Birdguides - Royal National Park
The Royal National Park is 32km south of Sydney on the Prince's Highway and is easily reached by public transport. Walking tracks start near train stations at Heathcoate, Waterfall, and Otford. The northern end of the park can be reached by ferry from Cronulla to Bundeena. Information and amenities are available from the visitor centre at Audley.
A species list of birds and other fauna of the Royal National Park is located on the NPWS homepage.
Birds Year Round
Winter (June-Sept) Male Lyrebirds begin their spectacular mating display. Their rich singing and mimicry echoes through the forest as they try to attract mates. Rose Robins may be seen in the forests and Albatrosses and other seabirds patrol the ocean. Seabirds are easier to see in stormy weather which blows them closer to shore.
Spring (Sept-Dec) The heaths explode into bloom. The Sydney sandstone flora is one of the most diverse in the world, and the spectacular red Waratah is one of the highlights of a bushwalk in October. Honeyeaters take advantage of the abundant nectar, and many other birds begin breeding. Migrants begin to return including cuckoos, Rufous Fantails, Black-faced Monarchs and Waders.
Summer (Dec-March) Waders return from their breeding season in the Northern Hemisphere. Summer is the bushfire season so be sure to observe National Park fire restrictions. The park experienced a severe summer fire in 1994; the effects of the fire are still being studied, but most of the bird species present before the fire have returned.
Autumn (March-June) The cooler weather makes for pleasant walking. Watch for flights of migrating Silvereyes and Honeyeaters as they head off for their wintering grounds.
Where to Go
Lady Carrington Drive starts near the visitor centre at Audley. The road is closed to traffic, and is an easy walk along the river through forest and rainforest.
The Forest Path highlights the rainforest community in the park. Tall trees, parrots, Superb Lyrebirds and Catbirds are the features of this walk.
The Uloola Track starts near the waterfall train station and passes through heath and forest before connecting with the Forest Path 7 km later. A long day walk.
The Curra Moors are the best place to look for heathland birds like Beautiful Firetail, Tawny-crowned Honeyeater and Southern Emu-wren.
Bundeena and Bonnie Vale have mudflats and mangroves and consequently Brown Honeyeater, Eastern Curlew, Spoonbills and many other waterbirds.
Habitats
The many habitat types found in and around the Royal National Park support diverse communities of birds. Heath, rainforest, woodlands, mud flats, mangroves and beaches are all found within the park.
Coastal Heath consists of low growing shrubs which grow on poor sandy soils. The conspicuous Banksia flowers produce nectar which attracts several species of honeyeaters. Other special heath birds include the Beautiful Firetail and the Southern Emu-wren.
Rainforest occurs in wet, sheltered gullies where cabbage tree palms, lillypillies, coachwood and turpentine trees grow. Look for Topknot Pigeons, Green Catbirds, Rufous Fantails and Black-faced Monarchs.
Mangroves grow in the sheltered waterways of Port Hacking on the northern side of the park. Brown Honeyeaters, Eastern Curlews, Striated Herons, Egrets, Spoonbills and other waders can be seen foraging in the rich and fragrant mangrove mud.
Sclerophyll Forest both wet and dry, features Eucalyptus trees and other hard-leaved plants typical of this type of vegetation. Forest birds include Golden and Rufous Whistlers, Fantails, Fairy-wrens, Rosellas, Cockatoos, Treecreepers, Thornbills, and Scrubwrens.
Ocean Cliffs form the boundary between the land and the sea. From the top of the cliffs, especially in winter, pelagic seabirds may be seen (with a telescope or powerful binoculars) including Albatross, Shearwaters, Prions, Skuas, Gannets Terns and Petrels. Peregrine Falcons also nest on cliff ledges.
