 The lakes and their immediate surrounds, including the Munmorah State Conservation Area and most of the Wyrrabalong National Park, have been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because the shallow waters have extensive seagrass beds attracting large numbers of waterbirds, including over 1% of the world populations of sharp-tailed sandpipers and chestnut teals.The adjacent forests and woodlands provide habitat for endangered swift parrots and regent honeyeaters in the non-breeding season.Australasian and black bitterns are sometimes recorded in the IBA.