Birding Map of Australia

The Best Places for Bird-Watching in Australia

The following information is a overview only of some of the hundreds of bird-watching habitats in Australia. Simply use as a guide to research further before planning your bird watching trip.

Queensland

Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park

Cape York: Palm Cockatoo, Golden Bowerbird, Eclectus Parrot and Yellow-billed Kingfisher

There are birds found in the very top part of Australia, Cape York, that are found nowhere else in the country. They are also unusually colourful and unique.

Atherton Tablelands, Mount Lewis NP / Kuranda NP

Qld Tropics: Golden Bowerbird, Victoria's Riflebird, Chowchilla

The Atherton Tablelands stretch west of Cairns from Atherton in the south to west of Port Douglas 100kms to the north.

Within this are are a large number of National Parks including the Mount Lewis NP, Kuranda NP, Dinden NP and the Barren Gorge NP.

Daintree

Qld Tropics: Cassowary, Rainforest species

Lamington National Park

Eastern Ranges: Cassowary, Rainforest species

Over 200 recorded birds are found including bush birds and birds of prey. Can easily be found as many birds are comfortable with humans and can be found from tree-top walks, boardwalks, hiking tracks and the world renowned O'Reillys Rainforest Retreat.

New South Wales

Capertee Valley near Capertee National Park

Eastern Seaboard (Ranges): Bush Birds, Water Birds, Birds of Prey

Capertee Valley is Australia's widest enclosed valley creating a habitat for a wide range of Bush, water and prey birds. 240 species, including endangered ones like the Diamond Firetail, Regent Honeyeater and Hooded Robin can be found while parrots, honeyeaters, finches, and birds of pre can easily and often be seen right from the roadside.

Blue Mountains National Park

Eastern Seaboard (Ranges): Bush Birds, Water Birds, Birds of Prey

The unique Bell Miner or Bellbird can be heard and seen along tracks like Blue Gum Swamp Track at Winmalee and the Gang-gang Cockatoos can be found near Lithgow.

You may also see Bowerbirds, Silvereyes, a large variety of Honeyeaters, the colourful Crimson Rosella and a variety of Robins.

Royal National Park

Eastern Seaboard (Ranges): Bush Birds, Water Birds, Birds of Prey

The second oldest national park in the world has a diversity of landscapes including majestic sandstone escarpments, dense rainforests as well as heathlands and wetlands.

With over 300 varieties of bird life, including 280 native birds, most species can be found of some variety in the park.

Wollongong Wetlands inc Lake Illawarra

Eastern Seaboard (Coast): Bush Birds, Water Birds, Birds of Prey

Over 350 varieties of bird life can be found along the golden beaches, wetlands in the form of rivers and lakes, dense rainforests and open eucalypt woodlands and heathlands.

Menindee Lakes and Kinchega National Park

Central Channel Country (Darling River): Bush Birds, Water Birds, Birds of Prey, Migratory

Dependent on water levels in the lake the diversity of bird life extends from common wagtails and honeyeaters to many form of water and shore birds, many migratory.

Mungo National Park

Central Channel Country (Arid): Diverse arid dwelling bush birds,

A surprisingly good spot to venture to for the photo enthusiast and bird watcher. The sculptured sand dunes and surroundings provide an opportunity to find various Mallee birds including the emu-wren, grasswren, ringneck and chestnut quail-thrush along with hundreds of cockatoos and the less obvious mulga parrot, bluebonnet and regent parrot.

Victoria

Wilsons Promontory National Park

South Eastern [Coast]: Diverse shore and water birds, bush birds and birds of prey

The variety of Wilsons Promontory is the coastal heathlands where you may find the elusive Ground Parrot to the mountainous woodlands and the colourful Gang Gang Cockatoos. Other birds not seen in many other places are the Olive Whistler, Crescent Honeyeater, Southern Emuwren, Beautiful Firetail, Bassian Thrush and Flame Robin.

Hattah-Kulkyne National Park

Central Channel Country (Murray River): Water birds; mallee dwelling bush birds; Lots of Emus!

As well as the emus who can be very inquisitive there are water birds (of course) like various ducks and swans, birds of prey with falcons, kestrels and wedgetailed eagles. There can be found the iconic Bellbird and the colourful Regent Parrot along with a variety of Honereaters.

And expecially if you are with a tour you may find the elusive Mallee Fowl or at least see one of their spectacular nests.

Chiltern-Mount Pilot National Park

South Eastern [Highlands]: Diverse shore and water birds, bush birds and birds of prey

With wetlands, drier bush woods of the lower reaches and wetter mountain forests over 220 varieties of birds have been 'spotted' in the ares surrounding the Chitern Mount Pilot National Park. 180 of these are regular inhabitants. Threatened woodland birds such as Swift Parrot, Turquoise Parrot, Regent Honeyeater and the Square-tailed Kite have been seen as regulars or visitors.

Western Treatment Plant

South Eastern [Coast/Urban]: Diverse shore and water birds, bush birds and birds of prey

Restricted area and a permit is required from Parks Victoria.

The Grampians National Park

South Eastern [West Victorian Ranges]: birds of prey, bush birds and water birds

With the Halls Gap Botanic Gardens for bush birds, the rugged mountain cliffs and their birds of prey as well as the nearby Yatmerone Reserve where you will find a variety of waterbirds the Grampians National Park is certainly a place to stop at for twitching!

Great Otway National Park

South Eastern [Coast/Forest]: Coastal shore and water birds, bush birds

The diverse coastal, forest and heathland habitats provide a great opportunity to find a number of Robins, Whistlers and Honeresters along with the regular array of Parrots and Wattlebirds.

Along the coast and wetlands you may see among regular shore birds the occasional Hooded Plovers and Australasian Gannets.

South Australia

Coorong and Lake Alexandrina

South Eastern [Coast]: Coastal shore and water birds

Among the large number of coastal lakes, lagoons and wetlands you will find the regular Australian waterbirds like Pelicans, Swans, Egrets, Stints and Avocets along with the harder to find Red-necked Stints and Banded Stilts.

The Riverland: Gluepot Reserve

Central Channel Country (Arid): Diverse arid dwelling bush birds

With the chance to see the rare to find Malleefowl and the Red-lored whistler it is worth the 40km drive north of Waikerie along dusty roads to this remote bird sancturary. With over 180 birds sighted and some 35 plus endangered species the bird hide and walking tracks are good starters to find them.

The Riverland: Banrock Station

Central Channel Country (Murray River): Water birds, wetland and arid dwelling bush birds

The stunning Murray River wetland habitat on the edge of the dry Mallee to the south provides for great (and comfortable) birdwatching with over 190 species including Regent Parrots and Musk Ducks along with many more.

Flinders Ranges

Central Channel Country (Arid): Diverse arid dwelling bush birds, birds of prey

With the world famous Wilpena Pound and Melrose we have a diverse number of bush birds and birds of prey including the Wedge-taileed Eagle to spot. Birds are more active during winter and early spring due to the temperatures that can be experienced in summer.

Western Australia

Fitzgerald River National Park

South Western Australia (Coast): bush birds, water and shore birds including migratory, birds of prey

The coastline and many waterways, rivers, mallee-heaths and woodlands of the Fitzgerald National Park stretching from Bremer Bay on the western edge to Hopetoun in the east is home to an extensive and unique flora and is subsequently over 200 bird species.

Plovers, Ducks including the Chestnut Teal, Rock Parrot, Southern Emu-Wren, Western Bristlebird and Wattlebird and Black Cockatoos are just a few of the birds found along with the regulars like Pelicans etc.

Cheynes Beach and Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve

South Western Australia (Coast): bush birds, water and shore birds including migratory, birds of prey

The diverse coastal habitats of the Albany coastline that includes wetlands, coastal, heathland and forest sees species including waterbirds, honeyeaters, parrots, wrens, birds of prey like Osprey, and many migratory birds in spring and summer.

Roebuck Bay and Broome Bird Observatory

North Western Australia (Coast): water and shore birds including migratory; birds of prey and bush birds inland

The northern part of Western Australia hosts vast numbers of migratory shorebirds including godwits, stints and sandpipers travelling all the way from Siberia. Many of these continue further south to the wetlands and shores around Perth and Mandurah.

The best time to visit for bird watching is September to November (spring) and early summer to January to capture the shore birds in breeding and it is neccesary to check tide times so that you see them at low tide accessing the mudflats to feed.

Northern Territory

West MacDonnell National Park

Central Desert: Arid dwelling bush birds and birds of prey; water birds at water holes

Water sources as Ormiston Gorge and Simpsons Gap are a great early day habitat to find the Little Pied Cormorant and Darter while bush birds such as Honeyeaters, Fairywrens, Rainbow Bee-Eaters, Weebills and similar can be found.

Away from the water you will still find unqiue birds like the Zebra Finch and birds of prey.

Kakadu National Park

North Western Australia (Coast): water including migratory; birds of prey and bush birds inland

Any time of the year is suitable for bird watching in Kakadu as in the dry season (May to October) you will find the woodlands and rugged terrain home to bush birds as well as some water birds while the wet season from November to Arpil offers a great variety of other water birds in the wetlands.

Tasmania

Bruny Island and Tasman Natioonal Park

Tasmainian Southern Islands and Peninsulas: Water birds, bush birds

Bruny Island, accessed by ferry; the Tasman National Park, accessed through Eaglehawk Neck and the Mortimer Bay Coastal Reserve are good bird watching hot-spots close the Hobart.

There are 12 birds endemic to Tasmania so grab a list of these before heading to places like South Bruny Island.

Tasmania the temporary home to many migratory birds like the Short-tailed Shearwaters (mutton birds) who travel all the way from Alaska to southern Victorian and Tasmanian coast lines every year. Tasmania is also home to many endangered birds like the Hooded Plovers, Forty-spotted Pardalote and Swift Parrot.

Stacpoole Music and Internet Mount Barker WA

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Indentifying Australian Birds

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