Bird watching

Australia has hundreds and hundreds of magnificent bird species to view, from bustards, bee-eaters, and buttonquails to penguins, petrels, and parrots. These colourful, captivating, and intriguing winged-wonders whizz around the countryside providing endless joy for birdwatchers young and old.And if you’re itching for some twitching, then you must check out these prime bird-watching sites. From east to west and everywhere in between, here are the top 10 best Australian bird-watching spots.
Mission Beach, QLD
The cassowary is Australia’s second-largest bird (after the emu) but is much more exciting to find in the wild. These huge birds stand up to 2m tall and look sort of like an overgrown turkeys. The rainforest around Mission Beach in far north Queensland is one of the best places to see them and they sometimes even come onto lawns around town. Keep your distance – they have been known to attack people.
Kakadu National Park, NT
Kakadu National Park is a wonderland for wildlife, and you’ll find 280 species of birds in the park. It’s especially good for waterbirds, which are drawn to the vast wetlands and billabongs. Key species to watch out for include magpie geese, large-billed pelicans, and brightly coloured kingfishers.
Daintree Rainforest, QLD
More than 400 bird species can be found in the Daintree region of far north Queensland. Keen birdwatchers can see nine out of 10 Australian kingfisher species along with honeyeaters, herons, robins, parrots and cassowaries. Take an early morning cruise along the Daintree River for guaranteed sightings.
Scenic Rim, QLD
Roughly 300 species live in the Scenic Rim region in southeast Queensland and at least half of these are seen on a regular basis. To assist visitors, the local tourist board has established the Feathered Friends Trail, a driving route that takes in places with the highest concentration of birds. You can see every species of raptor (birds of prey) here, including the wedge-tailed eagle, as well as black cockatoos, bowerbirds and lyrebirds.
Lord Howe Island, NSW
This little island is a great example of how isolation can impact birdlife. The whole island is a World Heritage area, meaning all wildlife is protected, and there is a high concentration of nesting seabirds. Look out for the flightless Lord Howe woodhen pecking through the subtropical rainforest or curious petrels, which will fly down to see people as they climb Mt Gower.