Birdguides - FAQ
I've just arrived in Sydney from overseas, where should I go first?
If you're in the city, good places to start would be Centennial Park, which is easily accessibly by bus, and the Botanic Gardens which are right beside the Opera House.
You can then go further afield to Royal National Park which you can reach by train or by car. A walk from Waterfall Station to the Forest Path goes through many different habitats including heath, sclerophyll forest and rainforest.
During the winter, if you have a scope, go down to Maroubra Beach to look for seabirds, or take one of the regular pelagic trips.
I've got a car, where can I go, further afield?
If you can get out and about, take a trip to Windsor (1 hour drive) for an interesting variety of forest and waterbirds. Take a walk at Blue Gum Swamp Creek (2 hours) in the Blue Mountains, or go all the way to the Capertee Valley (3 hours) for some more western birds. Try Dharug National Park and Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park (1.5 hours). Go down to Barren Grounds Bird Observatory (3 hours) and see the Ground Parrots and the Bristlebirds.
Are there any bird tours available?
Pelagic bird trips leave from Sydney and Wollongong once a month.
Emu tours can arrange short tours around various habitats near Sydney.
Local bird clubs usually organize weekend and weekday bird trips.
| NSW Field Ornithologists' Club PO Box Q277 Sydney NSW 2000 |
Cumberland Bird Observers Club PO Box 550 Baulkham Hills NSW 2153 |
| Hunter Bird Observers Club PO Box 24 New Lambton NSW 2035 Ph: (02) 4958 5942 |
Illawara Bird Observers Club 23 The Circuit Shellharbour NSW 2529 |
Where do I find out about rare bird sightings?
Unusual bird sightings are reported to Birdline on (02) 9439-9536
What field guide should I use?
There are several good field guides to Australian birds. The three most common are the Simpson and Day Guide, the Slater guide and the Pizzey and Knight guide. Various birdwatchers prefer different guides, for various reasons. The most recent field guide is the new Pizzey and Knight book which came out in 1998. It has few species on each page and consequently is a tad too big to fit easily in a pocket for taking into the field, but most people find it good for bird identification. The Simpson and Day guide is also a fairly big book, and it has a large information section in the back which covers the various families of Australian birds. The Slater Guide is the smallest and most portable guide; it has simple, uncomplicated illustrations, but its taxonomy is now somewhat out of date. The Slater book also illustrates the eggs of bird species which nest in Australia.
The Pizzey and Knight Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Graham Pizzey and Frank Knight, Harper Collins Publishers Pty, Ltd. 1998.
The Simpson and Day Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Ken Simpson and Nicholas Day. Penguin Books Australia, Ltd. 1996.
The Slater Field Guide to Australian Birds Peter Slater, Pat Slater and Raoul Slater, Landsdowne Publishing Pty, Ltd. 1997.
Are there books to tell me where to go?
yes. Try:
Birdwatcher's Guide to the Sydney Region Peter Roberts, Kangaroo Press Pty Ltd 1993.
Where to Find Birds in Australia John Bransbury, Waymark Publishing 1992.
The Complete Guide to finding the Birds of Australia Richard Thomas and Sarah Thomas, Frogmouth Publications 1997.
To find your way around Sydney, there are numerous good street directories, and maps are also available free from the NRMA if you are a member, or if you are a member of an affiliated association overseas such as the AAA.
How do I choose which Binoculars to buy?
There is an excellent binocular FAQ page which describes the ins and outs of binoculars and other optics.
I've found an injured bird, who do I call?
If you find an injured native animal, phone Wildlife Information and Rescue Services (WIRES) at 9975 1633 or 9975 5567 or call the Sydney Metropolitan Wildlife Services (SMWS) at 9413 4300.
