoon, including several species of cormorants, ducks, herons and ibises.[1] The IBA supports over 1% of the world populations of Freckled Ducks, Gull-billed Terns and breeding Royal Spoonbills. A small population of Yellow Chats occurs at the Koonchera waterhole. Other bird species for which the site is important include the Letter-winged Kite, Inland Dotterel, Grey and Eyrean Grasswrens, Black and Pied Honeyeaters, Gibberbird, Banded Whiteface, Chirruping Wedgebill and Cinnamon Quail-thrush.[2]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 BirdLife International. (2011). Important Bird Areas factsheet: Goyder Lagoon. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 28/06/2011
  2. ↑ "IBA: Goyder Lagoon". Birdata. Birds Australia. Retrieved 2011-06-28. 

Coordinates: 26°47′04″S 139°08′01″E / 26.78444°S 139.13361°E / -26.78444; 139.13361

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