Where to Watch Birds
Mamukala Wetlands
The Mamukala wetlands bird hide is one of the first stops to make in Kakadu after crossing the South Alligator River. The walk from the carpark to the hide is alive with small birds including Arafura Fantail, Paperbark Flycatcher and Lemon-bellied Flyrobin. The hide opens out to a vast wetland full of Lotus Lilies with Comb-crested Jacanas, Magpie Geese, Whistling-ducks and Radjah Shelducks. Look for Varied Triller, Long-tailed and Masked Finches and Red-backed Fairy-wren on the three km circuit walk.
Mamukala certainly showcases the dynamic shift in habits and movement of water birds in the Top End. If you visit around October to December there will be huge numbers of birds, as far as the eye can see, thousands!!
Around December the rains may cause the circuit walk to be closed, and later as the flood levels rise, the bird hide may be closed as well. Usually by March or April it is opened again. I have seen Mamukala drastically changed, all the Lotus Lillies swept away and no birds on the water.
There are still plenty of bush birds in the surrounding woodland, but water birds are widely dispersed as many other wetlands and billabongs are still full. From June on this wetland gets better and better as surrounding wetlands dry up.
Toilet facilities, picnic tables and benches are provided in the carpark area.
Other good birding locations to visit in Kakadu National Park are:-
The Kakadu Nature's Way 5 day, 4 day and 3 day tours visit this location as well as the Best of Top End Birding and Top End Birding Adventure (photography tour).
Species seen here recently
Mamukala Birds ( 83 )
Magpie Goose
Anseranas semipalmata
Plumed Whistling-Duck
Dendrocygna eytoni
Wandering Whistling-Duck
Dendrocygna arcuata
Radjah Shelduck
Tadorna radjah
Green Pygmy-goose
Nettapus pulchellus
Grey Teal
Anas gracilis
Pacific Black Duck
Anas superciliosa
Hardhead
Aythya australis
Australasian Grebe
Tachybaptus novaehollandiae
Peaceful Dove
Geopelia striata
Bar-shouldered Dove
Geopelia humeralis
Pied Imperial-Pigeon
Ducula bicolor
Australasian Darter
Anhinga novaehollandiae
Little Pied Cormorant
Microcarbo melanoleucos
Little Black Cormorant
Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
Australian Pelican
Pelecanus conspicillatus
Black-necked Stork
Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus
Eastern Great Egret
Ardea modesta
Intermediate Egret
Ardea intermedia
Pied Heron
Egretta picata
White-faced Heron
Egretta novaehollandiae
Little Egret
Egretta garzetta
Glossy Ibis
Plegadis falcinellus
Australian White Ibis
Threskiornis molucca
Straw-necked Ibis
Threskiornis spinicollis
Royal Spoonbill
Platalea regia
Black-breasted Buzzard
Hamirostra melanosternon
White-bellied Sea-Eagle
Haliaeetus leucogaster
Whistling Kite
Haliastur sphenurus
Black Kite
Milvus migrans
Brown Goshawk
Accipiter fasciatus
Brolga
Grus rubicunda
Purple Swamphen
Porphyrio porphyrio
White-browed Crake
Amaurornis cinerea
Black-winged Stilt
Himantopus himantopus
Red-necked Avocet
Recurvirostra novaehollandiae
Black-fronted Dotterel
Elseyornis melanops
Red-kneed Dotterel
Erythrogonys cinctus
Masked Lapwing
Vanellus miles
Comb-crested Jacana
Irediparra gallinacea
Marsh Sandpiper
Tringa stagnatilis
Wood Sandpiper
Tringa glareola
Whiskered Tern
Chlidonias hybrida
White-winged Black Tern
Chlidonias leucopterus
Little Corella
Cacatua sanguinea
Pheasant Coucal
Centropus phasianinus
Black-eared Cuckoo
Chalcites osculans
Little Bronze-Cuckoo
Chalcites minutillus
Brush Cuckoo
Cacomantis variolosus
Barking Owl
Ninox connivens
Azure Kingfisher
Ceyx azureus
Blue-winged Kookaburra
Dacelo leachii
Forest Kingfisher
Todiramphus macleayii
Sacred Kingfisher
Todiramphus sanctus
Rainbow Bee-eater
Merops ornatus
Red-backed Fairy-wren
Malurus melanocephalus
White-gaped Honeyeater
Lichenostomus unicolor
Rufous-banded Honeyeater
Conopophila albogularis
Dusky Honeyeater
Myzomela obscura
White-throated Honeyeater
Melithreptus albogularis
Grey-crowned Babbler
Pomatostomus temporalis
White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike
Coracina papuensis
White-winged Triller
Lalage sueurii
Varied Triller
Lalage leucomela
Rufous Whistler
Pachycephala rufiventris
Little Shrike-thrush
Colluricincla megarhyncha
Yellow Oriole
Oriolus flavocinctus
White-breasted Woodswallow
Artamus leucorynchus
Arafura Fantail
Rhipidura dryas
Northern Fantail
Rhipidura rufiventris
Willie Wagtail
Rhipidura leucophrys
Torresian Crow
Corvus orru
Broad-billed Flycatcher
Myiagra ruficollis
Leaden Flycatcher
Myiagra rubecula
Paperbark Flycatcher
Myiagra nana
Restless Flycatcher
Myiagra inquieta
Magpie-lark
Grallina cyanoleuca
Lemon-bellied Flycatcher
Microeca flavigaster
Golden-headed Cisticola
Cisticola exilis
Double-barred Finch
Taeniopygia bichenovii
Long-tailed Finch
Poephila acuticauda
Masked Finch
Poephila personata
Crimson Finch
Neochmia phaeton
Butterflies ( 2 )
Common Crow
Euploea core
Orange Tiger
Danaus genutia
Mammals ( 2 )
Agile Wallaby
Macropus agilus
Dingo
Canis lupis dingo
Reptiles ( 1 )
Gilbert's Dragon; Ta-ta Lizard
Amphibolurus gilberti
