Guide to Common Birds of Tasmania
Tasmania is one of Australia’s top birdwatching destinations. Nowhere else in the country can you spot as many endemic species is such a small area. Tasmania is home to twelve endemic bird species, most of which can be seen throughout the entire state.
We’ve created a helpful Tasmanian birdwatching identification guide with quality photos that’s perfect for beginner birdwatchers trying to identify Tasmania’s birds. While there may be more than 380 bird species that have been spotted in Tasmania and its many offshore islands, we will focus on some of the most common birds seen in Tasmania.
Best Birdwatching Spots in Tasmania
The best part of birdwatching in Tasmania is that you can spot a large number of birds almost anywhere in the state. Some species are migratory and can only be spotted during certian months of the year while others are year-round breeding residents.
Tasmania is home to cool temperate forests, wet and dry sclerophyll forests, button grass moorlands, wetlands, and coastal heathlands. Each habitat will offer the chance to see its own unique species.
Birdwatching in Tasmanian National Parks is a great way to tick a number of species off your list. Some notable parks where you can commonly spot large numbers of birds include Narawntapu National Park in the north, Freycinet National Park in the East, and Tasman National Park in the South. Tasmania’s National Parks have even launched a handy birds of Tasmania app that covers roughly 50 of the most common birds found in Tasmania. The app provides information on Tasmanian bird calls, photo identification, and what habitats you are likely to see each species in.
Some of the other top birding locations in Tasmania for twitchers include the Tamar Island Wetlands in Launceston, Don Reserve in Devonport, Leven River in Ulverstone, Royal Tasmanian Botanic Gardens in Hobart, and Orielton Lagoon near Hobart which is recognised as a Ramsar Wetland. If you are wondering where to watch penguins in Tasmania, check out the penguin viewing platform at Lillico beach where you can spot penguins from September to May during their breeding season.
Online Photo Guide to the Birds of Tasmania
Navigate to:
Sea & Beaches
Pacific Gull
Hooded Plover
Pied Oystercatcher
Black Faced Cormorant
Silver Gull
White Bellied Sea Eagle Immature
White Bellied Sea Eagle Adult
Little Penguin
Little Penguin Juveniles
Great Crested Tern
Peregrine Falcon
Black Faced Cormorant
Forests & Grasslands
Dusky Woodswallow
Brown Thornbill
Wedge Tailed Eagle
Wedge Tailed Eagle
Scarlet Robin
Morepork Owl
Brown Falcon
Brown Goshawk
White Fronted Chat
Pallid Cuckoo
Black Currawong
Pink Robin
Masked Owl
Grey Goshawk White Morph
Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoo
Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoo
Yellow Throated Honeyeater
New Holland Honeyeater
Grey Fantail
Brown Goshawk
Silvereye
Tawny Frogmouth
Fan Tailed Cuckoo
Yellow Watllebird
Black Faced Cuckooshrike
Australian Magpie
Australian Hobby
Forest Raven
Common Bronzewing
Australian Kestrel
Wetlands, Lakes, & Rivers
Cape Barren Goose
Little Pied Cormorant
White Bellied Sea Eagle
White Faced Heron
Tasmanian Nativehen
Great Egret
Tasmanian Nativehen
Black Swan
Australian Pelican
Little Pied Cormorant
Masked Lapwing
Swamp Harrier
Australasian Grebe
Black Fronted Dotterel
Eurasian Coot
Australian Shelduck
Banded Lapwing
Musk Duck
Australian Wood Duck
Masked Lapwing
Great Cormorant
Chestnut Teal
Dusky Moorhen
Pacific Black Duck
Australasian Swamphen
Gardens & Urban Areas
Superb Fairywren
Superb Fairywren Female
Green Rosella
Sulphur Crested Cockatoo
Musk Lorikeet
Galah
Eastern Rosella
Australian Magpie
Welcome Swallow
European Goldfinch
Laughing Kookaburra
Noisy Miner
Little Wattlebird
Eastern Spinebill
Rainbow Lorikeet
Beautiful Firetail
Grey Butcherbird
European Starling
New Holland Honeyeater
Endemic Birds of Tasmania
The following is a list of the 12 endemic bird species in Tasmania:
- Tasmanian Native Hen
- Green rosella
- Dusky robin
- Tasmanian thornbill
- Scrubtit
- Tasmanian Scrubwren
- Yellow wattlebird
- Yellow-throated honeyeater
- Black-headed honeyeater
- Strong-billed honeyeater
- Black currawong
- Forty-spotted pardalote
Orange-bellied parrot: photo by Ron Knight , Forty Spotted Pardalote: Photo By Francesco Veronesi
Eleven of these endemic species can be readily seen in and around Hobart, Tasmania’s largest city. Only the forty-spotted pardalote has a severely restricted range. A good spot to start searching for endemic bird species in Hobart is in Kunanyi/Mount Wellington Park.
Inala Private Conservation Reserve on Bruny Island is probably the best location in Tasmania to see the rare and endemic forty-spotted pardalote. They also have a wonderful bird hide which allows visitors to photograph several different raptors of Tasmania quite easily. Head to Melaleuca in Southwest National Park if you want to see the critically endangered Orange-bellied Parrot.
In addition to the twelve endemic species of birds found in Tasmania, the state also offers up some unique bird subspecies. These include a subspecies of wedge-tailed eagle (Aquila audax fleayi), the Tasmanian masked owl, and the white morph of the grey goshawk. You could also potentially spot various penguin species that visit the island from much further south if you’re lucky. There have been increased sightings of king penguins in Tasmania that last few years.
Field Guide to Tasmania Birds
We highly recommend Dave Watts’s Field Guide to Tasmanian Birds if you are looking for a more comprehensive birds of Tasmania book that will cover most of the birds that can be spotted in the state.
Bespoke Bird-Themed Exclusive Souvenirs
Celebrate your own personal favorite Tasmanian birds by creating Custom Lapel Pins or custom bird stickers, both of which will allow you to show off your love of birds to your fellow twitchers. With GS-JJ, you can create your own enamel bird pins that reflect perfect details of your favorite bird whether that’s a majestic white-bellied sea eagle or a rare forty-spotted pardalote.
Customizable bird pins are made from rich materials and with expert craftsmanship, utilizing artistic designs you create and upload or from real-life photos you’ve taken of birds, which will allow you to fully remember those special birding moments. These keepsake pins can be used to adorn your coat, camera bag, camera strap, hat, or whatever you can think of. These collectible badges will capture the charm and field markings of the bird you choose and you’re sure to be the envy of your birding group friends.
July 6, 2020
Loll..The pink robin is the cutest.
May 18, 2022
Aren’t they all just so perfect! The Great Cormorant…beautiful….they’re all beautiful.
We recently visited Tasmania for the first time, nice experience.
I was looking for a bird I photographed at Dennes Point Bruny Island, but it’s not in this list.
December 18, 2022
Can not seem to id a small grey bird with small red spot on head and yellow markings on both wings I see the flying in Launceston.
December 21, 2022
Hi Michael,
Possibly a European goldfinch perhaps, as it does have a red patch on the head and yellow on wings.
December 26, 2022
Saw a bird that looked a bit like a wattlebird but it had a white beak with a black tip. The crown of his head was black which went into grey on his throat down the chest. Black tail with faint white tips.. would love to know what it was
December 26, 2022
Hi Kezz,
Could it have been a Little Wattlebird? I know you said it looked like a wattlebird but was unsure if you were referring to the Yellow Wattlebird. The description does suit a Little Wattlebird.