Australia’s Top End includes the Northern Territory’s capital city of Darwin, as well as the huge Kakadu National Park, Arnhem Land, and many coastal islands. The environment is marked by a dry season (May to October) and a wet season (November to April) featuring afternoon thunderstorms and monsoonal rains. This seasonal dichotomy, aside from being fascinating in itself, will strongly affect your experience when birding in this region.
The Top End has six endemic species (Banded Fruit Dove, Chestnut-quilled Rock Pigeon, Hooded Parrot, White-throated Grasswren, White-lined Honeyeater, Helmeted Friarbird), expanding to a wider list if one includes the Kimberley region – most notably, Rainbow Pitta, Northern Rosella, Green-Backed Gerygone and Silver-Backed Butcherbird.
With hundreds of bird species viewable just within Darwin and its immediate surrounds, as well as the many National Parks and reserves within a few hours drive, and the possibility of various vagrant species from the north, there’s plenty to love about the birding in this region.
Top Hotspots:
- Fogg Dam
- Yellow Water, Kakadu
- Holmes Jungle (Darwin)
- Buffalo Creek and Lee Point (Darwin)
- East Point (Darwin)
Handy bird-spots.com maps
Click for larger version, and see the individual posts for each hotspot for more contextual information.
Excellent site for desirable birds, especially if explored by boat
Great views from rocky lookouts and possibility of endemic birds, with a billabong bonus
Huge area with many diverse habitats and birds on the edge of Darwin
Delightful waterhole and picnic area with some pleasant birding
Superb wetlands site with extraordinary numbers and varieties of birds
George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens
Lush environs with great birds in an inner city setting
Several habitats with decent range of birds, on the east edge of Darwin
Knuckey Lagoons Conservation Reserve
Easy site to reach attracting decent numbers of birds
Terrific bush and grassland birding spot in the north of Darwin
Compact scenic gem with several waterfall/waterhole hikes and some reasonable birding
Creekside walk down a forested gorge to a lagoon and waterfall, with reasonable birds to be found including Top End endemics
Awesome bird hide looking out onto a huge wetland system, with a decent 3km loop trail for bush birds too
Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge and Katherine
The gorge combines some reasonable birding with outstanding scenery and there are a few worthwhile birding locations in and around the township
Typical small outback town great for finding the range-restricted Hooded Parrot
Superb rock art and scenery on three different walks, with good birds including Rainbow Pitta and Chestnut-Quilled Rock-Pigeon
Amazing amount of wetlands bird life showcased from a photography-friendly boat cruise
Bird Spots 