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Best birdwatching destinations in Oceania

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Kakadu National Park
Ancient Rock Art and Wild Wetlands
8.3
Across 7,646 square miles of Northern Territory wetlands and savanna, Kakadu records more than 280 bird species. That is about a third of all Australian species. Cruises on Yellow Water Billabong from Cooinda are a main way to watch birds. The savanna also shelters endangered Gouldian finches and vulnerable red goshawks.
Highlights:
  • 🏞️ Take a challenging hike to Jim Jim Falls gorge
  • 🦅 Cruise the Yellow Water Billabong for crocs and birdlife
  • 🌄 Watch the sunset over Aboriginal rock art at Ubirr
Kangaroo Island
Wildlife, Wonders and Rugged Coast
8.6
The 2019 and 2020 bushfires burned about 52% of the island, so check current conditions before visiting. It is the last South Australian refuge of the endangered glossy black cockatoo. It is also an Important Bird Area for fairy terns, hooded plovers and western whipbirds. Murray Lagoon draws waterbirds.
Highlights:
  • 🦭 Swim with playful sea lions at Seal Bay
  • 🪨 Marvel at the Remarkable Rocks and their surreal formations
  • 🦘 See wild kangaroos and koalas roaming freely at Flinders Chase
Christmas Island
Island Paradise of Red Crabs
8.3
Isolated about 220 miles south of Java, the island produced five endemic bird species and five endemic subspecies. Abbott's booby nests in tall rainforest trees here, its only remaining nesting habitat in the world. Red-footed boobies and frigatebirds also breed. About 63% of the island is national park.
Highlights:
  • 🌿 Explore the rainforest trails of Christmas Island National Park
  • 🐠 Snorkel among coral gardens and reef fish at Flying Fish Cove
  • 🦀 Witness the spectacular annual red crab migration
Papua New Guinea
Last paradise of South Pacific
5.7
New Guinea is the centre of bird-of-paradise diversity, a family of 44 species. Most occur at mid-montane elevations of roughly 3,300 to 6,600 feet. A male bird-of-paradise also appears on the national flag. Tribal fighting occurs in parts of the highlands, so hire a local guide and check government travel advisories.
Highlights:
  • 🥾 Trek the historic Kokoda Track through dense rainforest
  • 🎭 Meet the colorful tribes at the Mount Hagen Festival
  • 🤿 Dive among WWII wrecks in Rabaul’s volcanic waters
Tasmania
Wilderness, Wildlife and Wild Coasts
8.7
Separated from the mainland, the island has 12 endemic bird species. It hosts the world's only three migratory parrots, the orange-bellied, blue-winged and swift parrots. The orange-bellied parrot is critically endangered. The endangered Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle nests in emergent eucalyptus trees. Yellow wattlebirds and green rosellas are distinctive residents.
Highlights:
  • 🏛️ Tour the convict ruins at Port Arthur Historic Site
  • ⛰️ Explore Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park trails
  • 🏖️ Hike to Wineglass Bay and marvel at its white sand
Fiordland National Park
New Zealand’s Wildest Water World
8.7
Mist drifts over the fiords of New Zealand's largest national park. Takahē, long thought extinct, were rediscovered in the Murchison Mountains in 1948. Fiordland crested penguins live almost exclusively within the park. Rock wrens find protection on offshore Resolution Island. Milford Sound is the most visited fiord.
Highlights:
  • 🪶 Scenic fly over dramatic fjords and hidden alpine lakes
  • 🥾 Hike the world-famous Milford Track through lush rainforest
  • 🛥️ Cruise through majestic Milford Sound and spot playful dolphins
Phillip Island
Penguins, Surf and Coastal Wonders
8.1
The Penguin Parade has hundreds of little penguins waddling ashore at dusk to reach their burrows. About 40,000 of them live on the island, which is roughly 78 miles from Melbourne. The southern and western coasts are an Important Bird Area partly for short-tailed shearwaters. The Nobbies boardwalks close at sunset.
Highlights:
  • 🦭 Explore Seal Rocks, home to fur seal colonies
  • 🦘 Visit Koala Conservation Centre and see cuddly koalas
  • 🐧 Watch the adorable Penguin Parade at sunset
Norfolk Island
Untouched Paradise with Rich History
7.0
The endangered Norfolk Island green parrot is also called the Norfolk parakeet. Seabirds breeding on Nepean Island include red-tailed tropicbirds, wedge-tailed shearwaters and Australasian gannets. Norfolk and Nepean islands are also an Important Bird Area. The Norfolk boobook owl survives only as hybrids descended from the last female.
Highlights:
  • 🏛️ Explore historic Kingston and Arthur’s Vale Historic Area
  • 🌅 Climb to Captain Cook Monument for panoramic ocean views
  • 🏊‍♂️ Swim and snorkel in crystal-clear waters at Emily Bay
Zealandia
Urban Wildlife Sanctuary in Wellington
A 5.3 mile predator-proof fence, finished in 1999, encloses about 560 acres of forest in Wellington. Kākā, hihi, saddlebacks and little spotted kiwi were released inside. Takahē have joined them. Volunteer-led night tours often spot kiwi. The sanctuary opens from 9am to 5pm daily except Christmas Day.
Highlights:
  • 🌌 Join night tours to see kiwi and glow worms by torchlight
  • 🌲 Explore scenic forest trails with expert wildlife guides
  • 🦜 Spot rare native birds like kākā and takahē on guided tours
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