Birding Tour Australia: Northern Territory – Alice Springs and Uluru Birding
Dates and Costs
20 – 25 September 2026
Spaces Available: 7
Price: AU$7,342 / $5,074 / £3,779 / €4,352 per person sharing (4-8 participants)
Single Supplement: AU$1,628 / $1,125 / £838 / €965
* Please note that currency conversion is calculated in real-time, therefore is subject to slight change. Please refer back to the base price when making final payments.
20 – 25 September 2027
Price: AU$8,075 / $5,580 / £4,157 / €4,786 per person sharing (4-8 participants)
Single Supplement: AU$1,790 / $1,237 / £922 / €1,061
Recommended Field Guide
(Please also read our blogs about recommended field guides for the seven continents here)
Tour Details
Duration: 6 days
Group Size: 4 – 8
Tour Start: Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Tour End: Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Price includes:
All accommodation (as described above from Day 1 through Day 5)
Meals (from dinner on Day 1 until lunch on Day 6)
Expert tour leader
National park/birdwatching reserve/protected areas entrance fees
Private transportation during the tour
Price excludes:
International or domestic flights to get to/from Alice Springs
Airport transfers
Any pre- or post-tour accommodation, meals, or birding/sightseeing/etc. excursions
Visa if required
Items of a personal nature, e.g. gifts, laundry, internet access, phone calls, etc.
Any pre- or post-tour accommodation, meals, or birding/sightseeing/monument excursions
Soft/alcoholic drinks (drinking water is safe from the taps, please bring a refillable water bottle)
Personal travel insurance
Gratuities (please see our tipping guidelines blog)
Australia: Northern Territory – Alice Springs Birding
September 2026/2027
This short birding tour around Alice Springs in the south of the Northern Territory of Australia also takes in the magnificent Uluru (also known as Ayers Rock). It is an ideal tour to combine with two of our other Australian tours because it fits in perfectly between our Birding Tour Western Australia: Southwest Australian Endemic Birds and Birding Tour Australia: Northern Territory – Top End Birding Tour. Combining all three of these short Australian birding tours will give you an excellent list of the birds of north, central, and western Australia, complete with a multitude of highly sought-after Australian endemic birds.
The striking Spinifex Pigeon is one of our targets on this trip.
As with all our other tours this is a small-group tour. The majority of our tour will be based in Alice Springs, though we will also venture further afield to base ourselves near Uluru so we are well placed to enjoy this important feature. We will have a wide range of target birds while here, and will focus on the region’s specials such as Spinifex Pigeon, Spinifexbird, Rufous-crowned Emu-wren, Dusky Grasswren, Rufous Grasswren, Banded Whiteface, Grey Honeyeater, Western Bowerbird, Black-breasted Buzzard, Diamond Dove, Grey-headed Honeyeater, Black Honeyeater, Pied Honeyeater, Slaty-backed Thornbill, White-backed Swallow, Crested Bellbird, Black-eared Cuckoo, Budgerigar, Bourke’s Parrot, Mulga Parrot, Red-tailed Black Cockatoo, Spotted Harrier, Little Eagle, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Purple-backed Fairywren, Splendid Fairywren, White-winged Fairywren, Red-browed Pardalote, and Painted Finch.
Splendid Fairywren is one of many spectacular species found around Alice Springs.
For those wishing to explore Australia further, in addition to the two tours mentioned above, this tour can also be combined with our two other Australian tours: Tasmania – Endemics and the Orange-bellied Parrot and Eastern Australia: from the Outback to the Wet Tropics. Not sure where to go birding in Australia? Take a look at our series of blog posts here that will give you some ideas!
Itinerary (6 days/5 nights)
Day 1. Arrival in Alice Springs
Arrival in Alice Springs. We will meet at our hotel in the evening for a welcome meal, ready to start birding the following morning. For those arriving early, there are plenty of birds in the river floodplain and botanic gardens near our hotel for some self-exploration.
Overnight: Alice Springs
Days 2 – 3. Birding Alice Springs environs
Two full days birding the Alice Springs area. There are several sites within close proximity to Alice Springs (even inside the city limits) and we will have morning and afternoon sessions at a range of these sites, such as the old telegraph station, the botanic gardens, the desert park, and the local back roads.
We will look for Western Bowerbird that can be found at their bowers in the city – an impressive garden bird!
Some of the species we could find here include Spinifex Pigeon, Western Bowerbird, Grey Honeyeater, Pied Honeyeater, Black Honeyeater, Hooded Robin, Painted Finch, Black-breasted Buzzard, Little Eagle, Galah, Australian Ringneck, Diamond Dove, Black-eared Cuckoo, Crimson Chat, Splendid Fairywren, Mistletoebird, Rainbow Bee-eater, Australian Zebra Finch, Grey-crowned Babbler, White-browed Babbler, Torresian Crow, Little Crow, Australian Boobook, and Red-browed Pardalote.
Hooded Robin is a delightful bird, and we should find this as we bird our way around Alice Springs.
The song of Crested Bellbird is spectacular as it rings out through the desert.
We will also venture out from the city into the ‘desert’ areas, where we will look for some different and highly sought-after species such as Rufous-crowned Emu-wren, Spinifexbird, Dusky Grasswren, Banded Whiteface, Bourke’s Parrot, Crested Bellbird, Slaty-backed Thornbill, Red-browed Pardalote, and White-browed Treecreeper.
Bourke’s Parrots are tough to see during the daytime as they are crepuscular. We will visit a waterhole where we will hope to see them coming in to drink at dusk.
Dusky Grasswren is a target during our birding around Alice Springs.
Widespread Australian species we may find here include Southern Whiteface, Spotted Harrier, White-winged Fairywren, Purple-backed Fairywren, Hooded Robin, Inland Thornbill, White-fronted Honeyeater, Hooded Robin, Magpie-lark, White-backed Swallow, and Red-tailed Black Cockatoo.
Overnight: Alice Springs
A spectacular male Purple-backed Fairywren displays to a rather drab female.
Day 4. Alice Springs to Erldunda
We will have a final morning birding in the Alice Springs area looking for any of the birds mentioned above, before we drive south to Erldunda, where we will spend the night. We should have time for some birding around our accommodation in the late afternoon, when the temperature has dropped, and we will look for some of the birds mentioned for Day 5, below.
Overnight: Erldunda
Day 5. Erldunda and Uluru (Ayers Rock)
We will spend the morning birding around Erldunda and making our way to the famous Uluru (Ayers Rock), which we will reach in the mid-afternoon. Some of the birds we will be on the lookout for in the morning include Cinnamon Quail-thrush, Chiming Wedgebill, Budgerigar, Crimson Chat, Orange Chat, Pink (formerly Major Mitchell’s) Cockatoo, and maybe the nomadic Inland Dotterel.
In a country blessed with a myriad of stunning parrots, Major Mitchell’s (Pink) Cockatoo takes some beating!
The sight of Uluru as the sun sets is absolutely spectacular and a tour highlight in its own right.
We will have some time taking in the sights of Uluru (Ayers Rock) in the afternoon and we will keep our eyes peeled for Rufous Grasswren, a recent (2020) split from Striated Grasswren. The birds here are touted as a further split, Sandhill Grasswren.
Overnight: Uluru
The rare and localized Rufous Grasswren will be a target around Uluru.
Day 6. Travel Uluru (Ayers Rock) to Alice Springs
After spending the early morning in the Uluru area looking for the species mentioned above, we will travel back to Alice Springs where the tour ends in the mid-afternoon.
Overnight: Not included
Please note that the itinerary cannot be guaranteed as it is only a rough guide and can be changed (usually slightly) due to factors such as availability of accommodation, updated information on the state of accommodation, roads, or birding sites, the discretion of the guides and other factors. In addition, we sometimes have to use a different international guide from the one advertised due to tour scheduling.
Download Itinerary
Spinifex Pigeon
Splendid Fairywren
Budgerigar
Dusky Grasswren
Rufous Grasswren
Spinifexbird
Banded Whiteface
Crested Bellbird
Diamond Dove
Australian Zebra Finch
Western Bowerbird
Crimson Chat
Wedge-tailed Eagle
Black-breasted Buzzard
White-winged Fairywren
Northern Territory: Alice Springs and Uluru Birding Tour Set Departure Trip Report, September 2025
20 – 25 SEPTEMBER 2025
By Andrew Walker
DOWNLOAD TRIP REPORT
Budgerigars were present in good numbers during the tour and allowed for fantastic views.
Overview
This Alice Spring birding tour started in the town of Alice Springs on the 20th of September 2025 and ended back there on the 25th of September 2025. This short bird tour focused on birding around Alice Springs but ventured further afield to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park; this area is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List for its natural and cultural values. We visited both spectacular rock formations, as well as calling in to Erldunda, the geographical center of Australia!
We recorded 94 bird species on this Alice Springs birding tour, and all species were seen. You can also see our eBird trip report, here. Plenty of specials of the “Red Center” were found, including Spinifex Pigeon, Diamond Dove, Australian Bustard, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Spotted Harrier, Black Falcon, Red-backed Kingfisher, Rainbow Bee-eater, Pink Cockatoo, Budgerigar, Australian Ringneck, Mulga Parrot, Ground Cuckooshrike, Spinifexbird, Dusky Grasswren, Rufous-crowned Emu-wren, Purple-backed Fairywren, Splendid Fairywren, White-winged Fairywren, Slaty-backed Thornbill, Redthroat, Red-browed Pardalote, Banded Whiteface, Southern Whiteface, Western Bowerbird, Grey-headed Honeyeater, Crimson Chat, White-backed Swallow, Chiming Wedgebill, Copperback Quail-thrush, Hooded Robin, Red-capped Robin, Little Crow, and Zebra Finch.
In addition to the above great birds, we also saw Red Kangaroo, Common Wallaroo, Black-footed Rock Wallaby, Central Bearded Dragon, Leopard Ctenotus, and Monk (Inland Hooded) Snake during the tour. Species lists for birds, mammals, and reptiles recorded during this Australian birdwatching tour follow the daily account, below. Furthermore, our dusk visit to Uluru was another huge highlight of the tour, seeing this world-famous landmark in the changing light of the sun setting will live long in the memory for it was a remarkable sight.
Spinifex Pigeon was a clear tour highlight, such a spectacular bird.
Detailed Report
Day 1, 20th September 2025. Arrival in Alice Springs
We met for a group welcome meal in the evening, discussing the plans for the coming week of birding in the arid Alice Springs and Uluru (Ayers Rock) areas. Several in the group had just completed our Northern Territory: Top End bird tour and were looking forward to expanding their Australian bird lists.
Day 2, 21st September 2025. Birding the Alice Springs area
We spent the morning driving into the arid bush to the southeast of Alice Springs. We noted a few birds along the way, such as Crested Pigeon, Black-shouldered Kite, Nankeen Kestrel, Pallid Cuckoo, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, several other common and widespread birds, and a mob of Black-footed Rock Wallabies.
Our first birding stop was at an area that looked pretty much like everywhere else we had driven through to that point, but we had a target to find and after walking around the bush for a while we got our main target, the tough Banded Whiteface. Two birds flew in to where we were birding and showed occasionally for a short while, before disappearing. Here we also saw Zebra Finch, Australian Pipit, Rufous Songlark, Grey-crowned Babbler, White-winged Fairywren, and our first Budgerigars of the trip, with several feeding on the ground at fairly close range – what a sight!
Known worldwide as a popular cage bird, it was exciting to see large numbers of wild Zebra Finches (and wild Budgerigars)around Alice Springs.
Continuing our drive, we had sightings of Red-backed Kingfisher, Black-faced Woodswallow, White-backed Swallow, and Central Bearded Dragon. We stopped at a rocky spinifex covered slope and commenced a slow walk. Not far after setting off a Spinifexbird was found, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared, unfortunately. After some considerable effort we were successful in obtaining views of another of our targets, when a pair of Dusky Grasswrens were seen, but alas, no emu-wrens, we would need to try again later in the tour. A Brown Falcon cruised overhead, giving good flight views of the characteristic features.
As we continued our drive we noticed a lot of activity so pulled over and found a larger flock of feeding Budgerigars with a flock of Masked Woodswallows also flying around and showing nicely. Further exploration of this area gave us close sightings of Horsfield’s Bronze Cuckoo, Rainbow Bee-eater, Crimson Chat, Southern Whiteface, White-winged Triller, Chiming Wedgebill, Red-capped Robin, Hooded Robin, Rufous Songlark, and Zebra Finch.
Splendid Fairywren was a popular and stunning sight.
We enjoyed lunch back in Alice Springs, and afterwards spotted Australian Ringneck, Western Bowerbird (great looks at the male tending his bower, which was very interesting), White-plumed Honeyeater, Yellow-throated Miner, nesting Willie Wagtails and Magpie-larks, and Little Crow.
After a short break in the middle of the day we headed out to the Alice Springs Desert Park entrance area, which turned out to be really exciting. The highlight here was an amazing display by Splendid Fairywrens with at least five males showing at once! As we walked around the bush, which was thriving after recent rain, we spied several raptors looking for a late afternoon snack, and included Black-shouldered Kite, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Collared Sparrowhawk, Brown Goshawk, Nankeen Kestrel, and Brown Falcon. Other smaller birds present (and constantly on the lookout for the above raptors), included White-fronted Honeyeater, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, White-plumed Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, Grey-crowned Babbler, White-browed Babbler, Black-faced Cuckooshrike, Rufous Whistler, Mistletoebird, and Zebra Finch.
Our final stop of the day was not far out of town along the escarpment where (after all the effort earlier in the day), we easily found a pair of Dusky Grasswrens! Here too we had sightings of Peregrine Falcon and Black Falcon, along with Grey-headed Honeyeater, Grey Shrikethrush, and Little Woodswallow.
It had been a wonderful introduction into birding in the “Red Center” of Australia, and we ended the day with a great meal at our hotel.
Dusky Grasswren hopped out onto a rock and out in the open just as the sun was setting.
Day 3, 22nd September 2025. Birding the Alice Springs area
We spent the morning birding in the West MacDonnell National Park. As we drove out of town some folks on one side of the vehicle got lucky with a brief flyover of a pair of Ground Cuckooshrikes, along with the more common roadside birds such as Little Corella, Galah, Spotted Dove, Nankeen Kestrel, and Black-shouldered Kite. Several Black-footed Rock Wallabies and a couple of Common Wallaroos were noted too.
At our first stop, a nice walk along a seasonally flooded river valley, we saw some more Budgerigars (nice and close perched views) and plenty of honeyeaters, including Black-chinned (Golden-backed) Honeyeater, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, and Grey-headed Honeyeater. Zebra Finches were moving through the area, occasionally perching nice and close allowing for good looks, and Australian Ringnecks were present but often slightly hidden from view. After a while we found our main target, when a Spinifex Pigeon jumped onto a rock in full view for us all to see. The bird sat still long enough for us to all get some really nice views of this most wanted and spectacular species. Shortly afterwards a Diamond Dove flew in and landed right above us and, just as we were about to leave the site, we spotted a Red-browed Pardalote which eventually showed nicely for us all.
After the success of the first birding stop we made one other stop in the national park, not too far away, and found even more new trip birds. The standout highlight here (in addition to the beautiful landscape) was undoubtedly Pink Cockatoo. We got some really nice views of a feeding bird and then another individual flew over calling and displaying its pretty underwing colors. A small lake held Australasian Grebe, Little Pied Cormorant, Eurasian Coot, Grey Teal, and Black-fronted Dotterel, while overhead we noted an Australian Hobby rapidly shooting through.
Pink Cockatoo was busily feeding and not bothered in the slightest by our presence!
In the afternoon we visited some Mulga woodland to the north of Alice Springs, where we found a couple of new birds, but the increased wind made conditions tough for birding. We made a short walk through the habitat and added a couple of new species for our trip, Western Gerygone and Chestnut-rumped Thornbill. Views of Red-capped Robin were improved for some, as were the views of Black-faced Cuckooshrike, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, and Singing Honeyeater. There were also further sightings of Splendid Fairywren, which is always a popular bird for some reason!
A short stop at a waterbody was quiet, but we had excellent views of both Pallid Cuckoo and Hooded Robin nearby. Some of the group had a brief sighting of a pair of huge Red Kangaroos that bounded alongside the vehicle for a short while. Driving back into Alice Springs as the sun set, we noted several more Black-shouldered Kites hunting along the roadside.
Day 4, 23rd September 2025. Alice Springs to Erldunda
We had an early morning birding session in the arid areas to the southeast of Alice Springs where we surprisingly quickly managed to find a rather cute male Rufous-crowned Emu-wren. A tiny bird that was amazingly good at vanishing from right in front of us – aided by some thick and impenetrable spinifex grass. We heard Dusky Grasswren but, given our pursuit of the emu-wren, we didn’t focus on seeing the grasswren this time. Nearby another Spinifexbird was briefly seen, but again eluded most of us, and by now the wind had picked up considerably and it was unlikely they would come and sit out in the open to get blown around. A pair of Wedge-tailed Eagles and a pair of Nankeen Kestrels appeared to be enjoying the wind a little more than us, and showed nicely. More Budgerigars were also seen, their fast flight even quicker today!
Rufous-crowned Emu-wren brieflyshowed closely (photo by tour participant Joi Inbody).
In the middle of the morning we departed Alice Springs to drive south to Erldunda. Along the way a brief roadside stop gave us our first Masked Lapwings of the tour and a better view of Australian Magpie. The usual roadside birds were noted, but unfortunately a nice Australian Raven coincided with a fast part of the road when most were sleeping. We made a couple of stops along the way, though these were not as productive as hoped, due to the increasing wind strength.
After lunch we stopped at a small dam and five minutes of bedlam ensued. Pulling up to the dam we saw an Australasian Darter, Hoary-headed Grebe, and a flock of Maned Ducks. A number of Zebra Finches and Budgerigars were coming in to drink, when suddenly a stooping Black Falcon came powering into the flock, trying to catch something. It missed but made two or three rapid dives and we watched on excitedly. A short while later, a Brown Goshawk came powering over and dived straight into the flock of Maned Ducks (which had by this point walked out of the water) and tried to catch one, getting within a matter of inches before the ducks got away. It was an exciting few minutes of avian chaos!
In the late afternoon we tried birding in an area of bush near to our accommodation that has given good results in previous years, however it was unfortunately largely quiet and still rather windy. We did have nice views of Mulga Parrot, White-backed Swallow, Crimson Chat, White-browed Babbler, and Southern Whiteface. A distant male Spotted Harrier flew through and Brown Falcons were quite showy, as were Masked Woodswallows. The major highlight here, however, was just as we were ending our birding session. A pair of very smart looking Australian Bustards were found walking very close to a road and allowed us lengthy close views.
We enjoyed some close looks at a pair of Australian Bustards late in the afternoon.
Day 5, 24th September 2025. Erldunda to Uluru (Ayers Rock)
We had an early morning birding session near our accommodation but it was rather cold and activity was slow to get going. We did, however, see a gorgeous Mulga Parrot, Hooded Robin, Red-capped Robin, and a family of Purple-backed Fairywrens.
We enjoyed watching the very rare (in the Northern Territory) Copperback Quail-thrush on our way to Uluru.
After breakfast we commenced our drive towards Uluru. We made a couple of stops along the way, the first giving us some distant views of Chiming Wedgebill, Pied Honeyeater, and White-fronted Honeyeater (along with the usual roadside birds like Black-shouldered Kite, Nankeen Kestrel, and Brown Falcon). A second stop gave us our hoped-for Slaty-backed Thornbill and yet more Zebra Finches. A bit more time on the road gave brief sightings of Brown Songlark and Cockatiel for some. Our third stop provided quite a bit of excitement. We firstly accidentally flushed some unseen Australian Bustards, which then gave a nice fly over view before settling back into the bush nearby. Secondly, a Chiming Wedgebill eventually showed better than our previous views. Then finally, the highlight of the day, when we discovered a pair of Copperback Quail-thrushes. The male giving some nice views. This is a very rarely recorded species in the Northern Territory, so we were extremely lucky and very happy with our sighting.
Our group watching the color of Uluru change through the afternoon.
In the late afternoon we visited Uluru to watch the changes in color that occurs as the sun sets here. An impressive sight indeed. Our focus was on Uluru, however we got some very close views of Singing Honeyeater, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, and Black-faced Woodswallows that were feeding near our viewpoint (as well as a gorgeous Leopard Ctenotus – a type of lizard). Afterwards we enjoyed a wonderful dinner in Yulara.
Day 6, 25th September 2025. Birding at Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) and travel to Alice Springs
After an early breakfast we set off for some birding at the base of the impressive Kata Tjuta rock formation (formerly known as the Olgas). After a drive through some beautiful landscapes (with another look at Uluru along the way), we quickly found our main target, the pretty Redthroat. Here too we also enjoyed further looks at Slaty-backed Thornbills, a vocal Inland Thornbill, and an attractive Monk (Inland Hooded) Snake.
After spending some time soaking up the views of Kata Tjuta, we commenced our journey back to Alice Springs. A brief stop along the way provided further views of Pallid Cuckoo, Chiming Wedgebill, Purple-backed Fairywren, and White-backed Swallow. Our drive back was uneventful, but we did note a couple of huge Wedge-tailed Eagles feeding on roadkill kangaroos. We arrived back in Alice Springs in the late afternoon where the tour concluded (or continued on to our Western Australia birding tour for some folk in the group).
Rainbow Bee-eaters were seen on the tour and provided a stunning flash of color.
Bird List – Following IOC (15.1)
All species were seen. The following notation after species names is used to show conservation status following BirdLife International: VU = Vulnerable.
| Common Name | Scientific Name |
| Ducks, Geese, Swans (Anatidae) | |
| Maned Duck | Chenonetta jubata |
| Grey Teal | Anas gracilis |
| Bustards (Otididae) | |
| Australian Bustard | Ardeotis australis |
| Cuckoos (Cuculidae) | |
| Horsfield’s Bronze Cuckoo | Chalcites basalis |
| Pallid Cuckoo | Heteroscenes pallidus |
| Pigeons, Doves (Columbidae) | |
| Spotted Dove | Spilopelia chinensis |
| Common Bronzewing | Phaps chalcoptera |
| Crested Pigeon | Ocyphaps lophotes |
| Spinifex Pigeon | Geophaps plumifera |
| Diamond Dove | Geopelia cuneata |
| Rails, Crakes & Coots (Rallidae) | |
| Eurasian Coot | Fulica atra |
| Grebes (Podicipedidae) | |
| Australasian Grebe | Tachybaptus novaehollandiae |
| Hoary-headed Grebe | Poliocephalus poliocephalus |
| Buttonquail (Turnicidae) | |
| Little Buttonquail | Turnix velox |
| Plovers (Charadriidae) | |
| Black-fronted Dotterel | Charadrius melanops |
| Masked Lapwing | Vanellus miles |
| Anhingas, Darters (Anhingidae) | |
| Australasian Darter | Anhinga novaehollandiae |
| Cormorants, Shags (Phalacrocoracidae) | |
| Little Pied Cormorant | Microcarbo melanoleucos |
| Kites, Hawks, Eagles (Accipitridae) | |
| Black-shouldered Kite | Elanus axillaris |
| Wedge-tailed Eagle | Aquila audax |
| Collared Sparrowhawk | Tachyspiza cirrocephala |
| Brown Goshawk | Tachyspiza fasciata |
| Spotted Harrier | Circus assimilis |
| Black Kite | Milvus migrans |
| Whistling Kite | Haliastur sphenurus |
| Kingfishers (Alcedinidae) | |
| Sacred Kingfisher | Todiramphus sanctus |
| Red-backed Kingfisher | Todiramphus pyrrhopygius |
| Bee-eaters (Meropidae) | |
| Rainbow Bee-eater | Merops ornatus |
| Caracaras, Falcons (Falconidae) | |
| Nankeen Kestrel | Falco cenchroides |
| Australian Hobby | Falco longipennis |
| Brown Falcon | Falco berigora |
| Black Falcon | Falco subniger |
| Peregrine Falcon | Falco peregrinus |
| Cockatoos (Cacatuidae) | |
| Cockatiel | Nymphicus hollandicus |
| Galah | Eolophus roseicapilla |
| Pink Cockatoo | Cacatua leadbeateri |
| Little Corella | Cacatua sanguinea |
| Old World Parrots (Psittaculidae) | |
| Mulga Parrot | Psephotellus varius |
| Australian Ringneck | Barnardius zonarius |
| Budgerigar | Melopsittacus undulatus |
| Bowerbirds (Ptilonorhynchidae) | |
| Western Bowerbird | Chlamydera guttata |
| Australasian Wrens (Maluridae) | |
| Purple-backed Fairywren | Malurus assimilis |
| Splendid Fairywren | Malurus splendens |
| White-winged Fairywren | Malurus leucopterus |
| Rufous-crowned Emu-wren | Stipiturus ruficeps |
| Dusky Grasswren | Amytornis purnelli |
| Honeyeaters (Meliphagidae) | |
| Crimson Chat | Epthianura tricolor |
| Pied Honeyeater | Certhionyx variegatus |
| Brown Honeyeater | Lichmera indistincta |
| Black-chinned Honeyeater | Melithreptus gularis |
| White-fronted Honeyeater | Purnella albifrons |
| Singing Honeyeater | Gavicalis virescens |
| Grey-headed Honeyeater | Ptilotula keartlandi |
| White-plumed Honeyeater | Ptilotula penicillata |
| Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater | Acanthagenys rufogularis |
| Yellow-throated Miner | Manorina flavigula |
| Pardalotes (Pardalotidae) | |
| Red-browed Pardalote | Pardalotus rubricatus |
| Australasian Warblers (Acanthizidae) | |
| Redthroat | Pyrrholaemus brunneus |
| Southern Whiteface – VU | Aphelocephala leucopsis |
| Banded Whiteface | Aphelocephala nigricincta |
| Inland Thornbill | Acanthiza apicalis |
| Slaty-backed Thornbill | Acanthiza robustirostris |
| Chestnut-rumped Thornbill | Acanthiza uropygialis |
| Western Gerygone | Gerygone fusca |
| Australasian Babblers (Pomatostomidae) | |
| Grey-crowned Babbler | Pomatostomus temporalis |
| White-browed Babbler | Pomatostomus superciliosus |
| Whipbirds (Psophodidae) | |
| Chiming Wedgebill | Psophodes occidentalis |
| Jewel-babblers, Quail-thrushes (Cinclosomatidae) | |
| Copperback Quail-thrush | Cinclosoma clarum |
| Woodswallows, Butcherbirds & Allies (Artamidae) | |
| Masked Woodswallow | Artamus personatus |
| Black-faced Woodswallow | Artamus cinereus |
| Little Woodswallow | Artamus minor |
| Australian Magpie | Gymnorhina tibicen |
| Pied Butcherbird | Cracticus nigrogularis |
| Cuckooshrikes (Campephagidae) | |
| Ground Cuckooshrike | Coracina maxima |
| Black-faced Cuckooshrike | Coracina novaehollandiae |
| White-winged Triller | Lalage tricolor |
| Australo-Papuan Bellbirds (Oreoicidae) | |
| Crested Bellbird | Oreoica gutturalis |
| Whistlers & Allies (Pachycephalidae) | |
| Rufous Whistler | Pachycephala rufiventris |
| Grey Shrikethrush | Colluricincla harmonica |
| Fantails (Rhipiduridae) | |
| Willie Wagtail | Rhipidura leucophrys |
| Monarchs (Monarchidae) | |
| Magpie-lark | Grallina cyanoleuca |
| Crows, Jays (Corvidae) | |
| Torresian Crow | Corvus orru |
| Little Crow | Corvus bennetti |
| Australian Raven | Corvus coronoides |
| Australasian Robins (Petroicidae) | |
| Red-capped Robin | Petroica goodenovii |
| Hooded Robin | Melanodryas cucullata |
| Swallows, Martins (Hirundinidae) | |
| White-backed Swallow | Cheramoeca leucosterna |
| Fairy Martin | Petrochelidon ariel |
| Grassbirds & Allies (Locustellidae) | |
| Spinifexbird | Poodytes carteri |
| Brown Songlark | Cincloramphus cruralis |
| Rufous Songlark | Cincloramphus mathewsi |
| Flowerpeckers (Dicaeidae) | |
| Mistletoebird | Dicaeum hirundinaceum |
| Waxbills, Munias & Allies (Estrildidae) | |
| Australian Zebra Finch | Taeniopygia castanotis |
| Wagtails, Pipits (Motacillidae) | |
| Australian Pipit | Anthus australis |
| Total seen | 94 |
| Total heard only | 0 |
| Total recorded | 94 |
Reptile List
| Common Name | Scientific Name |
| Dragons (Agamidae) | |
| Central Bearded Dragon | Pogona vitticeps |
| Skinks (Scincidae) | |
| Leopard Ctenotus | Ctenotus pantharinus |
| Elapid Snakes (Elapidae) | |
| Monk (Inland Hooded) Snake | Parasuta monachus |
| Total | 3 |
Mammal List
| Common Name | Scientific Name |
| Kangaroos, Wallabies, and Allies (Macropodidae) | |
| Common Wallaroo | Osphranter robustus |
| Red Kangaroo | Osphranter rufus |
| Black-footed Rock Wallaby | Petrogale lateralis |
| Camelids (Camelidae) | |
| Dromedary Camel | Camelus dromedarius |
| Canids (Canidae) | |
| Feral Dog (Dingo) (H) | Canis familiaris dingo |
| Hares and Rabbits (Leporidae) | |
| European Rabbit | Oryctolagus cuniculus |
| Total | 6 |
DOWNLOAD TRIP REPORT
This is a sample trip report. Please email us ([email protected]) for more trip reports from this destination.
Birding Tour Australia: Northern Territory – Alice Springs Birding
Tour-Specific Information
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT AUSTRALIA CAN BE READ HERE
TOUR OUTLINE
This short birdwatching tour to the southern part of the Northern Territory focuses on the birds found around Alice Springs and includes a visit to Uluru (Ayres Rock). There are many desert specials to be found on our Alice Springs birding tour, including birds like Black-breasted Buzzard, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Spinifex Pigeon, Diamond Dove, Spinifexbird, Western Bowerbird, Dusky Grasswren, Rufous Grasswren, Rufous-crowned Emu-wren, Splendid Fairywren, Banded Whiteface, Crested Bellbird, Bourke’s Parrot, Mulga Parrot, Red-browed Pardalote, Australian Zebra Finch, and Painted Finch.
This tour combines perfectly with both our Northern Territory Top End birding tour and our Western Australia birding tour, which run either side of this Alice Springs bird tour in most years.
DAILY ACTIVITIES, PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS, AND TOUR PACE
A relaxed pace, yet still comprehensive bird tour as we take in the special birds around the Alice Springs area. We will have one central base in Alice Springs city for a few days before we venture a little further away to Uluru, stopping for a night along the way. We will make morning and afternoon birding trips from our accommodation when we are based in Alice Springs city. We will then bird along the way as we move further afield from the city.
Birding around Alice Springs will involve drives of around an hour to get to the birding sites, sometimes a little less (approximately 30 minutes) and sometimes a little more. The drive between Alice Springs and Erldunda is around two hours and between Erldunda and Uluru is around three hours. The longest drive of the tour will be as we drive between Uluru and Alice Springs, which will be around five hours but will take longer as we add birding and lunch stops.
The tour is generally considered easy in terms of physical exertion. However, the temperatures during the day could get high (see “Weather” section below), so dehydration needs to be considered a possibility at all times, as does heat stroke and sunburn, etc.
Our usual tactic on this tour is to make short walks from our vehicle in a loop of up to 0.6 – 1.2 miles (1 – 2 kilometers), and we may make several of these a day. On a couple of occasions on this tour, we are likely to make slightly longer walks of 2.5 miles (4 kilometers), and we may make a couple of these a day too. Please ensure you always carry water with you on our walks away from the vehicle. Walking is often on fairly flat but occasionally undulating rough ground with rabbit holes and loose rocks, so care needs to be taken. In some areas we will be walking in very spiky spinifex grass, so long pants (trousers) are recommended.
TRANSPORTATION
We will use a 12-seater minibus on this Alice Springs birding tour. There will be limited baggage space, so please pack as lightly as possible for the tour (including within the seating area).
DOMESTIC FLIGHTS
There are no domestic flights on this Alice Springs birdwatching tour.
LUGGAGE
Please pack as lightly as possible for this Alice Springs birding tour due to limited space inside vehicles. A medium-sized, soft-sided, and robust duffle bag is likely to work best for packing in the tour vehicle. You will be expected to load and unload your own bags into and out of vehicles.
We recommend using a daypack to keep items that you wish to use daily when in the vehicle or when birding in the field (such as binoculars, camera, notebook, field guide, personal supply of water, snacks, umbrella, rain jacket, extra layers of clothing, etc.).
ACCOMMODATION
In Alice Springs and Uluru we stay at comfortable hotels in rooms with air conditioning and private bathrooms. There are restaurants on site where we will eat most of our meals, and the hotels offer free Wi-Fi. These hotels both have swimming pools.
At Erldunda, we stay in the roadhouse (a sort of outback motel), the rooms have air-conditioning, Wi-Fi, and private bathrooms. There is a swimming pool and restaurant on site.
WEATHER
Known as a warm month, the average maximum daytime temperature in Alice Springs during our birding tour in October is 90 degrees Fahrenheit (oF) (32 degrees Centigrade/oC), and the average minimum temperature is 60 oF (16 oC). Rain is unlikely on our tour, and as such, it is usually not very humid.
SAFETY
Alice Springs has received some negative press over recent years due to a significant increase in antisocial behavior and crime. Do not walk around outside the resort grounds (e.g., in town or elsewhere) after dark. Please do not leave valuables (or anything at any time) inside the vehicle when it is parked to help reduce the risk of anyone breaking into the vehicle. Please keep a close watch over your possessions (e.g., bags, wallet, optics, etc.) when we are out and about in the city, such as during lunch stops and city birding stops. Do not walk around Alice Springs city with expensive equipment in view at any time. Ensure the doors and windows are always closed and locked in your hotel rooms (when you are in the room and out of it).
WHAT TO BRING: CLOTHING AND OTHER ITEMS
The following is a list of useful items to bring on this Alice Springs birding tour and should be read in conjunction with the Australia general information document.
- A field guide to the birds of the region. See the general information for our recommendations for this Alice Springs bird tour.
- Hiking pole or walking stick to help on the tracks and trails. While probably not necessary for everyone, a walking stick is compulsory for anyone who is unsteady walking, as we feel this is a safety issue. We don’t want anyone slipping on the trails or anywhere else. Please discuss with us if you are unsure whether you will need one or not.
- High-concentration DEET insect repellant or similar products.
- A flynet for your face is very useful in some years.
- Sunhat, suncream, and sunglasses.
- A small personal first aid kit. See the suggested items from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) here.
- Lightweight hiking boots are likely the best footwear for this tour. A set of sandals (flip-flops) and/or trainers would be useful for walking around some of the accommodations but are not suitable for birding time (consider snake bites, mud, slips, trips, falls, etc.).
- Quick-drying birding clothes (in suitable colors) are the best for this tour; you are unlikely to require sweaters, etc., for this tour.
- All of our accommodations have swimming pools.
- A small hand towel or washcloth can be handy for cleaning dust off when in the desert. Not essential, but people do find these handy.
- A dry bag to keep valuable documents in, such as passports, cell phones, wallets, etc., as well as cameras, if we get unlucky and have a rain shower, or to keep dust off.
Download Australia – Alice Springs tour Information
DOWNLOAD AUSTRALIA GENERAL INFORMATION
Andy Walker is a terrific birder and guide, and the typical small Birding Ecotours group sizes means Andy has a great chance of getting everyone a good look at even the most skulky birds of the Alice Springs area.
Highlights were the rare birds and Uluru. Andy was great and is top notch and a very dedicated guide. He wants us to see even the hard-to-get birds.