 Geographic Range
BAWA covers the entire state of Western Australia, and also reports on the birds of Cocos (Keeling) Island, Christmas Island and Ashmore Reef.
Latest News
SUZANNE MATHER, BAWA, reports: The endangered Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoo could be thought of as an iconic bird for Western Australians. Traditionally, their arrival on the coastal plain in autumn was seen as the harbinger of rain (in the days when the rain regularly began after a long, hot summer). Early reports are of flocks of hundreds arriving, with their almost constant calling and lovely looping flight, and marauding suburban almond and macadamia nuts. Sadly, this is no longer the case. They still arrive on cue but in far smaller numbers and it is estimated that the population has halved in the last fifty years and continues to fall.
 The good news is that BAWA was successful in receiving an Australian Government Caring for Our Country Grant of $160,000, for the identification, protection and management of critical feeding habitats for this species. One of the difficulties of work with Carnaby’s is that there are many stakeholders and there is a real need for improved communication, planning and action. With this in mind, in late 2008 BAWA initiated a symposium and workshop, in partnership with WWF Australia and the State’s Department of Environment and Conservation, to synthesise the work that has already occurred under the current recovery project, identify ongoing challenges and prioritise the critical recovery actions needed for the next five to ten years. The vision for the species was defined as: By 2050 Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoo has a secure and self-sustaining population, occupies an expanded range compared to 2008, and is delisted as an endangered species.
Further good news is that following submissions by BAWA and others the Australian Government recommended that a proposal from The University of Western Australia to clear a regionally significant bushland site used by the cockatoo not be approved and the university withdrew the proposal.
 Postgraduate Scholarship for AOC 2009
Birds Australia Western Australia is offering postgraduate student sponsorship to facilitate the participation of Western Australian students in the Australasian Ornithological Conference 2009.
Sponsorships of $500 are offered and will be allocated on the basis of the merit, quality and relevance of the applicant’s research.
Applicants are asked to:
• Submit 500 words outlining their work and detailing the stage they have reached
• Submit an abstract of not more than 250 words for the paper they propose to present to the AOC2009
• Submit by 30th June 2009 to Birds Australia Western Australia
A panel of scientists and representatives from Birds Australia Western Australia will review the applications and decide on who is to receive these. Successful applicants will be notified by email or post by the 31st July 2009 and a cheque for $500 will be forwarded.
Conditions for this assistance are that applicants:
• Are enrolled for a postgraduate degree that is relevant to ornithology
• Are resident in Western Australia
• Have registered to attend the AOC2009 for at least one day
• Are prepared to present a paper at this conference
• Have not received any other subsidy or grant to attend the AOC2009
 BAWA Postgraduate Student Sponsorship Application Form (46kb)
 Special Birds of the Region
Almost 550 species have been recorded in Western Australia. 387 species have been recorded breeding. 16 species are endemic to Western Australia. These are Carnaby's Black-Cockatoo, Baudin's Black-Cockatoo, Western Corella, Western Rosella, Red-capped Parrot, Noisy Scrub-bird, Red-winged Fairy-wren, Black Grasswren, Western Bristlebird, Dusky Gerygone, Western Thornbill, Western Wattlebird, Kimberley Honeyeater, Western Spinebill, White-breasted Robin and Red-eared Firetail. Many other species have unique sub species in Western Australia such as Western Whipbird, Crested (Western) Shrike-tit and Lemon-bellied (Kimberley) Flycatcher. Still more species are eagerly sort by visitors to Western Australia such as Soft-plumaged Petrel, Red-tailed Tropicbird, Square-tailed Kite, Asian Dowitcher, Princess Parrot, Rock Parrot, Splendid Fairy-wren, Blue-breasted Fairy-wren, Western Yellow Robin, Rufous Treecreeper, Yellow Chat.
 Projects in the Region
BAWA members are involved in many of the national projects such as the Atlas of Australian Birds and Important Bird Areas. We also undertake a number of projects specific to Western Australia.
Activities
From the office to excursions to participation in community education and consevation issues in Western Australia BAWA is a very active group. For an extensive list of the various activities going on please visit our Activities page.
Eyre Bird Observatory
The Eyre Bird Observatory operated by Birds Australia is situated just off the Eyre Highway near Cocklebiddy. Accommodation is available. More than 240 species of birds have been recorded.
Broome Bird Observatory
The Broome Bird Observatory is situated on the shore of Roebuck Bay near the extensive Crab Creek tidal mud flats. Broome is one of the premier birding sites in Australia. More than 300 species of birds have been recorded.
 What's On
For a list of events in WA, please check out our calendar
Contacts
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Hours: Weekdays 9:30am to 12:30pm
Office Manager, Liz Walker
Peregrine House
167 Perry Lakes Drive,
Floreat WA 6014
Tel +61 8 9383 7749
Fax +61 8 9387 8412
BAWA Committee:
Chairman, Bruce Haynes
Vice Chairman, Graham Wooller
Treasurer, Mary Vaughan
Secretary, Liz Walker
Committee Members: Mike Bamford, Bill Rutherford, Marion Massam, Sue Abbotts, Frank O’Connor, Kim Onton, Max Howard
PublicationsPublished quarterly, Western Australian Bird Notes includes articles relating to bird behaviour, interesting and unusual observations and BAWA project reports. It also gives notification of forthcoming events and reports of past excursions.
 Downloads
BAWA Organisational Chart
BAWA vs BAWA Inc
BAWA Nominations 2009
BAWA Minutes 2009
BAWA Inc Minutes 2009
BAWA EGM Minutes 19 January 2009
BAWA Annual Report 2008
 BAWA Minutes 2008 (389kb)
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