Birridas

Overview

Clay pans are Shark Bay's visual terrestrial attractions, known locally as birridas.

They range in size from small depressions about 100 metres in diameter to irregular shaped depressions which may be several kilometres long.

They commonly consist of a central, raised platform ringed by a moat-like depression which can fill with water to shallow level during very high winter tides when groundwater is raised.

Dormant eggs hatch after rain making the water come alive with horseshoe crabs and brine shrimp.

Migrating wading birds from as far away as Siberia then feed on these crustaceans.

Some birridas are connected to the sea by channels and receive seawater.

As these structures consist of a thin surface crust over a bog mire caused by groundwaters, motorists run the risk of becoming bogged and are advised not to drive on birridas.

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