Home › Northern Territory Bird List & Natural Highlights

Northern Territory Bird List & Natural Highlights

Highlights of touring with NT Bird Specialists

  • Brilliant photographic opportunities
  • Excellent interpretation and customer service
  • Experienced and professional award-winning naturalist guide and tour operation
  • Assurance of travelling with an award-winning Australian Accredited Tourism Business and Licensed Commercial Tour Operator and Vehicle
  • Maximum 4-8 guests (enquire for group bookings up to 11 guests+)
  • Diverse range of tropical bird life
  • Diverse range of tropical habitats
  • Endemic, rare and iconic wildlife
  • Stunning natural landscapes, largely unpopulated by people
  • Boat cruises on rivers, wetlands and lakes
  • Ancient and modern aboriginal cultures – ancient rock art, traditional stories, cultural activities and more
  • Flexibility to stop frequently in small or private groups
  • Maximum use of daylight hours
  • World Heritage National Parks
  • Remoteness
  • Birds! Birds! Birds! Birds! Birds!
  • Contact us for more information and to ask about group discounts.

 

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Iconic native animals we may encounter include: 

Birds

Top End Bird List - 300+ species - Top End of the Northern Territory and East Kimberley, Western Australia

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Saltwater Crocodile, Fresh Water Crocodile, Frilll-necked Lizard, Water Monitors, Sand Goannas, Rock Monitors, Tree Monitors, Northern Water Dragon, Golden Tree Snake, Brown Tree Snake, Olive Python, Black-Headed Python, Black Whip Snake, Keelback, Firetail Skink

Mammals
Agile Wallaby, Common Wallaroo/Euro, Antillopine Wallaroo Endemic Black Wallaroo, Wilkin’s Short-eared Rock Wallaby, Short-eared Rock Wallaby, Nail-tailed Wallaby, Northern Brown Bandicoot, Northern Brushtail Possum, sugar-gliders, Black-Footed Tree Rat, Little Red Flying Fox, Black Flying Fox, microbats, Dingo

Amphibians
Green Tree Frog, Dwarf Tree Frog, Roth’s Tree Frog, Rockhole Frog

Tropical Monsoon Habitats

Urban areas, coastal monsoon vine thickets, coasts and tidal mudflats, tidal rivers and estuaries, mangroves, savannah woodlands, monsoon vine forest pockets, floodplains and paperbark swamps, rivers, fresh water creeks and billabongs, sandstone escarpment and plateau, limestone outcrops, pastoral land.

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Cultural sites and landscapes

Pre-settlement to current day – Aboriginal rock art sites, occupation shelters, Aboriginal lands
Post-settlement – Historic Gold Rush, pioneering, mining and historic railway towns, pastoral lands and cattle yards
Iconic World Heritage and jointly managed national parks, walking tracks and lookouts.

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Jim, New Zealand

Mary River Park- mecca for birds, Agile Wallabies, crocs and genuine Top End hospitality.
2013-11-21T04:54:53+00:00
Mary River Park- mecca for birds, Agile Wallabies, crocs and genuine Top End hospitality.

James, Cambridge, England

Really enjoyable stay surrounded by birds, Agile wallabies, etc. Excellent meals. Mike’s bird tour to see the Gouldian Finches was ace –c100 obliged as well as White-browed Robins and others.

The river trip produced seven saltwater (one monster) and 21 freshwater crocs, plus Jabiru, Satin Flycatchers, Yellow Oriole & Lemon-Bellied Flycatchers along the Bamboo Trail. Many thanks Mike & Gina.
2013-11-20T13:19:22+00:00
Really enjoyable stay surrounded by birds, Agile wallabies, etc. Excellent meals. Mike’s bird tour to see the Gouldian Finches was ace –c100 obliged as well as White-browed Robins and others. The river trip produced seven saltwater (one monster) and 21…
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“Unbeatable bird expertise”, Alec Brennan, 2 Day Parrot and Finch Paradise private charter, 27 July 2015

I had a limited amount of time but wanted to catch as many of NT's unique birds as possible during my visit. Luke took me to a range of spots round Darwin and was able to produce some fantastic sightings simply because he knows so much about how each bird lives and where in particular to look for it. In some cases he even knows their calls and is able to bring them closer. I ended the day out at Fogg Dam and it really produced some wonderful birds and some wonderful photographs. I am a keen bird photographer so it is great being with someone who understands both birds and photography in terms of getting the best shots. I would rate it right up at the top of my birdwatching experiences.



Alec Brennan, 2 Day Parrot and Finch Paradise private charter, 27 July 2015

2015-10-28T19:17:54+00:00
I had a limited amount of time but wanted to catch as many of NT’s unique birds as possible during my visit. Luke took me to a range of spots round Darwin and was able to produce some fantastic sightings…
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“Unmissable bird photography day tour”, Chris, 2 Day Parrot and Finch Paradise Tour, June 2015

We wanted to take exceptional bird photos in Darwin and Luke knew the right place to take us identifying birds by their calls without fail. He could spot a bird at half a mile and managed to get us close to just about everything. He took us to Fogg Dam for a half day tour which was excellent. We saw a large variety of birds in the area and Luke positioned the vehicle so we could do some shots with the big (600mm) lens it was perfect and no request was too much trouble. Being a photographer too, Luke understands light and angles and was extremely helpful in positioning.



The vehicle is clean, comfortable and has plenty of space if you want to take heaps of camera gear and is well,sealed from the dust. Luke is cheerful, friendly, warm and amazingly informative about birds, trees, mammals and the local area. He is also safety conscious so no risks were taken in saltwater croc territory.
If you want to see or photograph NT birds this is the way to do it. We will definitely return at a different time of year to catch different species.



“Unmissable bird photography day tour”, Chris, 2 Day Parrot and Finch Paradise Tour, June 2015

2015-10-28T19:21:16+00:00
We wanted to take exceptional bird photos in Darwin and Luke knew the right place to take us identifying birds by their calls without fail. He could spot a bird at half a mile and managed to get us close…
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Bill Turner, USA (2013)

We did have a wonderful holiday and lots of wonderful memories and I got lots of lovely photos of different bird that I had never seen. Luke did know where to take us to see the best birds also for me to get the best photos 2013

I just wanted to send you our belated thanks for arranging the trip to Kakadu Nat Park with Luke Paterson in September. It was just amazing, and Luke was a fantastic guide. We saw so much and learned more. He looked after us so well, and we thoroughly enjoyed his company, as well as his birding and client care skills.
2013-11-21T05:00:15+00:00
We did have a wonderful holiday and lots of wonderful memories and I got lots of lovely photos of different bird that I had never seen. Luke did know where to take us to see the best birds also for…
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Barb& Jim, Arlington, USA

Great Birding - Black Bittern, Gouldian Finches, Great-Billed Heron, Barking Owl and many more. Friendly place- wonderful activities.
2013-11-21T04:58:56+00:00
Great Birding – Black Bittern, Gouldian Finches, Great-Billed Heron, Barking Owl and many more. Friendly place- wonderful activities.

“fantastic birding Day”, Penny M, Half day birding tour, 30 July 2015

Just had the most wonderful day around Darwin bird watching with Luke. We saw 80 different birds thanks to Luke's incredible knowledge of birds and their calls. He could tell what bird it was from the call. Not only that he was highly organised - and we had a yummy picnic lunch. The four wheel drive was very comfortable and clean and Luke is a very careful driver. Certainly this day ticked all the boxes for me. Thanks Luke.


Penny M, Half day birding tour, 30 July 2015
2015-10-28T19:16:26+00:00
Just had the most wonderful day around Darwin bird watching with Luke. We saw 80 different birds thanks to Luke’s incredible knowledge of birds and their calls. He could tell what bird it was from the call. Not only that…
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Mark, Melbourne

I had always doubted that I would see a Gouldian Finch but my fortune had changed by coming to Mary River Park. I saw one hundred Gouldian Finches - enough for a lifetime. All thanks to our most knowledgeable guide, Mike.
2013-11-20T13:17:27+00:00
I had always doubted that I would see a Gouldian Finch but my fortune had changed by coming to Mary River Park. I saw one hundred Gouldian Finches – enough for a lifetime. All thanks to our most knowledgeable guide,…
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Susan, Queensland

GOULDIAN FINCH (lifetime dream) readily obliged (c100) one early morning 4WD Safari. Topped off with (among others) Aust Bustard, Spotted Harrier, Brown Falcon, Black Shouldered Kite, Partridge Pigeon & White-Browed Robin, Black-tailed Treecreeper.
2013-11-21T04:56:07+00:00
GOULDIAN FINCH (lifetime dream) readily obliged (c100) one early morning 4WD Safari. Topped off with (among others) Aust Bustard, Spotted Harrier, Brown Falcon, Black Shouldered Kite, Partridge Pigeon & White-Browed Robin, Black-tailed Treecreeper.

Chris Stewart, 2 Day Quick Loop, 19 October 2015

We spent two days with Luke & Sarah in Kakadu and had a great time as well as being a successful birding outing. They are so friendly, helpful, knowledgeable and willing to go the extra mile to satisfy their client's wishes. They are obliging - Luke & Sarah constructed a tour to meet our time constraints, preferred locations, and particular birds we were after. The food was top quality, generous and well presented. Luke's birding skills are impressive and they both have so much knowledge of the cultural significance of the area and the history and all the wildlife and plants.



Chris Stewart, 2 Day Quick Loop, 19 October 2015

2015-10-28T19:12:15+00:00
We spent two days with Luke & Sarah in Kakadu and had a great time as well as being a successful birding outing. They are so friendly, helpful, knowledgeable and willing to go the extra mile to satisfy their client’s…
Read more ›

BillTurner.USA (2012)

I'm home this week after a delightful sojourn in Oz with my birding group. We had a wonderful four days with Luke on our Top End segment. As you probably hear a lot, he is a great birding guide - knowledgeable, conscientious, energetic, good sense of humor, caring; everyone liked him.

The weather was good with only one heavy shower at Howard Springs while we were eating lunch. The trip logistics - coach, accommodations, food - all were excellent. And, by and large, we did well with the birds, sighting such species as the Gouldian finch, hooded parrot, great-billed heron, and black bittern.

Thank you for arranging this part of my tour... I hope to be back next year.
2013-11-21T04:59:31+00:00
I’m home this week after a delightful sojourn in Oz with my birding group. We had a wonderful four days with Luke on our Top End segment. As you probably hear a lot, he is a great birding guide –…
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Anthony Nimbs – (6 Day Kakadu Bird Week Birding Trip of a Lifetime Competition Winner) 15-20 October 2015

Oh wow where do I begin?? I just spent 6 days travelling Kakadu with NT Bird Specialists........Words like Wonderful, Fantastic and Mind Blowing enter my head in summing up my time and experiences spent with Luke and Sarah. From first meeting them at the airport I found them both instantly likeable and as it turns out are the best birding hosts/buddies you could ever ask for. There is nothing that is to much of an effort for either of them, the food they offered was excellent and the drinks were always cold. Luke and Sarah are very kind, caring and courteous and often asked as to how we are going (given the heat).

When out and about driving or walking Luke has an extrasensory ability to detect the smallest movement or sound, immediately training his spotting scope on the bird or animal for an intimate view and explanation of what is to be viewed in the scope.

Luke and Sarahs depth of knowledge not only about birds but also the vast cultural and natural landscape of Kakadu as a whole is quite extraordinary, I found my time with them deeply rewarding and at times a very moving experience, particularly in relation to their rock art interpretation. They both effortlessly shared with myself and my son this wealth of knowledge, interpretive signage found at the rock art sites just doesn't come close to having a personal guide like Luke and Sarah.

I'm so indebted to them for showing so us many unique, beautiful and amazing birds animals and cultural sites in what is one of the most incredible landscapes on earth.

I highly recommend NT Bird Specialists for your next outdoor birding experience, you will walk away with so many wonderful memories and photos, that you will be talking about it for years to come. This is one Top End experience that I personally will never forget.
Thank you so much Luke and Sarah, your both so awesome, Riley and I are missing your company so much........!!!!

Anthony Nimbs - (6 Day Kakadu Bird Week Birding Trip of a Lifetime Competition Winner) 15-20 October 2015
2015-10-28T19:10:22+00:00
Oh wow where do I begin?? I just spent 6 days travelling Kakadu with NT Bird Specialists……..Words like Wonderful, Fantastic and Mind Blowing enter my head in summing up my time and experiences spent with Luke and Sarah. From first…
Read more ›

“This does what it says on the tin” Greg Flint, 1 Day 70th Birthday birding trip, 7 October 2015

5 members of my family went for a tour with Luke and Sarah for my mum's 70th birthday. This tour was exactly what I had pictured in my mind, and hooray we even saw a Gouldian Finch on the day (which made up for not seeing a Rainbow Pitta).



It wasn't a Family (teens) trip. It was a Family (all adults) trip.
I have no complaints about value for money from this day trip.



Greg Flint, 1 Day 70th Birthday birding trip, 7 October 2015

2015-10-28T19:14:40+00:00
5 members of my family went for a tour with Luke and Sarah for my mum’s 70th birthday. This tour was exactly what I had pictured in my mind, and hooray we even saw a Gouldian Finch on the day…
Read more ›