Birding in South Australia

Day 1 – Adelaide to Kangaroo Island via the Fleurieu Peninsula
Collected early from Adelaide, you'll travel south through the Fleurieu Peninsula to Cape Jervis, watching out along the way for roadside birds such as Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos in the Banksias and Adelaide Rosellas in the woodlands. From Cape Jervis, board the ferry to Kangaroo Island. The crossing takes around 45 minutes and can be productive for seabirds – Australasian Gannet, Flesh-footed Shearwater, Crested and Caspian Terns are regular, while albatrosses (especially Black-browed and Yellow-nosed) and Southern Giant Petrel may appear depending on the time of year and prevailing winds.
On arrival, begin exploring the island’s rich coastal and wetland habitats. Travel to Murray Lagoon and the surrounding back-blocks in search of species such as Wedge-tailed Eagle, Chestnut-breasted Shelduck, Musk Duck, Swamp Harrier, Grey Teal, Red-capped and Black-fronted Dotterel, and White-fronted Chat. Summer visits often yield a variety of migratory waders.
Continue on to Seal Bay Conservation Park, which offers a mix of coastal scrub and sandy beach habitat. As well as a close-up view of Australian Sea-lions, this area can produce sightings of Hooded Dotterel, Eastern Osprey, White-bellied Sea-Eagle, and a suite of bush birds. After lunch, head inland to Lathami Conservation Park where Sugar Gums and Drooping Sheoaks provide the critical nesting and feeding habitat for the island’s Glossy Black Cockatoos. Also present are Crimson Rosella (Kangaroo Island subspecies), Golden Whistler, Superb Fairy-wren and Beautiful Firetail, along with Tammar Wallaby and Kangaroo Island Kangaroo.
Late afternoon birding around Kingscote and the Cygnet River Estuary provides a mix of wetland and shorebirds, including various ducks, cormorants, Black Swan, and Australian Pelican. The final stop is American River – an excellent location for both woodland and estuarine birding. Glossy Black Cockatoo often feed in the sheoaks here, and the surrounding forest supports Galah, Scarlet Robin and Beautiful Firetail, while the tidal flats host waders and waterbirds, especially around Pelican Lagoon.

Check in at the Mercure Kangaroo Island Lodge, located on the shores of American River. It’s worth letting the staff know you’re a birder – Glossy Black Cockatoos often feed in the trees behind the lodge. You may also wish to book a nocturnal tour to see Little Penguins at Penneshaw, with chances for other night birds en route such as Southern Boobook, Barn Owl and Bush Stone-curlew.

Day 2 – Flinders Chase National Park
Optional pre-breakfast walk in the nearby Sheoak and Sugar Gum woodland, and along the mudflats fringing the American River foreshore. This is a good time to see local specialties including Glossy Black Cockatoo, Beautiful Firetail, Eastern Spinebill and Pied and Black-faced Cormorants feeding offshore.
After breakfast, depart for Duck Lagoon on the Cygnet River, a picturesque freshwater site lined with enormous Red Gums. This site often attracts Freckled Duck (particularly in spring), and is home to Pacific Black Duck, Hardhead, and an array of honeyeaters, thornbills and pardalotes.
From here, the day’s focus shifts westwards to Flinders Chase National Park. The journey west offers more chances for Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo and pastures around Rocky River often hold Cape Barren Geese. Around Cape du Couedic, Crested, Caspian and Fairy Terns can be seen offshore, and depending on season, Short-tailed Shearwaters may be passing on migration. In recent years, Antarctic and White-fronted Terns have also been recorded here.
Nearby, the iconic granite domes of Remarkable Rocks are surrounded by coastal heath – ideal habitat for Western Whipbird, Southern Emu-wren and Tawny-crowned Honeyeater. The rocky tors are also favoured perches for Nankeen Kestrel and Australian Raven. Return to American River for a second night.

Day 3 – Eastern Wetlands and Return to Adelaide
After breakfast, explore a few remaining eastern sites before the ferry departure. Depending on recent conditions and seasonal activity, you may return to the Cygnet River Estuary, revisit American River, or explore coastal scrub near Penneshaw for the local White-browed Scrubwren and Singing Honeyeater.
Stop in at Brenton or Baudin Beach for final shorebird opportunities – Sooty Oystercatcher, Ruddy Turnstone, and Pacific Gull are all possible here.
Return by ferry to Cape Jervis and continue to Adelaide, arriving in the late afternoon.