New Caledonia and the adjacent Loyalty Islands are a great place for birders. The islands have a total of 21 extant endemic birds. All but 3 of these can be seen, most relatively easily, on the main island of Grand Terre. The jewel in the crown is the iconic Kagu. The “Grey Ghost”, as it is affectionately known, is the only member of its monotypic family. In the last century this long-legged, flightless bird,  which is endemic to the dense mountain forests of Grand Terre, was on the brink of extinction.

The Wet Tropics  including the Atherton Tablelands and Cairns area has 15 endemic birds which are found nowhere else in the world. (see Sidebar) It also has many distinct subspecies including Double-eyed Fig-Parrot, Crimson Rosella, Southern Boobook, Masked Owl, Satin Bowerbird, White-throated Treecreeper, Yellow-throated Scrubwren, Brown Gerygone, Yellow Thornbill, Eastern Spinebill, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Grey Fantail, Pale Yellow Robin and Bassian Thrush. It addition it has some birds like Southern Cassowary which are found also in New Guinea and Papua but not anywhere else in Australia.

Budgies or Budgerigars to give them their full name, are nomadic. They follow the food and water. For most of the year they split up into small groups. This means that finding them in the vast expanse of Australia’s arid interior can be a bit hit or miss. However, as the standing water available in the bush dries up, these small flocks join together. They head to where there is a permanent source of this very necessary commodity. One of the places they head to is the small, western Queensland country town of Boulia.

The Wet Tropics  including the Atherton Tablelands and Cairns area has 15 endemic birds which are found nowhere else in the world. (see Sidebar) It also has many distinct subspecies including Double-eyed Fig-Parrot, Crimson Rosella, Southern Boobook, Masked Owl, Satin Bowerbird, White-throated Treecreeper, Yellow-throated Scrubwren, Brown Gerygone, Yellow Thornbill, Eastern Spinebill, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Grey Fantail, Pale Yellow Robin and Bassian Thrush. It addition it has some birds like Southern Cassowary which are found also in New Guinea and Papua but not anywhere else in Australia.

The Wet Tropics  including the Atherton Tablelands and Cairns area has 15 endemic birds which are found nowhere else in the world. (see Sidebar) It also has many distinct subspecies including Double-eyed Fig-Parrot, Crimson Rosella, Southern Boobook, Masked Owl, Satin Bowerbird, White-throated Treecreeper, Yellow-throated Scrubwren, Brown Gerygone, Yellow Thornbill, Eastern Spinebill, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Grey Fantail, Pale Yellow Robin and Bassian Thrush. It addition it has some birds like Southern Cassowary which are found also in New Guinea and Papua but not anywhere else in Australia.

The Wet Tropics  including the Atherton Tablelands and Cairns area has 15 endemic birds which are found nowhere else in the world. (see Sidebar) It also has many distinct subspecies including Double-eyed Fig-Parrot, Crimson Rosella, Southern Boobook, Masked Owl, Satin Bowerbird, White-throated Treecreeper, Yellow-throated Scrubwren, Brown Gerygone, Yellow Thornbill, Eastern Spinebill, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Grey Fantail, Pale Yellow Robin and Bassian Thrush. It addition it has some birds like Southern Cassowary which are found also in New Guinea and Papua but not anywhere else in Australia.

With the coming of the rains, birds usually resident in New Guinea  such as Papuan (Red-bellied) Pitta, Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher and Black-winged Monarch migrate south.  They then return north again when the rains stop. While the Kingfisher heads down as far as Cairns the Pitta and the Monarch tend to stay in the Iron Range area. Of course, the other “New Guinea specials” which cannot be seen anywhere else in Australia such as Eclectus Parrot, Red-cheeked Parrot, Palm Cockatoo, Chestnut-breasted Cuckoo, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Fawn-breasted Bowerbird, Magnificent Riflebird, Trumpet Manucode, Tropical Scrubwren, Green-backed Honeyeater, Tawny-breasted Honeyeater, Black-eared Catbird and Frilled Monarch are there all year round.

With the coming of the rains, birds usually resident in New Guinea  such as Papuan (Red-bellied) Pitta, Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher and Black-winged Monarch migrate south.  They then return north again when the rains stop. While the Kingfisher heads down as far as Cairns the Pitta and the Monarch tend to stay in the Iron Range area. Of course, the other “New Guinea specials” which cannot be seen anywhere else in Australia such as Eclectus Parrot, Red-cheeked Parrot, Palm Cockatoo, Chestnut-breasted Cuckoo, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Fawn-breasted Bowerbird, Magnificent Riflebird, Trumpet Manucode, Tropical Scrubwren, Green-backed Honeyeater, Tawny-breasted Honeyeater, Black-eared Catbird and Frilled Monarch are there all year round.