Kakadu Bird Week
The storks and the egrets might be easy to spot, but what about the black bittern, yellow chat, or that rarest bird of prey – the red goshawk?
Kakadu is home to one third of Australia’s bird species, spread over a spectacular variety of habitats. But when it comes to seeing the array of birdlife, it helps to know what is hiding in plain site.
Kakadu Bird Week is an excellent opportunity to observe the diverse range of species living in wetlands, stone country and bush, and to learn identification tips from park rangers, experts and fellow twitchers.
“The red goshawk is an amazing bird,” says guide Luke Paterson, from NT Bird Specialists.
“We’re lucky enough in Kakadu to have at least one good site for them, but it’s one of Australia’s rarest raptors, so it’s a big bonus. To see people’s faces when they see it is great.”
This year’s program starts at dawn (the twitching hour) with boat cruises and walks through feather-heavy locations including the South and East Alligator regions, Burrungkuy (Nourlangie) and the Yellow Water region.
The walking tours are limited to 11 people, so be sure to book ahead. The stone country in particular, which includes the Arnhem Land escarpment, is home to highly camouflaged birds you won’t see anywhere else in the world, so an expert guide is essential.
“You’re looking at everything – the culture, the artwork. It should give you a full picture of the whole environment,” says Paterson.
Injalak Arts is offering a guided rock hill art tour with bird watching at Injalak billabong, as well copies of Graham Badari’s book Mayhmayh: Different Birds.
Badari paints birds found in West Arnhem Land and had an exhibition of his works earlier this year at Nomad Art Gallery. Mayhmayh has now been published into a book, with the Kunwinkju words for each species, and it will be launched during Bird Week.
During the day, free talks, slideshows and cultural activities are on at Bowali Visitors Centre. ‘Birdwatching Basics’ and ‘First Aid for Birds’ are some of the topics covered, while ‘What’s All The Chat About?’ will lift the lid on a little-known subspecies found only in Kakadu.
Evening talks will cover all the birds of the Yellow Water region and the key areas of biodiversity in the park, including a special talk on where the iconic magpie goose spends its time.
The tours (most of which cost money) depart from hotels in Jabiru and Cooinda, while other free guided talks and activities take place at Mamukala Wetlands, Ubirr and Jabiru Lake.
Grab your binoculars and see what’s out there. It might be a red goshawk.
Sun 1 – Sat 7 Oct | Kakadu National Park | Various prices | parksaustralia.gov.au/birdweek
Thumbnail image: Rainbow Pitta, Luke Paterson, NT Bird Specialists
