Bird Watching

This area is famous for its bird watching

Much of Atherton Tablelands, which is in the Wet Tropics World Heritage area. There is a wide diversity of habitats, from upland rainforest, wet sclerophyll forest and eucalypt woodlands, to wetlands and farmlands. 

More than 370 bird species - Wet Tropics is home to nearly half of Australias birds which means that the region harbours more than 370 bird species, in a relatively small area. A high proportion of these are endemic, which means they are found nowhere else in the world.

Endemic Species - 13 species are known to be strictly endemic to the Wet Tropics and 9 of them are from the uplands with the other 4 ranging down to lower altitudes. The Upland endemic birds are: Tooth-billed Catbird, Golden Bowerbird, Bridled Honeyeater, Fern Wren, Atherton Scrubwren, Mountain Thornbill, Grey-headed Robin, Chowchilla, Bowers Shrike-thrush. The other four endemics are: Lesser Sooty Owl, Macleays Honeyeater, Victorias Riflebird, Pied Monarch. There are another ten birds with subspecies restricted to the Wet Tropics area and these are: Australian King Parrot , Double-eyed Fig Parrot , Pale-yellow Robin, Yellow-breasted Boatbill, Grey Fantail, Eastern Whipbird, Brown Gerygone, Spotted Catbird, Satin Bowerbird, Boobook Owl.

Birdwatching sites on the Atherton Tablelands

Northern Region:

Mt Molloy & Julatten - Australian Bustard, Red Goshawk, Buff Breasted Button Quail.

Mareeba Wetlands Reserve – Via Pickford Road, Biboohra. Pink-eared Ducks, Green & Cotton Pygmy Geese, Grebes, Whistling Ducks, Wood Ducks, Black Swans, Magpie Geese, Egrets, Spoonbills, Jabirus & Brolgas. Paid guided tours available. Small Fee to enter reserve.

Nardellos Lagoon – Kennedy Highway, Walkamin Waterbirds & Sea Eagles.

Central Region:

Hasties Swamp National Park - Just on the outskirts of Atherton on the Herberton Rd, this wetlands has a bird hide for viewing the many water species. Migratory species such as Magpie Geese, Sarus Cranes and Brolgas join ducks, and other water species. This is a world class facility being used daily early morning and evening by eager bird watchers and those that just want to sit and relax, overlooking the lake. It is frequented by large numbers of resident and migrant birds with more than 190 species being recorded there. Click here to open a pdf document with a full list of birds that have been seen here.

Hallorans Hill Conservation Park – Louise Street, Atherton - Barred Cuckoo-Shrike, Pacific Baza & Macleays Honeyeater.

Mt Baldy State Forest – From Atherton, take the Herberton Road for a bit over a kilometre to Rifle Range Road on your right. About half a kilometre along, take the right fork to the rifle range and a carpark on Thompson Creek.

Wongabel State Forest, Kennedy Highway, 8km south of Atherton. - Tooth Billed Bowerbird Victorias Riflebird White eared Monarch, Red necked Crake & Little Kingfisher

Lake Tinaroo and the Danbulla State Forest Drive - A number of spots around the lake are very good. The reforested area of Pelican Point is a popular nesting area, you may see Pelicans, ducks, Black-shouldered Kites and other birds of prey, Purple Swamphens, White-throated Gerygones and large numbers of Golden-headed Cisticolas. Around other areas of shoreline you will see kingfishers and Comb-crested Jacanas (lotus birds), plus other birds already mentioned. Pelican Point is on the way towards Tinaroo Dam, and about 2.5 kms north of Kairi, turn right down Malcolm Drive. Travel another 700 metres, turn left down Foster Road and park in the car park.

Yungaburra Township and Petersen Creek are great birdwatching areas with both rainforest and open eucalypt forest species.

Crater lakes National Park, Lake Barrine and Lake Eacham Sections -The upland tropical rainforest is home to many Wet Tropics endemic species that can be seen here; Southern Boobook, Atherton Scrubwren, Mountain Thornbill, Macleays Honeyeater, Bridled Honeyeater, Grey-headed Robin, Chowchilla, Bowers Shrike-thrush, Pied Monarch, Victorias Riflebird, Double-eyed Fig Parrots, Tooth-billed Bowerbird, Lesser Sooty Owl & Fernwren.

Curtain Fig State Forest - Favourites are the Bowers Shrike Thrush, Rufous Owl and Metallic Starlings, Double-eyed Fig-Parrots, Yellow Breasted Boatbill & other rainforest birds.

Malanda Falls Environmental Park - Variety of rainforest birds

Bromfield Swamp - near Malanda is good for early morning or late afternoon viewing. From July to November you can see Brolgas and Sarus Cranes.

Mt Hypipamee National Park - features such endemics as Fernwrens, Golden Bowerbirds, Bridled Honey Eater and Mountain Thornbirds

Southern Region :

Millstream Falls National Park - Forest birds, Parrots, Olive backed Oriole, Black breasted Buzzard &White throated, White naped, White cheeked & Fuscous Honeyeaters.

Wooroonooran National Park – Mt Bartle Frere - Grassbirds, Red browed Firetails, Chestnut-breasted Mannikins, Banded Rails, Brown Quails, birds of prey, cassowaries & cattle egrets an be seen mainly throughout winter. You can access this area via Topaz Road, near Malanda.

Images from top: Australian King Parrot, Atherton Scrub Wren, Bridled Honeyeater, Macleays Honeyeater, Victorias Rifle Bird, Grey Headed Robin.