Australia’s Savannahs are home to 55 of Australia’s 90 seed-eating birds; home to parrots, quails, pigeons and finches, including 13 endemics and 4 of Australia’s 18 finch species.
There are bird sightings throughout the year, with all wildlife concentrated around waterholes in the later months of the year (October to December). Early morning or late afternoon is generally the best time of day. Many larger birds such as Eagles, Kites, Bustards, Brolga and the only Australian species of Stork, the Black Long Neck Stork (Jabiru) can be spotted foraging beside our roads. The Burketown Information Centre also hosts a large photographic display of birds found in this area.
Each year September through to April, Burketown plays host to hundreds of thousands of migratory birds travelling the East Asian - Australasian Flyway. Tiny birds such as Red Necked Stilt weighing no more than 25gm through to larger birds like the iconic Eastern Curlew travel over 20,000 km to reach nesting sites in Siberia and Alaska from their feeding grounds in Southern Australia and New Zealand. The wetlands of the Gulf are critical to their survival by providing a major refuelling station.
The Burketown Bore and the wetlands on the road to the wharf offer perfect opportunities to see galahs, cockatoos, frogmouths, kookaburras and kingfishers.
At Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park several unique bird species can be found including the Purple Crowned Fairy Wren, Sandstone Shrike-Thrush, Buff-sided Robin, Northern and the Channel-billed. The Spinifex and riparian habitats are home to Spinifex Pigeons, Red-winged Parrots, White-browed Robins, Crimson Finches, White gaped and Banded Honeyeaters, Great Bowerbirds, and Long-tailed Finches.
Wugudaji-Adels Grove usually has some keen birders on staff, and 140 birds on its list.
Sweers Island is also a birdwatcher's paradise containing about 50 different species, including the Rose-crowned fruit dove, Bustards, Ducks and Curlews.
Additionally, more of our feathered friends can be found at:
- Beacon Pile Gully (Trugainni Road)
- Gregory Crossing (Tirranna Spring Roadhouse)
- Doomadgee Weir
- Gregory River (Gregory)
- Leichhardt Falls
Gregory features the Purple Crowned Fairy Wren and Crimson Finch along the river.