Sensational Birding In Tasmania

Posted On December 18, 2009 




Country Info

Australia is the world’s smallest continent with an area of 7,618,000 square kilometers and is located in the Southern Hemisphere. The island nation comprises the mainland, island of Tasmania and several other islands in the Pacific and the Indian Ocean. To its north lie countries like Indonesia, East Timor and Papua New Guinea while to its north-east lie countries like Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia. New Zealand is the south-eastern neighbor of Australia.

Tasmania is a wild and beautiful island state of Australia which is located about 250 kilometres off the southeastern coast off mainland Australia. The Bass Strait separates the two. The area of Tasmania is 68,401 square kilometers and is the largest among all islands located in the adjacent region. Tasmania is often termed as the ‘Island of inspiration’ because of its largely undisturbed natural heritage. A large part of Tasmania comprises natural reserves, national parks and World Heritage Sites. Capital of Tasmania is Hobart.

tasmania australia

Geography

Tasmania is the most mountainous of all the states and provinces in Australia. The Central Highlands cover most of the central western part of the island while the Midlands in central eastern part are comparatively plain. The highest peak in Tasmania is Mount Ossa. The island features dense forest. The Southwest National Park (at Southwest Wilderness) is home to temperate rain forests. The Tarkine wilderness in the north-west has the largest temperate rainforest in Australia. The rugged topography of the island also gives birth to a large number of rivers. Rainfall pattern is complex.

Climate

Tasmania has cool temperate climate. Summer season extends from December to February, Autumn from March to May, Winter in June-July followed by Spring.

Flora

A land of extremely diverse flora, Tasmania witnesses grasslands in the dry Midlands to the tall evergreen Eucalypt forest, alpine heathlands and large temperate rainforests as well as moorlands. The vegetation in the central valley, east coast, and Tasman Pennisula is called ‘dry schlerophyl’ while the eastern highlands and eastern sections of the western highlands are called ‘wet schlerophyl’. Some of the tallest and oldest trees in the world are also seen in Tasmania.

Faunatasmania fauna

Among the various fauna species found in Tasmania, Tasmanian Tiger and Tasmania Devil are noteworthy. Platypuses as well as amphibians are also found here. There are also spotted-tailed Quoll, Bennet’s Wallabies, Southern Brown Bandicoot, Tasmanian Pademelon and Echidna.

Birding in Tasmania

However, it is the avifauna diversity in Tasmania that makes birding a unique experience here. Tasmania has 316 avifauna species of which 12 are endemic and 4 sub-endemic. Some of the endemic bird species of Tasmania are:

  • Honeyeaters including Yellow Wattlebird, Black-headed, Strong-billed and Yellow-throated Wattlebirds
  • Warblers found in Australia and Papua like Tasmanian Thornbill, Scrubtit and Tasmanian Scrubwren
  • Forty-spotted Pardalote
  • Black Currawong
  • Tasmanian Native-hen
  • Emu
  • Dusky RobinDusky Robin
  • Wadge tailed Eagle
  • Tasmanian Thornbill
  • Green Rosella
Besides there are also
  • Orange-bellied Parrot
  • Swift Parrot (These are breeding endemics, i.e., they breed only in Tasmania and migrate to mainland Australia during the non-breeding season)
  • Ground Parrot
  • Grebe
  • Albatross
  • Little Penguin
  • Petrels (including Cape Petrel, Blue Petrel, Northern Giant Petrel, White-headed Petrels and others)
  • Australian PelicanAustralian Pelican
  • Green Rosellas
  • Whistling Kite
  • Eagles (like White-breasted Sea Eagles and Wadge tailed Eagles)
  • Cormorants
  • Cape Barren Goose
  • Sulphur crested Cuckatoos
  • Pink Coockatoos
  • Australian Pipits
  • Brown Goshawks
  • Australasian Gannet
  • Pink Robin
  • Silvereye
  • Australian Magpie
  • Tasmanian Forest Raven
  • Egrets
  • Australian Kestrel
  • Sandpipers
  • Plover
  • Superb Lyrebird
Places of birdwatching in Tasmania

All the bird species endemic to Australia can be found in this island and with much ease. There are a number of suitable places, which can prove worthy for the birdwatchers when it comes to birdwatching. Some of them are:

  • Penrhyn Pond/Heron Pond
  • Mount Wellington and Wellington Falls
  • Peter Murrell Reserve
  • Fern Glade Track
  • Melaleuca in south-west Tasmania
  • Cradle Mountain
  • Strahan on the west coast
  • Mt Field National ParkMt Field National Park
  • King Island and Cape Barren Islands (these are Barren Strait Islands. Short-tailed shearwater or ‘mutton birds’ are found)
  • Rocky islands off the South west Wilderness
  • Maria Island off the east coast of Tasmania
How to reach Tasmania

The Hobart international airport is just three hours flight from Sydney and less than an hour from Melbourne. Tasmania can also be reached from Melbourne by overnight ferry journey.

Other attractions at Tasmania:
  • Walking in the rain forests
  • Visiting the fruit-growing regions like the Huon Valley where apple and pear are grown.
  • Visiting penguin colony on the east coast from November to January.penguin colony
Birding Accommodation in Tasmania:

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Comments

One Response to “Sensational Birding In Tasmania”
  1. I believe the most fun a birding novice or professional can have is investigating new species in a new place! In Tasmania, with over 300 species to choose from, there are so many birds that you can expect to surprise you! Imagine, getting some time to enjoy summer once again, when winter is happening back home. That would be a great christmas break for sure!

    I really appreciate all the great photos and pictures you have included here, and for all the insight on the travel times to Tasmania. Nature is always a peaceful and insightful break for anyone.

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