Muttonbird Island, Off Coffs Harbour
Muttonbird Island Nature Reserve is a nature reserve off the shore of Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia, on the southern boundary of the Solitary Islands Marine Park. It is linked to the mainland by a causeway, which acts as the northern breakwater for the harbour. With over 5,500 breeding pairs, it is a major breeding ground for wedge-tailed shearwaters (Puffinus pacificus), known locally as muttonbirds, which migrate annually to the Philippines but return to breed on the island.
References
- ^ Lane, S. G. (1979). Summary of the breeding seabirds on New South Wales coastal islands. Corella, 3, 7-10.
- ^ NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. (2004). Muttonbird Island - Nature Reserve: Dept of Environment and Conservation.
- ^ Floyd, R. B., & Swanson, N. M. (1983). Wedge-tailed Shearwaters on Muttonbird Island: an estimate of the breeding success and the breeding population. Emu, 82, 244-250. doi:10.1071/MU9820244s