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Australia Australia Ramsar wetland

Macquarie Marshes Nature Reserve

109 bird species recorded; the most in March.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec101at the peak
Species recorded in each month · tap a month

Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 by EOX IT Services GmbH (contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data), CC BY 4.0, with relief shading from Copernicus WorldDEM-30

This month here

17 species in January.

The birds you are most likely to see in the month you choose, those that come for the season first. It opens on today's month.

White-plumed Honeyeater
White-plumed HoneyeaterPtilotula penicillataSummer visitorAviceda · CC BY-SA 3.0
Peaceful Dove
Peaceful DoveGeopelia placidaSummer visitorJJ Harrison ( https://www.jjharrison.com.au/ ) · CC BY-SA 4.0
Little Friarbird
Little FriarbirdPhilemon citreogularisSummer visitorVicki Nunn · Public domain
Fairy Martin
Fairy MartinPetrochelidon arielSummer visitorJim Bendon from Karratha, Australia · CC BY-SA 2.0
White-browed Woodswallow
White-browed WoodswallowArtamus superciliosusSummer visitorJJ Harrison ( https://www.jjharrison.com.au/ ) · CC BY-SA 4.0
Australian Magpie
Australian MagpieGymnorhina tibicenSummer visitorJJ Harrison ( https://www.jjharrison.com.au/ ) · CC BY-SA 3.0
Rufous Songlark
Rufous SonglarkMegalurus mathewsiSummer visitorRon Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom · CC BY 2.0
Black-fronted Dotterel
Black-fronted DotterelElseyornis melanopsSummer visitorJJ Harrison ( https://www.jjharrison.com.au/ ) · CC BY-SA 3.0
Chestnut-crowned Babbler
Chestnut-crowned BabblerPomatostomus ruficepsSummer visitorAviceda · CC BY-SA 3.0
Brown TreecreeperClimacteris picumnusSummer visitor
Artamus leucorynArtamus leucorynSummer visitor
Willie-wagtail
Willie-wagtailRhipidura leucophrysResidentJJ Harrison ( https://www.jjharrison.com.au/ ) · CC BY-SA 4.0
Yellow-throated Miner
Yellow-throated MinerManorina flavigulaResidentMichael J Barritt · CC BY-SA 2.0
Bluebonnet
BluebonnetNorthiella haematogasterResidentDavid Cook Wildlife Photography · CC BY-SA 2.0
Australian Ringneck
Australian RingneckBarnardius zonariusResidentJim Bendon from Karratha, Australia · CC BY-SA 2.0
  • Resident all year
  • Summer visitor comes to breed
  • Winter visitor comes for the winter
  • Passage migrant in spring and autumn

In numbers

109 species, counted.

54out of 100

Our own rating, from the records only: species (50 points), threatened species (20), migrants (20) and protected status — Ramsar, IBA, SPA, observatory (10).

  • 109Speciesrecorded more than once
  • 47Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
  • 2ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
  • 761Recordsopen records within 6 km
  • 138 mAltitudeabove the sea
  • 7Raptors
  • 1Owls
  • 3Waders
  • 4Ducks & geese
  • 14Herons, ibises & grebes
  • 54Songbirds
  • 26Other birds

From open records (eBird and others, through GBIF, licensed for any use). More birdwatchers mean more records: a quiet place may have more birds than it shows.

The checklist

All 109 species.

By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.

Raptors7 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • Whistling KiteHaliastur sphenurus
  • Little EagleHieraaetus morphnoides
  • Wedge-tailed EagleAquila audax
  • Black-shouldered KiteElanus axillaris
  • Nankeen KestrelFalco cenchroides
  • Brown FalconFalco berigora
  • Black KiteMilvus migrans
Owls1 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • Barking BoobookNinox connivens
Waders3 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • Black-fronted DotterelElseyornis melanops
  • Red-kneed DotterelErythrogonys cinctus
  • Banded LapwingVanellus tricolor
Ducks & geese4 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • Grey TealAnas gracilis
  • Pacific Black DuckAnas superciliosa
  • Maned DuckChenonetta jubata
  • HardheadAythya australis
Herons, ibises & grebes14 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • Australian White IbisThreskiornis molucca
  • Straw-necked IbisThreskiornis spinicollis
  • Nankeen Night HeronNycticorax caledonicus
  • Little Black CormorantPhalacrocorax sulcirostris
  • Little Pied CormorantMicrocarbo melanoleucos
  • White-faced HeronEgretta novaehollandiae
  • Egretta intermediaEgretta intermedia
  • White-necked HeronArdea pacifica
  • Australasian GrebeTachybaptus novaehollandiae
  • Yellow-billed SpoonbillPlatalea flavipes
  • Little EgretEgretta garzetta
  • Great White EgretArdea alba
  • Hoary-headed GrebePoliocephalus poliocephalus
  • Ardea modestaArdea modesta
Songbirds54 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • Willie-wagtailRhipidura leucophrys
  • Magpie larkGrallina cyanoleuca
  • White-plumed HoneyeaterPtilotula penicillata
  • Restless FlycatcherMyiagra inquieta
  • Brown TreecreeperClimacteris picumnus
  • Yellow-throated MinerManorina flavigula
  • Grey ShrikethrushColluricincla harmonica
  • Little FriarbirdPhilemon citreogularis
  • Fairy MartinPetrochelidon ariel
  • Australian RavenCorvus coronoides
  • Jacky-winterMicroeca fascinans
  • White-browed WoodswallowArtamus superciliosus
  • Australian MagpieGymnorhina tibicen
  • Grey-crowned BabblerPomatostomus temporalis
  • Rufous SonglarkMegalurus mathewsi
  • Pied ButcherbirdCracticus nigrogularis
  • Crested BellbirdOreoica gutturalis
  • Rufous WhistlerPachycephala rufiventris
  • Singing HoneyeaterGavicalis virescens
  • Black-faced CuckooshrikeCoracina novaehollandiae
  • Striped HoneyeaterPlectorhyncha lanceolata
  • Hooded RobinMelanodryas cucullata
  • Grey ButcherbirdCracticus torquatus
  • ApostlebirdStruthidea cinerea
  • Welcome SwallowHirundo neoxena
  • Tree MartinPetrochelidon nigricans
  • Golden-headed CisticolaCisticola exilis
  • Yellow-rumped ThornbillAcanthiza chrysorrhoa
  • Corcorax melanoramphosCorcorax melanoramphos
  • Southern WhitefaceAphelocephala leucopsisVU
  • Western GerygoneGerygone fusca
  • Chestnut-crowned BabblerPomatostomus ruficeps
  • Masked WoodswallowArtamus personatus
  • Artamus leucorynArtamus leucoryn
  • Little RavenCorvus mellori
  • MistletoebirdDicaeum hirundinaceum
  • WeebillSmicrornis brevirostris
  • Spiny-cheeked HoneyeaterAcanthagenys rufogularis
  • Sunda Zebra FinchTaeniopygia guttata
  • Double-barred FinchTaeniopygia bichenovii
  • Artamus leucorhynchosArtamus leucorhynchos
  • Crested Shrike-titFalcunculus frontatus
  • Striated PardalotePardalotus striatus
  • Ground Cuckoo-shrikeCoracina maxima
  • White-winged Fairy-wrenMalurus leucopterus
  • Superb Fairy-wrenMalurus cyaneus
  • Singing BushlarkMirafra javanica
  • Australian PipitAnthus australis
  • Dusky WoodswallowArtamus cyanopterus
  • Chestnut-rumped ThornbillAcanthiza uropygialis
  • Little GrassbirdMegalurus gramineus
  • White-eared HoneyeaterNesoptilotis leucotis
  • Yellow-faced HoneyeaterCaligavis chrysops
  • Rhipidura albiscapaRhipidura albiscapa
Other birds26 species
JFMAMJJASOND
  • Peaceful DoveGeopelia placida
  • BluebonnetNorthiella haematogaster
  • Sacred KingfisherTodiramphus sanctus
  • GalahEolophus roseicapilla
  • Australian RingneckBarnardius zonarius
  • Red-rumped ParrotPsephotus haematonotus
  • Crested PigeonOcyphaps lophotes
  • Common BronzewingPhaps chalcoptera
  • CootFulica atra
  • Red-winged ParrotAprosmictus erythropterus
  • EmuDromaius novaehollandiae
  • Rainbow Bee-eaterMerops ornatus
  • CockatielNymphicus hollandicus
  • Dusky MoorhenGallinula tenebrosa
  • Bar-shouldered DoveGeopelia humeralis
  • Painted ButtonquailTurnix varius
  • KookaburraDacelo novaeguineae
  • Australian Owlet-NightjarAegotheles cristatus
  • Mulga ParrotPsephotellus varius
  • Brown QuailSynoicus ypsilophorus
  • Buff-banded RailGallirallus philippensis
  • BudgerigarMelopsittacus undulatus
  • Glossy Black-CockatooCalyptorhynchus lathamiVU
  • Diamond DoveGeopelia cuneata
  • White-throated NightjarEurostopodus mystacalis
  • Tawny FrogmouthPodargus strigoides

Monthly presence relative to all bird records that month, so a busy month does not inflate every species.

When to go

The most species in March.

Species recorded in each month, with the usual temperature and rain.

  1. Jan1737°/22°44 mm
  2. Feb5735°/21°49 mm
  3. Mar10132°/18°42 mm
  4. Apr2527°/13°28 mm
  5. May1022°/8°24 mm
  6. Jun018°/5°35 mm
  7. Jul017°/4°24 mm
  8. Aug020°/5°18 mm
  9. Sep1525°/9°25 mm
  10. Oct5730°/13°32 mm
  11. Nov2633°/17°44 mm
  12. Dec036°/20°52 mm
  • Bar: species recorded that month.
  • Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
  • Rain: monthly total.

The place

Macquarie Marshes Nature Reserve.

Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

Macquarie Marshes Nature Reserve is a wetland of international importance (Ramsar) in Australia.

109 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 761 open records.

The most recorded are the Willie-wagtail, the Magpie lark and the White-plumed Honeyeater.

40 species come for the summer, 4 for the winter and 3 only pass through.

2 are threatened worldwide, including Southern Whiteface and Glossy Black-Cockatoo.

The most species are recorded in March.

Macquarie Marshes Nature Reserve seen from above (Sentinel-2)
Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 by EOX IT Services GmbH (contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data), CC BY 4.0, with relief shading from Copernicus WorldDEM-30

Get there and watch

Plan the visit

A guided walk, a bed nearby, a car.

Some links above are affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what the data on this page says.

From above

The place and its surroundings.

The satellite image of the 6 × 6 km around the place, with the bird hides, towers and trails that OpenStreetMap shows.

Macquarie Marshes Nature Reserve seen from above (Sentinel-2)
Seen from above: Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 (EOX, CC BY 4.0), 6 × 6 km, north up. Points © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Around, in OpenStreetMap

    • bird hides within 6 km
    • observation towers within 6 km
    • marked trails within 4 km
    • visitor centres within 6 km
    • viewpoints within 5 km
    • car parks within 3 km
    • restaurants and cafés within 3 km
    • campsites within 10 km
    • places to stay within 10 km

    Counted in OpenStreetMap, the map anyone can edit. A low number may just mean nobody has mapped it yet.

    Other places nearby.

    Macquarie Marshes Nature Reserve

    Australia

    • 54Birdyas Score
    • 109Species
    • 47Migrants
    • 2Threatened

    Goonoo Important Bird Area

    Australia · 190 km

    • 52Birdyas Score
    • 116Species
    • 36Migrants
    • 2Threatened

    See the guide

    Bundarra-Barraba Important Bird Area

    Australia · 305 km

    • 57Birdyas Score
    • 126Species
    • 47Migrants
    • 3Threatened

    See the guide

    Currawinya National Park

    Australia · 373 km

    • 74Birdyas Score
    • 168Species
    • 130Migrants
    • 5Threatened

    See the guide

    Where these figures come from

    Name and typeWikidata (Q6724994) · CC0
    Birds761 open bird records within 6 km (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY 4.0 only; mostly eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
    See these recordsgbif.org
    SpeciesGBIF Backbone Taxonomy · CC BY 4.0; Wikidata (CC0); Wikimedia Commons
    AltitudeCopernicus DEM GLO-30 · © DLR e.V., © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Copernicus/ESA
    Temperature and rainNASA POWER (CERES SYN1deg, 2001–2020; MERRA-2)
    What is around© OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL
    ImagesEOX Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 · CC BY 4.0; Wikimedia Commons

    Every figure is an average, an estimate or a count from a public dataset. Licences and methods: data sources.

    The family

    Do you prefer beaches, lakes, mountains, waterfalls, islands, rivers, canyons, caves, dark skies, viewpoints, birdwatching or forests?

    Same idea, other landscapes: field atlases built on open data, in seven languages.