5 Places to See Birds in Sydney
Bar-tailed Godwits at Bicentennial Park Homebush
Sydney is blessed not only with a gorgeous harbour and beautiful beaches, but with pristine bushland, parklands and wetlands that lure all types of wildlife, especially birds.
With over 350 species of native birds and many more introduced and migratory species, we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to birdwatching spots in Sydney. There are many. And I’ve no doubt that the birders or twitchers out there could add many more to this list.
But for now, and in no particular order, here are five of my favourite places to walk where I can see and photograph birds.
Long Reef (North)
Warriewood Wetlands (North)
Centennial Park (East)
Bicentennial Park (West)
Malabar Headland (South)
Please add your favourites in the comments section below.
Long Reef Aquatic Reserve
This is one of my favourite places to walk and to watch birds. It’s not far from home and the landscape, light and colours are ever-changing.
Long Reef Aquatic Reserve covers an area of approximately 80 hectares. Its boundaries extend along the shore from Collaroy Rock Baths and Fisherman’s Beach to Long Reef Surf Lifesaving Club and out to about a hundred metres offshore.
The reserve serves to conserve the biodiversity of fish and marine vegetation in the area, and is an important site for migratory shorebirds and home to many native bird species.*
More than 140 birds have been identified on Long Reef and 40 of these are listed on NSW threatened or protected species lists.
If you’re familiar with the area, you’re no doubt aware of the variety of birds that live and visit here. Everything from tiny swallows and wrens to migratory waders and birds of prey like Ospreys and Kestrels. And then there are the pelicans. Three or four regulars are never far from the filleting tables at Fisherman’s Beach, waiting to feast on the innards from the latest catch.
The best time to visit is at low tide when you can walk around the rock pools to the point and (at very low tide), all the way around to Long Reef Beach. If you continue along the beach to Dee Why, the Wildlife Refuge in Dee Why Lagoon is also worth a visit. Birds you can’t find near the headland may well be resting here.
For more information on the Reserve and on the birdlife here, visit Reef Care.
*This is a no-take zone and dogs are strictly prohibited in the area.
Warriewood Wetlands
Warriewood Wetlands is also on the Northern Beaches, though this sand-plain wetland is quite different to the coastal environment of the Long Reef Reserve.
The best way to explore the area is to take a walk.
A series of paths and boardwalks wind their way though the wetlands, where you’ll be met by a chorus of Whipbirds and Bellbirds, challenged intermitttently by the shrieks of Cockatoos and Rosellas.
Moorhens, Spoonbills, Darters and a variety of ducks are commonly seen foraging among the reeds, and though you’ll be seen by many other birds, you may need your binoculars and a little patience to see them.
Over 80 bird species have been recorded in the wetlands including endangered species such as the Swift Parrot and the Regent Honey Eater. Goshawks, Sacred Kingfishers and Powerful Owls are among other semi-regular visitors.
I’m told that autumn is a good time to visit, when the swamp mahogany trees are in flower bringing swarms of insects and the birds that feed on them.
For a list of some of the birds seen here most recently see eBird.
Centennial Park
Centennial Park occupies an area of 189 hectares in the suburb of Randwick, very close to Sydney’s city centre. The park’s many ponds and creeks, its tall trees and diverse plant range attract over 140 different bird species annually.
It’s a popular spot for bird lovers, some of whom volunteer their time to count the birds in the park, contributing to park management and official bird surveys.
Among the most common waterbirds in the park are Black Swans, Cormorants, Darters and Moorhens. White-faced Herons, Great Egrets and Spoonbills can often be found hunting in the shallows, while Fairy Wrens, Wattle Birds, Fig Birds and Welcome Swallows forage around the edges.
In some of the taller trees and largely hidden from view, you might find (with luck or guidance) larger birds like Nankeen Kestrels, Tawny Frog Mouths, and Powerful Owls. And of course, there are the ever present Ibis, the noisy crackles of Cockatoos, (especially in the afternoon), and geese, lots of them.
A full list of the birds identified in Centennial Park can be found here.
Bicentennial Park
Bicentennial Park is huge and without doubt, one of the best bird-watching spots in Sydney. Over 200 species of birds have been recorded here so you’re sure to see something, especially if you take the loop walk around the park.
The Waterbird Refuge is a big drawcard for bird lovers all over Sydney. Thousands of birds, native and migratory, come here to feed and roost. The bird hide near the entrance to the wetlands is a great spot from which to observe the birds without disturbing them, though you might need binoculars to see some of the smaller birds.
Some of the less common birds found here include Red-rumped Parrots and Mangrove Gerygones, Red-necked Avocets and Black-winged Stilts.
Look for Fairy-wrens, Grey Fantails and Red-browed Finches in the surrounding scrub and for White-faced Herons, Great Egrets and Black Swans in the nearby Badu Mangroves and in the Narawang Wetlands, near Lake Belvedere.
Lake Belvedere, which is at the other end of the park, is another good place to look for birds. Ibis, Cormorants, Coots and Darters nest in and around the island in the middle.
See here for the latest bird sightings in the park and surrounding area.
Malabar Headland
The trail around Malabar Headland gives walkers the opportunity to see plenty of bird life. The path winds around the clifftop at one end and through bushland at the other.*
On the coastal path with its dramatic cliffs you might spy White-bellied Sea-eagles, and Peregrine Falcons are regularly spotted here too. Incidentally, this is also a great vantage point from which to view migrating whales.
The bushland between South Maroubra Beach and the Arthur Byrne Reserve is alive with bird song, especially when the native flowers are in bloom.
On my walk along the beach path and at various spots around the headland I spotted a number of New Holland Honeyeaters, Willie Wagtails, Silvereyes and Superb Fairywrens. There are plenty of others - parrots, kingfishers and ravens among them.
A comprehensive list of the birds of Malabar Headland can be found here
* The Eastern Section of the headland is closed every Saturday and every 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month for ANZAC Rifle Range operations Check local alerts and safety messages before visiting.