Story: Birds on the Sandbar
Episode: 16
Presenter: Trevor Cochrane
Air Date: 7 June 2026

Trevor discovers the many exotic species of bird to be observed at the Rowley Shoals.

• The Rowley Shoals, located off the coast of Western Australia, are renowned for their coral reef system and are popular for scuba diving, snorkelling and fishing.
• Bedwell Island, situated within Clerke Atoll approximately 300 km west of Broome, is an important breeding site for seabirds.
• Bedwell Island is home to Western Australia’s only breeding colony of red-tailed tropicbirds.
• Red-tailed tropicbirds build nests using natural materials such as limestone, driftwood and marine debris to raise their chicks.
• Conservation efforts have included the installation of artificial nesting structures, which have significantly improved breeding success rates.
• The red-tailed tropicbird breeding season runs from October to May, making this the best time for visitors to observe the birds nesting.
• Adult red-tailed tropicbirds spend most of their lives at sea, returning to islands like Bedwell only to lay eggs and raise their young.
• Migratory seabirds visiting Bedwell Island travel vast distances, with some arriving from nearby Indonesia and others from as far away as Siberia.

For more information, head to
kimberleyexpeditions.com.au