Bubali Bird Sanctuary
Map showing the location of Bubali Bird Sanctuary
Map showing the location of Bubali Bird Sanctuary
LocationAruba
Nearest cityPalm Beach
Coordinates12°33′35″N 70°02′58″W / 12.55972°N 70.04944°W / 12.55972; -70.04944
Area0.2 km2 (0.077 sq mi)[1]

The Bubali Bird Sanctuary (Dutch: Bubali vogelreservaat)[2] form a 20 ha[1] wetland area at the north-western end of the island of Aruba, a constituent country of the Dutch Caribbean. It has been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it and its surrounding vegetation support populations of a variety of birds, including threatened and restricted-range species as well as large seasonal numbers of migratory waders and neotropical passerines. Originally created as a wastewater treatment facility, the wetland is threatened by encroachment of aquatic vegetation decreasing the area of open water.[3]

Birds

Least grebes breed in the IBA

Waterbirds nesting in the IBA include American coots, common moorhens, white-cheeked pintails, least and pied-billed grebes, and green herons. There is a large roost of neotropic cormorants. The desert scrub vegetation along the seaward side provides habitat for nesting white-tailed nightjars, yellow warblers, burrowing owls, ruby-topaz hummingbirds, eared and common ground doves, and bananaquits.[3]

2018 fire

On 10 September 2018, the Bubali Bird Sanctuary caught fire. The fire fighters managed to contain the fire by 3 AM,[4] however 24% of the area was destroyed.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b "Bubali Pond Bird Sanctuary". Protected Planet. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  2. ^ "Bubali vogelreservaat". Beautiful Aruba (in Dutch). Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Bubali wetlands". BirdLife Data Zone. BirdLife International. 2007. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  4. ^ "Aruba Left Devastated After Bubali Bird Sanctuary Catches Fire". Visit Aruba. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  5. ^ "24% van de Bubali Plas ging in vlammen op". Government of Aruba (in Dutch). Retrieved 27 April 2021.


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