{{Short description|Lagoon in Timor-Leste}} thumb|right|View of lake with waterbirds in the distance thumb|right|Mangrove-lined channel at the lake outlet towards the beach {{Infobox Chinese | tet = Bemalae | pt = Lago Bemalae }} '''Lake Be Malae''', also spelt '''Bemalae''', is a {{convert|3,000|ha}} lagoon in the district of Bobonaro on the north-west coast of Timor-Leste, a country occupying the eastern end of the island of Timor in the Lesser Sunda Islands of Wallacea.<ref name=ibaa/>

==Description== The lake is a broad and shallow expanse of saline water and mudflats which sometimes largely dries up. Its margins are vegetated by mangroves and dry forest. Its outlet is a winding, mangrove-lined channel leading to the sea.<ref name=ibaa>{{cite book |title=Important Bird Areas of Asia: Key Sites for Conservation |vauthors=Chan S, Crosby MJ, Islam MZ, Tordoff AW |year=2004 |series=BirdLife Conservation Series |publisher=BirdLife International |location=Cambridge |isbn= 9780946888542 |pages=259–260 |url= }}</ref><ref name=bli/>

==Birds== The lake and its surrounds have been identified by BirdLife International as a 28,000&nbsp;ha Important Bird Area because they support populations of bar-necked cuckoo-doves, pink-headed imperial pigeons, jonquil parrots, streak-breasted honeyeaters, plain gerygones, fawn-breasted whistlers, green figbirds, olive-brown orioles, buff-banded thicketbirds, white-bellied bush chats and flame-breasted sunbirds.<ref name=bli>{{cite web |url= http://www.birdlife.org |title= Be Malae-Atabae|accessdate=19 March 2014 |work= Important Bird Areas factsheet |publisher= BirdLife International |year=2014 }}</ref>

==See also== * List of Important Bird Areas in Timor-Leste

==References== {{reflist}}

{{Coord|08|52|S|125|00|E|region:TL_type:waterbody|display=title}}

Category:Bodies of water of Timor-Leste Category:Important Bird Areas of Timor-Leste Category:Bobonaro Municipality Category:Lagoons of Asia

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