Adelaide region

Tidal mudflats, salt fields, mangroves and coastal dunes along the northern coastline are excellent for migratory waders as well as Banded Stilt, and rarities often turn up here. Blue-winged-, Elegant and Rock Parrot may be found here and Slender-billed Thornbill inhabits the samphire flats. The popular Mount Lofty Ranges (Adelaide Hills) contain higher-rainfall eucalypt forests grading to remnant semi-arid mallee scrub. In the tall forest on the top of the ranges species such as Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, Adelaide Rosella, Crested Shrike-tit, Yellow-faced, White-naped, Black-chinned and Crescent Honeyeater, White-throated Treecreeper and Scarlet Robin may be found. Further east, dry-country species such as Painted Button-quail, Southern Scrub-robin, Shy Heathwren and Purple-gaped Honeyeater inhabit mallee remnants. Further south on the Fleurieu Peninsula we find some swamps and heathland, inhabited by species such as Chestnut-rumped Heathwren, Southern Emu-wren, Golden-headed Cisticola and Crested Shrike-tit. The river Murray estuary and Coorong is a mix of waterways and wetlands, coastal dunes, beaches, tidal mudflats and rocky shores. Waterbirds abound (including Freckled Duck) and a good mix of crakes and rails is possible including Baillon’s, Australian Spotted, Spotless Crake and Buff-banded Rail. Along the lake shores Cape Barren Goose and Latham's Snipe forage. Reedbeds contain Little Grassbird, Golden-headed Cisticola and Australian Bittern while migratory waders frequent the Coorong’s mudflats in season. Beaches and rocky shores are home to Little Penguin, Hooded Plover and Sooty Oystercatcher.

Adelaide region guided birding                                                            More: 35 birding sites in the Adelaide region

Riverland and Mallee

The river Murray is lined with wetlands and floodplains which hold ducks, waders, rails and crakes; with key species such as Freckled, Blue-billed and Musk Duck, Banded Stilt, Baillon’s, Australian Spotted, Spotless Crake and Buff-banded Rail. In the Red Gums all along the river, Yellow Rosella and Regent Parrot are observed. On the higher grounds you find extensive areas of Mallee, the multi-stemmed eucalypt bushland covering much of the semi-arid regions. The mallee contains many rare and threatened birds such as Malleefowl, Red-lored Whistler, Chestnut Quail Thrush, Major Mitchell Cockatoo, Black-eared Miner, Striated Grasswren, Shy Heathwren Southern Scrub-robin, and occasionally Scarlet-chested Parrot. The endless bluebush plains are home to White-winged Fairy Wren, Redthroat, Pied Honeyeater, Crimson and sometimes Orange Chat.

Riverland and Mallee region guided birding                                      More: 15 birding sites in the Riverland and Mallee region

Yorke Peninsula

Innes NP on the tip of Yorke Peninsula is a stronghold for Western Whipbird, as well as Rock Parrot and Purple-gaped Honeyeater. Shy Heathwren, Southern Scrubrobin, Brush Bronzewing and Malleefowl can also be seen here.

Yorke Peninsula guided birding                                                            More: 2 birding sites on the Yorke Peninsula

Flinders Ranges & Lyndhurst area

From south to north, the Flinders Ranges present a change from relatively wet to very dry habitat. In the south, Mt Remarkable National Park offers spectacular scenery. Here Chestnut-rumped Heathwren and Diamond Firetail are found. The proper Flinders Ranges, from Wilpena Pound northwards, are home to such species as Ringneck, Elegant Parrot, Budgerigar, Redthroat, Rufous Fieldwren, Short-tailed Grasswren, White-winged Fairy- wren and Grey-headed Honeyeater. In the Gammon Ranges you start entering the outback, with species such as Chirruping Wedgebill, Pied Honeyeater, Crimson Chat, and Ground Cuckoo-shrike. Around Lyndhurst it’s true outback country: the endless stony plains of the Strzelecki desert is where the much sought-after Chestnut-breasted Whiteface, Thick-billed Grasswren and Cinnamon Quail-thrush live.

Flinders Ranges and Lyndhurst region guided birding                   More: 5 birding sites in the Flinders Ranges and Lyndhurst

Outback

The outback can be hot, dry, and endless, but has a rich variety of species adapted to its harsh conditions. Along the Strzelecki and Birdsville Tracks is where Inland Dotterel, Chestnut-breasted and Banded Whiteface, Letter-winged Kite, Gibber and Orange Chat ,Thick-billed Grasswren and Cinnamon Quail-thrush are regularly found. Further afield Eyrean and Grey Grasswren, Yellow Chat, Flock Bronzewing and Black-breasted Buzzard are much sought after target species. When vast Lake Eyre irregularly fills, only a few times per century, it becomes an oasis in the desert with enormous numbers of breeding Banded Stilts and Australian Pelicans. Along the Stuart Highway, particularly north of Coober Pedy, are also sites for some of the above-mentioned species.

Outback guided birding                                                                           More: 3 birding sites in the Outback region

Eyre Peninsula, Nullarbor and beyond

On the Eyre Peninsula some western Australian species find their easternmost limit. These include Western Yellow Robin and Blue-breasted Fairy Wren. The bottom of the peninsula is good for Western Whipbird and Southern Scrub-robin, Diamond Firetail, Shy Heathwren and Western Gerygone. Here also Rock Parrot, Purple-gaped Honeyeater and Shy Heathwren occur. On the Nullarbor plain, the Nullarbor roadhouse is a reliable spot for Nullarbor Quail-thrush. The Gawler Ranges to the north extend to the start of the Nullarbor Plain. It is here where good mallee and outback species can be found but access is not straightforward.

Eyre Peninsula, Nullarbor and beyond guided birding                      More: 7 birding sites on the Eyre Peninsula and Nullarbor

Kangaroo Island

Kangaroo Island is relatively small, has beautiful secluded beaches, an impressive rocky coastline and many National Parks including mallee reserves . Some good species present on the island are Western Whipbird , Cape Barren Goose, Eastern Curlew, Bush-stone Curlew, Banded Stilt and Purple-gaped Honeyeater. It is the only place in SA with a population of Glossy Black Cockatoos. There are a number of Fairy Penguin colonies. Seawatching can be good and may turn up rarities such as Antarctic Tern.

Kangaroo Island guided birding                                                            More: 7 birding sites on Kangaroo Island

South-East

The South-East has a rich variety of different habitats in a relatively wet area. The coastline is home to species as Hooded Plover, Fairy and other Terns, Rufous Bristlebird, Blue-winged and Orange -bellied Parrot and many waders. Malleefowl, Brush Bronzewing and Western Whipbird are found in the scrub on the sand dunes. In the Naracoorte-Mt Gambier-Victorian Border area dense eucalypt forests, clear freshwater creeks and coastal dunes form very interesting habitat, with species like Beautiful Fire tail, Red-browed Finch, White-throated Gerygone, Olive Whistler, Red-tailed Black Cockatoo and Eastern Yellow Robin. Bool Lagoon is a waterfowl paradise with most species of duck, ibises colonies and Magpie Goose. Also found here are Australian Bittern, Brolga, Little Grassbird and Golden-headed Cisticolas. Ngarkat NP contains Mallee Emu-wren and Western Whipbird. The Bordertown Cemetery is perhaps the easiest place to see Bush Stone-Curlew in SA

South-east region guided birding                                                          More: 6 birding sites in the South-east region