Known for their dramatic scenery, the world famous Blue Mountains attract many visitors to venture west of the Sydney basin. The mountain range covers an area of 11,400 km2 (4,401.6 sq mi) and due to its blue tinge when viewed from a distance, the name stuck. A large part of the Blue Mountains is incorporated into the Greater Blue Mountains Area UNESCO World Heritage Site, consisting of seven national park areas and a conservation reserve.
This Birding Day tour takes place in and around the Blue Mountains
The expert-guided tour can be booked as a small group private tour for dates that suits your travel plans.
• Powerful Owl
• Laughing Kookaburra
• Oriental Dollarbird
• Sacred Kingfisher
• Pink-eared Duck
The sandstone plateau rises to over 1000 metres and is punctured by deep canyons and gorges marked by vertical cliff faces. Across much of the plateau the summit is covered in a variety of woodland heath, the predominant natural vegetation of the higher ridges is eucalyptus forest, and the sheltered gorges often contain temperate rainforests. There are also many hanging swamps with button grass reeds and thick, deep black soil.
In recent years, bush fires have become far more destructive and expansive than before. The region was severely damaged by the 2019/2020 Australian bushfire season, during which the entire mountain range was devastated at a scale never seen before.
The Blue Mountains are a popular destination for rock climbers, mountain bikers and hikers as well as canyoning and other adventure sports. Of course, it is also a top birdwatching destination! Over 250 species have been recorded in the Blue Mountains area, including 31 threatened species.
Birding sites in the area include parks and gardens, woodlands, dry and moist forest, escarpment heaths as well as freshwater wetlands.
Key species include a mix of cockatoo species, such as Yellow-tailed Black, Gang-gang and Glossy Black Cockatoo, Galah and of course Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. Parrots are also well represented with the colourful Australian King Parrot and Eastern and Crimson Rosella being just three. The call of the Superb Lyrebird often echoes across the deep valley gorges. The birds are usually seen early in the mornings on the plateau summit. The New South Wales endemic Rockwarbler can also be found at a few sites across the mountains.
Other birds that occur at specific spots across the Blue Mountains include Yellow-faced, New Holland, Lewin’s, Crescent and White-naped Honeyeater, Red Wattlebird, Bell and Noisy Miner, Satin Bowerbird, Rufous Fantail, Noisy Friarbird, Eastern Spinebill, Eastern Whipbird, Black-faced Cuckooshrike, White-headed Pigeon, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Australian Golden Whistler, Spotted Pardalote, Red-browed Treecreeper, several thornbills and scrubwrens, Beautiful Firetail, Willie Wagtail, Black-faced Monarch, Brown Gerygone, Red-browed and Zebra Finch, Varied Sittella and Rose Robin.
Commonly seen raptors include Brown Goshawk, Collared Sparrowhawk, Peregrine Falcon and Nankeen Kestrel, but others like Square-tailed and Whistling Kite, Grey Goshawk and Wedge-tailed Eagle can also be spotted.
Other animals that can be spotted here include Spotted-tailed Quoll, Koala, Yellow-bellied Glider, Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Long-nosed Potoroo, Dingo, the endangered Blue Mountain Water Skink, beautiful Green And Golden Bell Frog and many more.
The Blue Mountains region borders on Sydney’s metropolitan area, its foothills starting about 50 kilometres (31 mi) west of the city centre; in other words, right on our doorstep!
Get in touch with one of our team members for more information at email@example.com