TheLake Hawdon System Important Bird Area comprises an area of 374 square kilometres (144 square miles) covering a series of five coastal lakes on theLimestone Coast ofSouth Australia. They are the most important of a string of regional lakes occupyingswale corridors between modern and historicalsand dunes.[1]
TheImportant Bird Area (IBA) lies between the towns ofRobe andBeachport. It includes the following lakes listed in order from north to south - Hawdon, Robe, Eliza, St Clair and George, and the area extending for a distance of one kilometre (0.62 mi) inland from each in order to include habitat used bycritically endangeredorange-bellied parrots. Characteristics of the lakes are:[1]
The wetland system was identified byBirdLife International as an IBA because it regularly supports over 1% of the world populations ofred-necked stint, and often ofsharp-tailed sandpipers,double-banded plovers andbanded stilts. It also provides habitat for orange-bellied parrots,Australasian bitterns,rufous bristlebirds andstriated fieldwrens.[1] The adjacent beaches and offshore islets, from Cowrtie Island[clarification needed] toBaudin Rocks, sometimes support breedingfairy terns.[1]
While the IBA has no statutory status, it does overlap the followingprotected areas declared by theSouth Australian government:Beachport Conservation Park,Lake Robe Game Reserve,Lake St Clair Conservation Park andLittle Dip Conservation Park.[1]
37°16′34″S139°55′35″E / 37.27611°S 139.92639°E /-37.27611; 139.92639
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