What an incredible morning out on our ‘Short and Tweet’ bird watching tour in Sydney!
- Simon Husher
- Mar 1, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 3, 2025
One of the biggest highlights was being surrounded by 50 to 70 Pied Currawongs, calling and flying all around us—a breathtaking sight as they perched in eucalyptus trees and on a metal framework tower.
We also had fantastic close-up views of Spotted Pardalotes, caught the striking blue-green iridescence of a Spangled Drongo, and spotting three Black-shouldered Kites was a real treat!
We might have only caught a fleeting glimpse of a Spotless Crake, but the most unforgettable moment? A Buff-banded Rail boldly foraging for seeds just three feet away - an incredibly special sighting.
Checkout the video of the Buff-banded Rail here https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGmZEyXylDz/?igsh=aXl1anltbHhsd3c=
Tour Details
Tour Type: Short and Tweet (Midweek Request)
Date: 27-2-25
Birdwatching Start Time: 6:50 AM
Birdwatching End Time: 11:15 AM
Birds Spotted
Here’s the full list of birds observed on this tour:
Swans, & Ducks
Black Swan (Cygnus atratus)
Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta jubata)
Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa)
Grey Teal (Anas gracilis)
Chestnut Teal (Anas castanea)
Hardhead (Aythya australis)
Megapodes
Australian Brushturkey (Alectura lathami)
Pigeons & Doves
Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)
Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes)
Topknot Pigeon (Lopholaimus antarcticus)
Rails, Crakes, Moorhens, Swamphens, & Coots
Spotless Crake (Porzana tabuensis)
Buff-banded Rail (Gallirallus philippensis) 🏆 Tour Highlight!
Dusky Moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa)
Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra)
Australasian Swamphen (Porphyrio melanotus)
Stilts, & Avocets
Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus leucocephalus)
Red-necked Avocet (Recurvirostra novaehollandiae)
Lapwings
Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles)
Gulls
Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae)
Grebes
Australasian Grebe (Tachybaptus novaehollandiae)
Cormorants & Darters
Australasian Darter (Anhinga novaehollandiae)
Little Pied Cormorant (Microcarbo melanoleucos)
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Little Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris)
Herons, Ibis & Spoonbills
Australian White Ibis (Threskiornis molucca)
Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regia)
White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae)
Great Egret (Ardea alba)
Pelicans
Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus)
Kites & Falcons
Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris) 🏆 Tour Highlight!
Kingfishers, Rollers
Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae)
Dollarbird (Eurystomus orientalis)
Cockatoos & Parrots
Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo (Zanda funerea)
Little Corella (Cacatua sanguinea)
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita)
Australian King-Parrot (Alisterus scapularis)
Red-rumped Parrot (Psephotus haematonotus)
Musk Lorikeet (Trichoglossus concinnus)
Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus)
Fairywrens
Superb Fairywren (Malurus cyaneus)
Honeyeaters
Lewin's Honeyeater (Meliphaga lewinii)
Noisy Miner (Manorina melanocephala)
Red Wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata)
New Holland Honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae)
Noisy Friarbird (Philemon corniculatus)
Pardalotes & Thornbills
Spotted Pardalote (Pardalotus punctatus) 🏆 Tour Highlight!
White-browed Scrubwren (Sericornis frontalis)
Yellow Thornbill (Acanthiza nana)
Cuckooshrikes & Orioles
Black-faced Cuckooshrike (Coracina novaehollandiae)
Olive-backed Oriole (Oriolus sagittatus)
Australasian Figbird (Sphecotheres vieilloti)
Butcherbirds, Magpies & Currawongs
Grey Butcherbird (Cracticus torquatus)
Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen)
Pied Currawong (Strepera graculina) 🎶 Tour Highlight!
Fantails, Flycatchers, & Drongos
Willie Wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys)
Grey Fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa)
Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca)
Spangled Drongo (Dicrurus bracteatus)
Ravens
Australian Raven (Corvus coronoides)
Reed Warblers, Grassbirds & Cisticolas
Australian Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus australis)
Little Grassbird (Poodytes gramineus)
Golden-headed Cisticola (Cisticola exilis)
Swallows, Silvereyes & Bulbuls
Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena)
Silvereye (Zosterops lateralis)
Red-whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus)
Mynas
Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis)
Estrildid Finches
Red-browed Firetail (Neochmia temporalis)
Final Thoughts
This birding tour was a fantastic reminder of how Sydney’s urban landscapes are still home to incredible birdlife. If you’d love to experience a morning like this, join us on an upcoming tour—there’s always something new to discover!
🐦 Love the sound of this tour? Tap the Book Now button to join Birding Sydney and Beyond’s Short and Tweet birdwatching tour and plan your next adventure! Looking for a longer experience? Check out our other tour options on our website. If your preferred tour isn’t available on your desired date, contact us—we’ll do our best to find a suitable option for you!
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