South-East Queensland is one of the most bird-diverse regions in Australia, with many types of habitats.
These include wetlands (like Eagleby Wetlands, Sandy Camp Wetlands), rainforest (e.g. Maiala Tracks), lakes and creeks (Oxley Creek Common, Eprapah Creek), beaches and foreshore areas (Nudgee Beach, Wellington Point, Buckley’s Hole), reservoirs and dams (Atkinson Dam, Enoggera Reservoir, etc) and many others besides.
Common birds you will find (including in suburban areas) include the Pied Currawong, Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo, Galah, Rainbow Lorikeet, Pied Butcherbird, Torresian Crow, Noisy Miner, Common Myna, White Ibis, Magpie, Magpie-Lark, Welcome Swallow, Laughing Kookaburra, Crested Pigeon and Pacific Black Duck.
Many birds also migrate to South-East Queensland in the Australian summer months, such as waders that fly from Siberia (Bar-Tailed Godwit, Eastern Curlew), cuckoos and other birds from North Queensland and Papua New Guinea (Dollarbird, Channel-Billed Cuckoo, Pacific Koel). Many species of Honeyeaters as well as Silvereye and Wattlebirds spend their summers breeding in southern Australian states and then fly to Queensland for the winter.
Top Hotspots:
- Oxley Creek Common
- Sandy Camp Wetlands
- Eagleby Wetlands
- Tinchi Tamba
- Coombabah Conservation Area (Gold Coast)
- Mudgeeraba Hinterland Park (Gold Coast)
- Golds Scrub Lane (Lake Samsonvale)
- Buckley’s Hole (Bribie Island)
Handy bird-spots.com maps
Click for larger version, and see the individual posts for each hotspot for more contextual information.
Good spot for bush bird diversity out west of Brisbane
Excellent birding location right near Anstead Bushland Reserve
Compact creek/lake location on the Gold Coast with some interesting birds
Excellent, large site for a variety of bird species, with good light and easy paths
Incredible array of all sorts of birds despite the huge lake at very low water level
Nice little spot with a few tracks and decent variety of birds
Belliss Rd / Clagiraba Creek Trail
Delightful patch of creekside rainforest inland from Nerang on the Gold Coast with good birds
Agreeable place well set-up for birding, with lots of Pelicans
Sprawling wetlands/bush that is a bit hit and miss
Excellent location for water birds, sea birds and raptors on Bribie Island
Messy patch of bush near golf course construction with mediocre birding
Surprisingly good suburban spot for water birds (and Corellas)
Decent enough for birds, but no comparison to adjacent Oxley Creek Common
Beautiful little spot in an inlet off the Brisbane River with wonderful bird encounters possible
Huge, premier birding hotspot on the Gold Coast with plenty for the birder happy to do a lot of walking
Excellent bushwalking and great rainforest birding, with good chances of seeing Lyrebird
Cunningham’s Gap – Mt Mitchell
Enjoyable hike passing through a few different bird habitats along the way
One of the premier birding spots in Brisbane: easy access, mix of bush and lake and river side, bird hides, great bird diversity
Large reserve just south of Schuster Park, on the Gold Coast with water areas and some good birds
Very good bird sightings possible on short track; even better if you can slog the dirt roads out to the western section
Good creek and bush birds, small area but nice parklands and bridges, good photography potential
Sandy coastal trail on the Gold Coast with some good bird encounters possible
Beautiful suburban lake which is fantastic for bird photography
Exceptional birds on a loop track, though sometimes frustrating
Superlatively wonderful area for birding, but note access limitations
Stunning rainforest bushwalking with superlative birds
Pleasant area to visit with a better range of birds than you might expect
Good birds to be found in a short paved path and mangrove boardwalk loop in north Brisbane
Bush, mangroves, grasses and lagoons provide a variety of birds in quite close to Brisbane city
Lovely lesser-known botanic gardens near Ipswich with a few birds
Small but pleasant and fruitful creekside nature area on Brisbane’s northside
Excellent compact site with bird hides for uncommon duck and water bird species
Lake Manchester and Shelley Road Park
Vast area to explore with a few bird-rich habitats mainly along the creeks; longest loop is a whopping 17km
Incredible hotspot for almost-tame rainforest birds along with awesome bushwalking
Awesome patch of bird-rich rainforest quite near Brisbane
Gorgeous parklands near central Brisbane with some reasonable water and bush birds
Strange mix of trails and features, but pretty decent birds
Lovely manicured gardens with birds just waiting to be photographed
Scenic views and a couple of tasty spots for birds
Mudgeeraba Hinterland Regional Park
A strange multi-use spot with a small but awesomely bird-rich patch of bush on the Gold Coast
Satisfying coastal and forest birding with some decent scenery
Large beach good for waders and Osprey, with creek exploration options for the more adventurous
Unique site to watch birds (including Osprey) hunting for fish at close quarters
Premier birding site in Brisbane with reliably great bird encounters and wonderful photography opportunities (see also Oxley Creek Common Revisited)
Pimpana River Conservation Area
Troublesome to explore, rarely visited, swampy location with some decent birds and maddening mosquitoes
Huge, dry sandstone forest off the beaten track with long confusing paths and mediocre birding
Point Halloran Conservation Area
Reasonable spot for birds n Redlands but not many trails for finding them
Delightful spot with river and lagoon views plus excellent birdlife
Excellent birding site where water birds and bush birds are both in wonderful abundance
Sargeant Dan Stiller Memorial Reserve
Lesser-known hotspot with a good birding spot at the southern end but otherwise unremarkable
Small patch of creekside bush worth a quick look if visiting the nearby Kumbartcho Sanctuary
Large suburban park on the Gold Coast with a few excellent bird habitats
Small bushland patch with lots of trails and mostly unremarkable dry forest birds
Sheep Station Creek Conservation Park
Dry uninspiring bushland near Caboolture that nevertheless has some decent birds
Grand parkland, riverside and small lake area with some okay birds
Springbrook – Twin Falls Circuit
Superlative short bushwalk with good rainforest birds
Excellent creek-side birding trail with grass tree side-track
Small lake by the ocean worth a quick visit if you’re birding in the Port of Brisbane or Wynnum area
Lovely 8km track with decent rainforest birds and occasional scenic views
Large dry sandstone bushland 10km from Brisbane CBD with loads of good paths and reasonable bird action depending on time of year
Renowned high tide roost for shorebirds across from Bribie Island, but worth visiting for other birds in the area too
Great variety of migratory shorebirds and others in Redlands, with a sand bar walk to a little island
Bird Spots 