Tour
Tour
Adelaide
Bird Watching in South Australia
When was the last time you were truly present? Not half-scrolling, half-listening or somewhere else entirely — but fully in the moment, with your eyes wide open. Birding — the recreational activity of observing birds in their natural habitat — has a way of pulling you into that space. If you want to see something magical — the swoop of a raptor, the sight of an endemic, the rustle of wings — you have to slow down. You have to tune in.
Across the state, South Australia’s diverse landscapes — from lush wetlands and bird-rich woodlands to rugged mountains and dramatic coastal cliffs — support more than 440 avian species. Sitting at the end of the East-Asian–Australasian Flyway, the Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary is a vital stopover for birds from across the globe. It’s one of the key feeding and roosting sites on this migratory path, used by more than five million birds each year. Some travel from as far as Siberia and Alaska, crossing 22 countries to reach these shores. Whether you’re an avid birder or just love the sound of a kookaburra’s laugh, South Australia is the ultimate place to slow down, look up and reconnect.
Best places for bird watching
South Australia’s 350 parks, reserves and varied wetlands are dotted with boardwalks, bird watching hides and peaceful trails — perfect places to slow down and listen. It’s no wonder these landscapes hold some of the best bird watching spots in the country.
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Kangaroo Island
Just a 45-minute ferry ride from the mainland, Kangaroo Island invites you to slow down at one of South Australia's top birdwatching spots. Its diverse landscapes are a haven for birdlife — home to more than 260 species. Keep your eyes peeled for the rare Glossy Black-Cockatoo found nowhere else, the Shy Albatross gliding over cliffs and Western Whipbirds calling from the scrub.
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Murray River, Lakes & Coorong
In the Murray River, Lakes and Coorong, birdwatching needs little — just time, binoculars and maybe a thermos. The Coorong’s saltwater lagoons host pelicans wheeling through big skies and tiny Red-necked Stints picking through the shallows. At 42 Mile Crossing, sand meets still water where Banded Stilts wade quietly and Black Swans glide past like they’ve rehearsed.
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Riverland
In the Riverland, birdwatching comes with boardwalk strolls and quiet moments. About two and a half hours from Adelaide, Banrock Station pairs wetlands and wine, with bird hides along easy trails where you might spot stilts, spoonbills and bitterns. Further north, Gluepot Reserve is known as one of the best places in Australia to spot rare and endangered species, with over 190 recorded.
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Eyre Peninsula
Out west on the Eyre Peninsula, about six hours from Adelaide, birdlife bursts from rugged cliffs to quiet mangroves and mallee bushland. Over 270 species live here, including White-bellied Sea Eagles soaring above the shore and flocks of budgerigars darting through the trees. With more than 100 parks to explore, local operators like Bellbird Tours can help you find what the field guides can’t.
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Flinders Ranges & Outback
About four hours from Adelaide, the Flinders Ranges and Outback are ruled by soaring Wedge-tailed Eagles — but it’s the elusive grasswrens that birders come for. These shy, ground-dwelling birds flit through spinifex and stony gullies, and South Australia is home to several species, including the Short-tailed, Striated and Eyrean Grasswrens. It’s a true twitcher’s destination.
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Adelaide
Close to Adelaide, easy trails through Belair National Park, Waite Reserve and the Mount Lofty Ranges wind past waterfalls and quiet gullies. Galahs chatter overhead, kookaburras laugh from the treetops and lorikeets flash through the trees. You might spot an Adelaide Rosella — a flash of red and blue in the canopy. These encounters remind you that nature’s simple pleasures are never far away.
Birding seasonally
Bird watching is one of the simplest ways to reconnect with the rhythm of the natural world. It tunes you into the seasons — not by a calendar, but by call, colour and movement. As the months shift, so do the birds. Different species come and go with the changing weather — some migrate, others breed, and many move between habitats. Meaning what you see (and hear) in summer can be completely different by winter.
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Summer
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Autumn
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Winter
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Spring
Summer
The shrill cry of waders along the coast and the shimmer of Rainbow Bee-eaters in full flight feel like nature’s way of announcing summer. From December to February, as the days grow long and warm, migratory shorebirds arrive from the north. They gather in great numbers along the Eyre Peninsula (around 6 hours’ drive from Adelaide), Gulf St Vincent (just under an hour from the city) and the Coorong (about 2 hours’ drive away). Early mornings are best for bird watching — before the heat settles in and the landscape slows to a midday hush.
Image: Rock Parrot Birds
