BIRDS OF THE DAINTREE

BIRDWATCHING PARADISE 

 

The Daintree Rainforest is recognised globally as one of the top bird watching destinations in the world. Birders come from across the globe to view these lowland species up close. In the Wet Tropics region there are 430 species of bird, with 13 of these endemic bird to the Wet Tropics region of Australia. These include Macleay’s Honeyeater, Pied Monarch, Lesser Sooty Owl, and Victoria’s Riflebird. You can find all of them in the beautiful Daintree, however the favourite that most people wish to see is the Southern Cassowary. Interestingly, the Daintree is home to more than half of Australia’s bird species. So, what can you see and where can you find them?

There are literally hundreds of bird species to keep an eye out for in the Daintree Rainforest, so it is difficult to know where to even look. Most people assume you have to crane your neck and glance over the treetops, but there are numerous species that live on the ground. Some of the more common ones you will see include the Australia Brush Turkey, Orange Footed Scrub Fowl, Red Necked Crake, Bush Hen, Noisy Pitta and the Emerald Ground Dove.

 

The best birding is often between dawn and 11am, when birds are most active. This is particularly the case in the spring and early summer, when birds sing in the early morning. 

MID-CANOPY BIRDS

  • Buff-breasted Paradise-Kingfisher Tanysiptera sylvia Uncommon – Summer migrant from PNG
  • Little Shrike Thrush Colluricincla megarhyncha Common
  • Barred Cuckoo-shrike Coracina lineata Uncommon
  • Varied Triller Lalage leucomela Common
  • Pale-yellow Robin Tregallasia capito Uncommon
  • Grey Whistler Pacchycephala simplex Uncommon
  • Spectacled Monarch Monarcha trivirgatus Common
  • Black-faced Monarch Monarcha melanopsis Common
  • Pied MonarchArses kaupi Uncommon
  • Yellow-breasted Boatbill Machaerirhynchus flaviventer Uncommon
  • Leaden flycatcherMyiagra rubecula Uncommon – More abundant in winter
  • Grey FantailRhipidura fuliginosa Common – Winter migrant
  • Rufous FantailRhipidura rufifrons Common – Winter migrant
  • Northern FantailRhipidura rufiventris Uncommon
  • Large-billed ScrubwrenSericornis magnirostris Common
  • Large-billed GerygoneGerygone magnirostris Common
  • Black ButcherbirdCracticus quoyi Common
  • Spotted CatbirdAiluroedus melanotis Common
  • Fairy GerygoneGerygone palpebrosa Common*
  • SilvereyeZosterops lateralis Common  – Australia wide
  • Little Bronze CuckooChrysococcyx minutillis Uncommon
  • Gould’s Bronze CuckooChrysococcyx russatus Uncommon

* Endemic to North East Queensland

CANOPY TOWER

View the Daintree Rainforest Canopy

AERIAL WALKWAY

Access to mid level Daintree Rainforest

INTERPRETIVE CENTRE

Discover the Interpretive Display Centre

AUDIO TOURS

Daintree Rainforest self-guided tours

Leave your pets at home; take any rubbish out with you; don't feed the wildlife and don't pollute the water.
Enjoy yourself and leave nothing but footsteps and take nothing but photographs! 

Wet Tropics Management Authority

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