Birding in Victoria
The compact state of Victoria, Australia, offers an impressive diversity of bird habitats - from alpine forests and coastal heathlands to inland mallee scrub and expansive wetlands. This range of environments supports a rich birdlife, including many regional specialties. Notable species found in Victoria include Superb Lyrebird, Powerful Owl, Red-tailed and Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, Pink Robin, Turquoise Parrot, Swift Parrot, Ground Parrot, Hooded and Red-capped Plover, Cape Barren Goose, Rufous Bristlebird, Southern and Mallee Emu-wren, Plains-wanderer and Little Penguin.
Whether you're a dedicated birder or a visiting wildlife enthusiast, Victoria’s birdwatching opportunities are among the best in Australia.
Full Day Melbourne Birding Tour (“Big Day”)
Melbourne boasts a wide range of habitats within easy reach of the city, making it one of the best places in Australia for high-volume birding in a single day. This full-day birding tour is a fast-paced, dawn-to-dusk birding sprint designed to see just how many species we can find within 100 km of the CBD. For the keenest among us, we can also start pre-dawn or extend into the evening to search for night birds.
On a typical day, we record around 130–140 bird species.
We begin in wet sclerophyll forest and heathy woodland, targeting habitat specialists such as Superb Lyrebird, Pilotbird, Pink Robin, Satin Flycatcher (spring–summer), Large-billed Scrubwren, Olive Whistler, Red-browed Treecreeper, King Parrot, Lewin’s Honeyeater, Brush Cuckoo (spring–summer), Beautiful Firetail, Rufous Fantail (spring–summer), Shining Bronze-cuckoo, Eastern Whipbird and Gang-gang Cockatoo.
We then make our way to the renowned Western Treatment Plant in Werribee - one of the premier birding sites in the country. Here we enjoy a smorgasbord of waterbirds, shorebirds and grassland specialists. Likely species include Pink-eared Duck, Cape Barren Goose, Brolga, Musk Duck, Red-necked Avocet, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (spring–summer), Red-kneed Dotterel, Black-tailed Native-hen (spring–summer), Hoary-headed Grebe, Red-necked Stint, Banded Lapwing, Pacific Golden Plover, Striated Fieldwren, Eastern Great Egret, Fairy Tern, Lewin’s Rail, Spotless Crake, White-winged Black Tern, Black Falcon, Pectoral Sandpiper and Zebra Finch – among many others. The site is known for turning up rarities and is a must for any visiting birder.
Later in the day, depending on the season, we may explore drier forest and woodland for birds such as Diamond Firetail, Brown Treecreeper, Painted Button-quail, Restless Flycatcher, Speckled Warbler, Red-browed Finch, Collared Sparrowhawk, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Purple-crowned Lorikeet, Pallid Cuckoo (spring–summer), Scarlet Robin, Red-rumped Parrot, White-winged Triller (spring–summer) and Long-billed Corella.
Alternatively, in the cooler months, we may venture to coastal and heathland areas to search for species such as Rufous Bristlebird, Southern Emu-wren, Tawny-crowned Honeyeater, Blue-winged Parrot, Forest Raven, Chestnut-rumped Heathwren, Hooded Plover, Double-banded Plover, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Shy Albatross, Australasian Gannet, Pacific Gull, Black-browed Albatross, Fairy Prion, Fluttering Shearwater, Brown Skua and White-fronted Tern.
For those keen to extend into the evening, spotlighting may produce Sooty Owl, Powerful Owl, Tawny Frogmouth, Southern Boobook, White-throated Nightjar (spring–summer) and Australian Owlet-nightjar.
Important Information
NB: This tour is an adrenaline-fuelled birding marathon - not for the faint-hearted, but perfect for the big-lister!
Private tour – departs any day, subject to availability of birding guide.
Tour Code: BM1BD
To Book or Enquire: Email (Please include Tour Code)
Full-Day Melbourne Birding Tour (Wet Forests)
An early start for a full-day birdwatching tour exploring the lush, bird-rich forests east and north-east of Melbourne. These spectacular upland regions – home to the towering Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus regnans), the world’s tallest flowering plant – also feature cool temperate rainforest pockets and wet sclerophyll forest.
We visit areas such as the Dandenong Ranges, Toolangi State Forest and Marysville, searching for a suite of forest specialists including Superb Lyrebird, Pilotbird, Red-browed Treecreeper, Pink Robin, Olive Whistler, Large-billed Scrubwren, Sooty Owl, Gang-gang Cockatoo, Satin Flycatcher (summer), Rufous Fantail (summer) and King Parrot.
Spring and summer bring peak activity, with birds breeding, singing and actively defending territories. Migratory species such as flycatchers, fantails and cuckoos are most vocal and visible during this time
Important Information
Private tour – departs any day, subject to availability of birding guide.
Tour Code: BM1WF
To Book or Enquire: Email (Please include Tour Code)
Full-Day Melbourne Birding Tour (Dry Forests)
An early start for a full-day birding tour of the dry forests and woodlands north and west of Melbourne. These habitats, found in areas such as Long Forest Nature Conservation Reserve, Brisbane Ranges National Park, the You Yangs, and around Heathcote, are dominated by open eucalypt woodland with a dense understorey of wattles, native shrubs and grasses.
These drier landscapes are home to a distinctive set of species, and we’ll target dry forest specialists such as Spotted Quail-thrush, Speckled Warbler, Diamond Firetail, Brown Treecreeper, Scarlet Robin, Crested Shrike-tit, Black-chinned Honeyeater, Little Eagle, Southern Boobook, Purple-crowned Lorikeet and Long-billed Corella.
Species composition varies with the seasons, and we tailor the day’s route accordingly to maximise sightings. Return to Melbourne and your accommodation later in the afternoon.
Important Information
Private tour – departs any day, subject to availability of birding guide.
Tour Code: BM1DF
To Book or Enquire: Email (Please include Tour Code)
Full-Day Melbourne Birding Tour (Wetlands & Coast)
An early start for a full-day birdwatching tour exploring the diverse wetland and coastal habitats near Melbourne. Depending on the season, local conditions and target species, we’ll head either south-east or south-west of the city to visit a variety of swamps, tidal mudflats, estuaries and coastal headlands that support an exceptional mix of waterbirds, shorebirds and seabirds. Wetlands fringing Port Phillip Bay and Western Port Bay are key sites for wildfowl, herons and egrets, pelicans, spoonbills, ibis, cormorants, darters, crakes and rails. Tidal mudflats provide critical habitat for thousands of migratory waders in the austral summer, arriving from breeding grounds in the Northern Hemisphere. Highlights may include Eastern Curlew, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Latham’s Snipe (all summer), Double-banded Plover (winter), Red-necked Avocet, Banded Stilt, Red-kneed Dotterel (nomadic), Pied Oystercatcher, Fairy Tern, Whiskered Tern (summer) and White-fronted Tern (winter). Coastal dunes, beaches and headlands add yet more variety, with species such as Hooded Plover, Rufous Bristlebird, Australasian Gannet, Black-faced Cormorant, Kelp Gull and – when conditions are right – albatrosses, shearwaters, prions, petrels and other seabirds often visible from shore. Little Penguins are also commonly found in southern waters.
Return to Melbourne and your accommodation in the late afternoon.
Important Information
Private tour – departs any day, subject to availability of birding guide.
Tour Code: BM1WC
To Book or Enquire: Email (Please include Tour Code)
3 Day Central Victorian Woodlands Private Birding Tour – from Melbourne
Explore the box–ironbark woodlands and remnant mallee habitats of central Victoria on this 3-day, 2-night private birding tour. This region supports a unique blend of species – home to dry-country specialists, southern forest birds and a number of localised endemics – making it one of the most rewarding inland birding areas near Melbourne.
We visit national parks and reserves including Greater Bendigo National Park, Terrick Terrick National Park, Kooyora State Park and the Heathcote region, targeting key woodland and mallee species such as Painted Honeyeater, Spotted Quail-thrush, Chestnut-rumped Heathwren, Gilbert’s Whistler, Hooded Robin, Purple-gaped Honeyeater, Southern Scrub-robin and the critically endangered Regent Honeyeater.
Day 1 – Melbourne to Heathcote and Northern Reserves
Departing Melbourne, we travel north through farmland and open woodland. Along the way we’ll likely see Long-billed Corella, Crimson Rosella, Crested Pigeon and Whistling Kite.
In the Heathcote area, we search for woodland birds including Speckled Warbler, Black-chinned Honeyeater, Leaden Flycatcher, Scarlet Robin, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Brown Treecreeper, Eastern Spinebill, Varied Sittella, Spotted Quail-thrush, and, with luck, the elusive Chestnut-rumped Heathwren.
Continuing north, we visit reserves where we may encounter Painted Honeyeater, White-winged Triller, Olive-backed Oriole, Sacred Kingfisher, Dollarbird, Little Lorikeet, Diamond Firetail and Brown Songlark.
Day 2 – Terrick Terrick NP, Kooyora SP and the Northern Plains
Today we explore the native grasslands, granite outcrops and dry woodlands of Victoria’s Northern Plains. Grassland species may include Australasian Pipit, Zebra Finch, Banded Lapwing, Brown Songlark and Spotted Harrier.
In Terrick Terrick National Park, we target Southern Whiteface, Hooded and Red-capped Robin, Mallee Ringneck, White-browed Woodswallow, Painted Button-quail, Gilbert’s Whistler, White-browed Babbler and Chestnut-rumped Thornbill. There’s also a slim chance of encountering the rare Grey Falcon.
We continue west to the Wychitella region to search for Southern Scrub-robin, Crested Bellbird and possibly White-fronted Honeyeater.
Overnight in Bendigo.
Day 3 – Greater Bendigo National Park and Return to Melbourne
We spend the morning birding in the expansive Greater Bendigo National Park, a stronghold for box–ironbark and mallee birds not typically found closer to Melbourne.
Key species here include Shy Hylacola, Black-eared Cuckoo, Variegated Fairy-wren, Yellow-plumed Honeyeater, Black Honeyeater, Inland Thornbill, Purple-gaped Honeyeater, Rainbow Bee-eater, Yellow-tufted Honeyeater, Grey Currawong and Western Gerygone. In warmer months, Spotted Nightjar may also be a possibility.
We return to Melbourne in the early evening.
Important Information
Private tour – departs any day, subject to availability of birding guide.
Tour Code: BM3CV
To Book or Enquire: Email (Please include Tour Code)
4 Day Far South-West Victoria Private Birding Tour – from Melbourne
Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo & Southwest Victoria
A four-day, three-night excursion to the forests, heaths and coastline of the far south-western reaches of Victoria to try and find one of the state’s most magnificent birds: race graptogyne of the Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo. This is a species commonly found throughout the north of the continent, but in south-eastern Australia is restricted to a small and threatened population straddling the Victorian–South Australian border. We will endeavour to find this beautiful bird as it sails over the forest uttering its brassy and evocative wail, along with other hard-to-find species such as Bush Stone-Curlew, Masked Owl, Barking Owl, Powerful Owl, Rufous Bristlebird, Beautiful Firetail, Shy Hylacola, Brown Skua, Southern Emu-wren, Forest Raven, Sanderling, Hooded Plover, Satin Bowerbird, Grey Goshawk and Azure Kingfisher. Possible rarities that occur from time to time in the area include Elegant Parrot, Orange-bellied Parrot, Cape Gannet, Grey-headed Albatross, Southern Fulmar and Hutton’s Shearwater.
Day 1
Leaving Melbourne, we travel west of the Grampians, birding en route. A spotlighting excursion in the evening will see us attempt to locate Bush Stone-Curlew, Barking Owl and any other nocturnal birds that may be about.
Day 2
This morning we will traverse a vast area of Brown Stringybark forest interspersed with expanses of floristically diverse heathland in an attempt to locate Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo. Other birds here include Shy Hylacola, Tawny-crowned Honeyeater, Hooded Robin, Square-tailed Kite (spring–summer), Black-chinned Honeyeater, Diamond Firetail and Southern Whiteface. In the afternoon we will head south to Dergholm State Forest, and then on to Casterton if we still haven’t found the Red-tails.
Day 3
We will explore the beautiful Glenelg National Park in the morning and look for Azure Kingfisher, Masked Owl, Powerful Owl, Forest Raven, Olive Whistler and Long-billed Corella. In the afternoon we’ll reach the coast and hope to see Brown Skua, Black-faced Cormorant, Kelp Gull, Rufous Bristlebird and Beautiful Firetail around the Portland area. If conditions are favourable and there is a stiff onshore wind we will try for a bit of seabird-watching off Cape Nelson to pick up albatrosses, shearwaters and petrels.
Day 4
We will commence our journey back to Melbourne, travelling along the magnificent Great Ocean Road and stopping en route for Sanderling, Hooded Plover, Southern Emu-wren, Striated Fieldwren, Crescent Honeyeater, Blue-winged Parrot, Grey Goshawk and Satin Bowerbird.
Important Information
Private tour – departs any day, subject to availability of birding guide.
Tour Code: BM4SW
To Book or Enquire: Email (Please include Tour Code)
5 Day Victorian Mallee Private Birding Tour – from Melbourne
This 5-day, 4-night private birding adventure takes you deep into the remote mallee woodlands and semi-arid landscapes of north-western Victoria – one of Australia’s most distinctive birding regions. The mallee is a land of wide skies, ancient sand dunes, and spiky spinifex grass, home to a suite of highly localised and often elusive species.
We visit some of the state’s premier inland birding destinations including Little Desert National Park, Wyperfeld National Park, Murray-Sunset National Park and the legendary Hattah-Kulkyne National Park.
Among the many species we’ll target are Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo, Regent Parrot, Splendid Fairy-wren, Mulga Parrot, Blue Bonnet, Chestnut Quail-thrush, Gilbert’s Whistler, Yellow-plumed Honeyeater, Purple-gaped Honeyeater, Redthroat, Shy Heathwren, Hooded Robin and Slender-billed Thornbill. However, the true stars of this tour are the mallee’s renowned skulkers: Mallee Emu-wren, Striated Grasswren, Malleefowl and the critically endangered Black-eared Miner.
Day 1 – Melbourne to Little Desert National Park
We depart Melbourne and head west, birding en route before arriving at Little Desert Nature Lodge near Nhill for a two-night stay. In the afternoon, we explore the surrounding bush in search of local specialties such as Southern Scrub-robin and Mallee Ringneck.
Day 2 – Exploring the Little Desert
We spend the day in Little Desert National Park, a diverse reserve of mallee, heathland and stringybark woodland. Our main target is the Malleefowl, a shy ground-dweller known for its huge nesting mounds. With luck, we may observe a pair tending an active mound from a respectful distance.
Other likely species include Variegated Fairy-wren, Gilbert’s Whistler, Tawny-crowned Honeyeater, Little Corella, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Crested Bellbird, White-browed Babbler, Inland Thornbill and Slender-billed Thornbill. In the Brown Stringybark habitat, there’s also a slim chance of Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo.
Day 3 – Wyperfeld NP & Murray-Sunset (Pink Lakes)
We depart early and travel north to Wyperfeld National Park, where we explore the Discovery Walk and surrounding woodland in search of Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo, Regent Parrot, White-fronted Honeyeater, Chestnut Quail-thrush, Southern Scrub-robin and Redthroat.
In the afternoon we continue north to the Pink Lakes section of Murray-Sunset National Park to target two of the region’s most challenging species: Mallee Emu-wren and Striated Grasswren. These secretive birds are specialists of dense spinifex (Triodia) and can be difficult to detect, but this is one of the best places in Victoria to try.
Day 4 – Hattah-Kulkyne National Park
We arrive early at Hattah-Kulkyne, one of Australia’s most iconic birding sites. Here we’ll revisit key mallee habitats along the Old Calder Highway and Nowingi Track, with further chances for emu-wren, grasswren and Malleefowl.
Other possibilities include Striped Honeyeater, Hooded Robin, Splendid Fairy-wren, Mulga Parrot, Chestnut Quail-thrush, Yellow-plumed Honeyeater, and if conditions are favourable, nomadic species such as Budgerigar, Crimson Chat, Cockatiel, Black or Pied Honeyeater and even Scarlet-chested Parrot.
If Lake Hattah holds water, we may also encounter a great mix of wetland birds including Freckled Duck, Pink-eared Duck, Yellow-billed Spoonbill, Red-necked Avocet, Black-tailed Native-hen, Grey Teal, Glossy Ibis and others.
Day 5 – Bronzewing & Lake Tyrrell, return to Melbourne
We begin the day with a visit to Bronzewing, where we hope to encounter Black-eared Miner, a critically endangered species that has been translocated to this mallee reserve.
Later, we visit Lake Tyrrell, a vast inland salt lake surrounded by samphire and saltbush. This unique habitat is excellent for species such as Rufous Fieldwren, White-winged Fairy-wren, Black-faced Woodswallow and the brilliant Orange Chat.
We return to Melbourne in the early evening.
Important Information
Private tour – departs any day, subject to availability of birding guide.
Tour Code: BM5VM
To Book or Enquire: Email (Please include Tour Code)
Birding in other States & Territories of Australia
Top End
Birding
Comb Crested Jacana
Victoria
Birding
Buff-Banded Rail
Central Australia
Birding
Spinifex Pigeon
Western Australia
Birding
Red-capped Parrot
South Australia
Birding
Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo
Queensland
Birding
Scarlet Honeyeater
Tasmania
Birding
Hooded Plover
