birding in New South Wales
With diverse ecological habitats, New South Wales contains temperate rainforests on the east coast and Dividing Range, and drier eucalypt woodlands to semi-arid lands in the west. There are a number of areas where there is a cross-over of dry land birds and moist climate birds, making for excellent birding – and long lists!
The rare Rockwarbler in NSW’s only endemic bird, and other specialties include Superb Lyrebird, the endangered Regent Honeyeater, Superb Fairy-wren, Barking and Powerful Owls, and Bush Stone-curlew. Further north, and close to the coast are Logrunner, Regent Bowerbird and Eastern Bristlebird, and woodland regions can produce Crested Bellbird, Hall’s Babbler and Chestnut-breasted Quail-thrush.
Full Day Best of Sydney Birding – ex Sydney
Depart Sydney city, cross the spectacular Sydney Harbour Bridge and onto Sydney Olympic Park/ Bicentennial Park with its important wetland ecosystem offering access to wetlands, saltmarsh and bird hides. Our ornithologist leader will offer a broad range of birding as we explore this rich area. Continue west and climb into the World Heritage listed Blue Mountains National Park. Enjoy morning tea deep in the Australian bush.
Within the Blue Mountains, see wild kangaroos up close as well as excellent views of amazing parrots and cockatoos. The tour combines spectacular waterfalls and lookouts over breathtaking canyons with superb birdwatching opportunities. Many forest and heathland species will be found in this rich area. The day will also include the famous Blue Mountains icon - the Three Sisters. Return to Sydney with life time memories of spectacular birdwatching and Blue Mountains scenery.
Private tour – departs any day, subject to availability of birding guide.
Tour Code: BS1SB
To add this tour to your itinerary enquiry, please include the tour code.
Birding Highlights
Sydney Olympic Park – Water-birds such as Chestnut and Grey Teal, Purple Swamphen, Dusky Moorhen, Black-winged Stilt.
Euroka Clearing – Eastern Grey Kangaroos in the wild – Kookaburra, Australian Raven, Eastern Yellow Robin, Australian Magpie, Satin Bowerbird.
Kings Tableland – White-throated Treecreeper, New Holland Honeyeater, Red Wattlebird, Beautiful Firetail.
The Three Sisters – King Parrot, Crimson Rosella, Pied Currawong.
Govetts Leap – Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo, Red-browed Finch, Eastern Spinebill.
Full Day Royal National Park Birdwatching Tour – ex Sydney
A full day tour that includes four of Sydney’s best sites and incorporates subtropical, warm temperate and littoral (coastal) rainforest, wet eucalypt forests, grassy woodlands, heathlands and freshwater and saltwater wetlands. Depart from central Sydney with your ornithologist leader and receive an introduction to Australian birds in Centennial Park.
Continue to the Royal National Park which is the world’s second oldest national park - after Yellowstone in the USA. Regarded as a premium birding location, the Park offers excellent opportunities to view a wide variety of bird species in a range of habitats, from rainforest to heathland. With expert guiding and spectacular scenery, this is a very special day which should produce a good list of interesting species.
Private tour – departs any day, subject to availability of birding guide.
Tour Code: BS1RP
To add this tour to your itinerary enquiry, please include the tour code.
Birding Highlights
Centennial Park – Tawny Frogmouth, Superb Fairy-wren, close views of water-birds including Australian Pelican and Black Swan.
Royal National Park – Lady Carrington Drive, Audley –Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Crimson Rosella, Kookaburra, Satin Bowerbird, Superb Lyrebird, Yellow-throated and White-browed Scrub-wrens, Azure Kingfisher, Eastern Spinebill, Variegated Fairy-wren.
Mt Bass – Heathland birds such as Tawny-crowned and New Holland Honeyeaters, Brush Wattlebird, Beautiful Firetail, Southern Emu-wren.
Bundeena – Eastern Rosella, Nankeen Night-heron, Australian White Ibis, White-faced Heron, Silver Gull, Crested Tern.
2 Day Sydney & Blue Mountains Birdwatching Tour – ex Sydney
Day1: Depart your Sydney city hotel with your expert birding guide this morning. After crossing the spectacular Sydney Harbour Bridge, see Sydney Olympic Park and visit Bicentennial Park for a guided walk. Enjoy frequent birding stops including prolific birding areas at Mitchell Park, Scheyville and Pitt Town. Climb into the Blue Mountains and travel through the Heritage-listed Blue Mountains National Park. We will do some birding in the mid-range level of the Blue Mountains before checking into our overnight accommodation in the delightful village of Leura.
Day 2: After breakfast (own expense) depart Leura with your birding guide to visit a variety of habitats including Kings Tableland, with its heathlands and swamps supporting a number of uncommon and regionally significant species such as the Beautiful Firetail amongst the 155 species of birds recorded there. The day will provide superb birding opportunities as well as spectacular scenery of canyons, waterfalls and intriguing land forms – including the iconic Three Sisters.
Return to Sydney later afternoon.
Private tour – departs any day, subject to availability of birding guide.
To add this tour to your itinerary enquiry, please include the tour code.
Tour Code: BS1BM2
Birding Highlights
Sydney Olympic Park – Water-birds such as Chestnut and Grey Teal, Purple Swamphen, Dusky Moorhen, Black-winged Stilt.
Euroka Clearing – Eastern Grey Kangaroos in the wild – Kookaburra, Australian Raven, Eastern Yellow Robin, Australian Magpie, Satin Bowerbird.
Kings Tableland – White-throated Treecreeper, New Holland Honeyeater, Red Wattlebird, Beautiful Firetail.
The Three Sisters – King Parrot, Crimson Rosella, Pied Currawong.
Govetts Leap – Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo, Red-browed Finch, Eastern Spinebill.
4 Day Capertee Valley & Blue Mountains Private Birding Tour - ex Sydney
Day 01 Depart Sydney with your private birding guide and travel to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains -
From Katoomba, travel north-west to the Capertee Valley, a large enclosed valley with broad river flats flanked by rolling hills and covered with a mosaic of grassy fields and eucalyptus woodland. There is a remarkable diversity of birds and is home to the beautiful and endangered Regent Honeyeater. More than 235 bird species have been recorded in the Valley, including 18 threatened species.
Common species which can be found throughout the Capertee Valley include Red-rumped Parrots, Fuscous and White-plumed Honeyeaters, Brown Treecreeper, Superb Fairy-wren, Jacky Winter, Mistletoebird, Diamond Firetail, Restless Flycatcher, to name a few, and in the summer months you would also be likely to see Rufous Whistler, White-winged Triller, Rufous Songlark, Rainbow Bee-eater, Dusky Woodswallow and, in some years, large numbers of White-browed Woodswallows.
Overnight in the Capertee Valley.
Day 02 One reason for Capertee Valley's popularity with birders is that it's the closest point to Sydney where many of the more typically inland birds can be found relatively easily. These include birds such as Southern Whiteface, Painted Honeyeater, Red-capped Robin, White-browed Babbler, Plum-headed Finch, White-backed Swallow and Brown Songlark. If you're really lucky you could also see Budgerigar, Diamond Dove, Black-eared Cuckoo, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater or Gilbert's Whistler, which are all rare this far east and normally associated with drier inland areas.
It can also be a great place to see birds of prey with 17 species having been recorded. Wedge-tailed Eagle, Little Eagle, Brown Falcon, Australian Hobby, Black-shouldered Kite, Nankeen Kestrel, Brown Goshawk and Collared Sparrowhawk are all reasonably common, and with a bit of luck you could see less common raptors such as the Square-tailed Kite, Black Falcon and the beautiful Spotted Harrier.
Overnight in the Capertee Valley.
Day 03 Continue birding this morning in Capertee Valley before returning to the Blue Mountains in the early afternoon - an area of breathtaking views and hidden natural wonders. A giant plateau dissected by deep canyons and gorges with many different habitats including lush rainforest gullies, eucalypt woodland and rocky heathland.
More than 250 species of birds have been recorded in the central Blue Mountains area. Here you’ll find many different habitats in close proximity – it’s possible to visit lush rainforest gullies and eucalypt woodland within minutes of walking on a windswept rocky heathland.
The Blue Mountains include many colourful parrots, abundant honeyeaters and such wonders of the bird world as the Superb Lyrebird and Satin Bowerbird. Whistlers, fantails, treecreepers, thornbills and scrubwrens are among the most common birds here. Other specialities of the area include the Gang-gang Cockatoo, Yellow-tailed and Glossy Black-Cockatoos, Flame and Scarlet Robins, Satin Flycatcher, Beautiful Firetail, Pilotbird and Red-browed Treecreeper. And the Blue Mountains is possibly the best place in the world to see the locally endemic - and very charming - Rockwarbler.
Overnight in delightful Leura.
Day 04 More birding in the Blue Mountains this morning, with opportunities to view some of the iconic vistas which make the Blue Mountains a very special place. You will then return to Sydney in the afternoon.
Private tour – departs any day, subject to availability of birding guide.
To add this tour to your itinerary enquiry, please include the tour code.
Tour Code: BS4CB
Important Information
Inclusions: Birding guide, accommodation, some meals, field guides, bird list.
5 Day Hawkesbury Valley, Capertee Valley & Blue Mountains Private Birding Tour – ex Sydney
A great opportunity to visit some of the best birding sites in the Sydney region. This tour takes in a large variety of habitats, from rainforest to heathland, from eucalyptus forest and woodland to wetlands and rocky escarpments.
By concentrating on the World Heritage areas west of the city we have the best opportunity to see the many Sydney specials such as the Rockwarbler, Pilotbird and Superb Lyrebird as well as the colourful parrots, cockatoos and honeyeaters the area is famous for.
The legendary Capertee Valley will be a highlight of your visit with a number of threatened species featured here. This tour also offers spectacular scenery and the chance to see a selection of other fauna and flora.
Day 1 SYDNEY TO HAWKESBURY VALLEY
You will depart Sydney this morning and head west. Our first stop is Homebush Bay, next to the site of the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where we'll wander along mangrove boardwalks and view saltwater wetlands for shorebirds. Common birds here include Yellow Thornbill, Brown Honeyeater, Striated Heron, Superb Fairy-wren.
We then head to the Hawkesbury Valley with its rich flood plain and wetlands and a wide variety of water birds and raptors including herons, egrets, spoonbills, harriers, Whistling and Square-tailed Kite, Golden-headed Cisticola and Chestnut-rumped Mannikin.
Motel accommodation overlooking the Hawkesbury River.
Day 2 SYDNEY TO THE CAPERTEE VALLEY
We depart the Hawkesbury area and travel up the "Bell's Line of Road" across the Blue Mountains to windswept heathland for Tawny-crowned, White-eared Honeyeaters and the tree ferns and temperate rainforest for Rufous Fantail, Rose Robin, Yellow-throated Scrubwren.
Lunch at Mt Wilson. We continue to the Capertee Valley – officially the widest canyon in the world – for some early evening birding.
2 nights accommodation in the Capertee Valley.
Day 3 THE CAPERTEE VALLEY
Today a full day to explore the Capertee Valley and its abundant birdlife, including Diamond Firetail, Little Lorikeet, Turquoise Parrot, Red-rumped Parrot, Plum-headed, Zebra and Double-barred Finches, Hooded Robin, White-browed Babbler, Painted, Black-chinned and Striped Honeyeaters. Best of all we'll have a chance at seeing the valley's "star" bird, the endangered Regent Honeyeater.
The Capertee Valley is also a great spot to see kangaroos, wombats, and a variety of reptiles such as Bearded Dragons and Lace Monitors. We will have access to private properties normally inaccessible to birders.
In the afternoon we'll sit beside a waterhole to watch the many honeyeaters, finches and parrots coming to drink.
Second night in Capertee Valley.
Day 4 CAPERTEE VALLEY TO THE KATOOMBA
After breakfast we leave Capertee Valley and head to Lake Wallace near Lithgow, where the very unusual Musk Duck can be seen among other species. We may also visit the Lithgow sewage ponds for Blue-billed and Pinkeared Ducks, Australian Shovelers and Hoary-headed Grebes.
Then to the rocky escarpments, forests and heathlands of the upper Blue Mountains and the chance of Superb Lyrebird, Rockwarbler, Yellow-tailed and Glossy Black and Gang-gang Cockatoos, Red-browed Treecreeper, Pilotbird, Beautiful Firetail, Flame and Scarlet Robins.
After dinner we have the option of a spotlight walk to see tree-dwelling mammals such as Greater Gliders and the chance of a Boobook or Sooty Owl. Motel accommodation in Katoomba or Leura.
Day 5 KATOOMBA TO SYDNEY
Before breakfast we'll walk out to the famous Three Sisters rock formation and look for the charming Rockwarbler, endemic to the Sydney region.
One of the great things about the Blue Mountains is the proximity of many habitats within a short distance, and today we explore some of these habitats with the aim of seeing more of the characteristic and beautiful species that can be found in the area (such as those listed above).
We'll visit a Satin Bowerbird's bower with its amazing collection of blue decorations and possibly see the male bird in attendance.
Working our way back down to lower altitudes we arrive back in Sydney in the afternoon.
Private tour – departs any day, subject to availability of guide.
Tour Code: BS5HC
To add this tour to your itinerary enquiry, please include the tour code.
Tour departs on request on any day, subject to availability of Guide.
Important Information
Inclusions: Birding guide, accommodation, some meals, field guides, bird list.
Half Day Birding Tour – ex Byron Bay
This tour explores the Byron Bay wetlands and rainforest habitats to observe 20+ species of birds.
Species observed on this 6 hour tour can include Brush Turkey, Australian Wood Duck, Little Grebe, Little Pied Cormorant, White-faced Heron, Great Egret, Little Egret, Straw-necked Ibis, Australian White Ibis, Brahminy Kite, Black-shouldered Kite, White-bellied Sea-eagle, Osprey, Dusky Moorhen, Purple Swamphen, , Crested Tern, White-headed Pigeon, Bar-shouldered Dove, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Topknot Pigeon, Wonga Pigeon, Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Rainbow Lorikeet, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, King Parrot, Eastern Rosella, Noisy Pitta, Rainbow Bee-eater, Variegated Fairy-wren, Red-backed Fairy-Wren, Large-billed Scrubwren, White-browed Scrubwren, Noisy Friarbird, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Lewin's Honeyeater, White-cheeked Honeyeater, Scarlet Honeyeater, Eastern Yellow Robin, Pale-yellow Robin, Eastern Whipbird, Grey Shrike-thrush, Little Shrike-thrush, Spectacled Monarch, Willie Wagtail, Rufous Fantail, Grey Fantail, Olive-backed Oriole, Australasian Figbird, Grey Butcherbird, Pied Butcherbird, Torresian Crow, Red-browed Finch, and Silvereye.
Private tour – departs any day, subject to availability of birding guide.
Tour Code: BS1BB
To add this tour to your itinerary enquiry, please include the tour code.
Important Information
Inclusions: Locally sourced picnic brunch, park entry fees & experienced guide.
Departs from Byron Bay on request (7.00am to 1.00pm)
TIP: Ask us to combine a rental car and a Byron Bay hotel with this great wildlife tour
Birding in other States & Territories of Australia
Top End
Birding
Comb Crested Jacana
Victoria
Birding
Buff-Banded Rail
Central Australia
Birding
Spinifex Pigeon
Western Australia
Birding
Red-capped Parrot
South Australia
Birding
Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo
Queensland
Birding
Scarlet Honeyeater
Tasmania
Birding
Hooded Plover
