Ipswich Bird life

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If you have a love for birds, Ipswich is the definitely a place to visit, boasting 277 recorded species of different birds in the Ipswich Area. With such a diverse range of bird-life, it is hard to miss the opportunity to visit and see all different birds in the Ipswich area, ranging from Willy Wagtails that are regular visitors to the backyard gardens to Raptors that can be seen soaring high in the skies above. So pack your camera, your binoculars and grab something to eat, while I take you on a tour of Ipswich Bird life.

There are so many wonderful locations to visit and view this amazing range of bird life in the Ipswich area. There are places where you can relax and enjoy nature within a 2 minute walk to Denmark Hill Conservation Park or a little more adventurous 30 minute drive to White Rock Conservation Area, where you can hike along the 3 km walk to White Rock viewing over a 130 different birds species all in the one location.  There are so many more places in between, to simply take a picnic, enjoy the gardens and see the beautiful birds of Ipswich at Kholo Botanical Gardens, Pan Pacific Peace Gardens . There is also Ipswich Nature Centre  with it's a walk-in aviary where you will view some of the much harder to find birds. Personally, I have discovered over 50 species of birds in my own backyard.



Cotton Pygmy-goose
There are two very special birds that live in the Ipswich area.
Although not exclusive to Ipswich, these two birds, the Cotton Pygmy-Goose and the Speckled Warbler are very uncommon in other areas of SE Queensland

The Cotton Pygmy-Goose, can be seen swimming around at Spring Lakes - Springfield Lake. You will see them feeding as a pair and it would be a very special moment for Ipswich if this pair were to breed.

The Cotton Pygmy-Goose is a small surface-feeding duck with a goose-like bill. The male has a white head, neck and underneath, with dark glossy green back. The Females are duskier and have a dark stripe through the eye, with a white eyebrow.

Although the Cotton Pygmy-Goose was once found from North Queensland to the Hunter River in NSW, the Cotton Pygmy-Goose is now only a rare visitor and considered Uncommon in Queensland.



Speckled Warbler
The Speckled Warbler, this is another rare and uncommon bird that can be seen on occasions at White Rock Conservation Area.

Keep your eye on the ground for these small birds as they prefer to feed on the ground, probing the leaf litter for insects and will also eat seeds. If you are lucky, you can see them in pairs or even small parties up to 6 in number.
The dark red eye is prominent in the pale face. The back is mottled dark brown but the underparts are cream with bold black streaks










Places to Visit in Ipswich


Denmark Hill Conservation Reserve
Scaly-breasted Lorikeet
Located only two minutes from the city centre, this is a great place for a lunch time walk and perfect for seeing the wonderful range of  Parrots that reside in Ipswich.
There are 54 recorded species of birds at Denmark Hill, including the stunningly beautiful Australian King-Parrots, Rainbow Lorikeets, Pale-headed Rosellas, Scaly-breasted Lorikeets and Little Lorikeets.






🚻♿  - Open from 6.00am - 6.00pm
2 minutes from Ipswich city centre 800 mtres
Click here to view map

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Ipswich Nature Centre - Queens Park
Australian King-parrot
This is a wonderful place to visit with the children, it is a place where you get to see up close, not only birds, but a broad range of Australian animals, you will see Quolls, Bilbys, Tree Kangaroos, Monitor Lizards, Tasmanian Devils, non venomous Snakes, oh and a Wombat...if he ever wakes up!! ........  and then there is the walk in Bird Aviary.






Golden Whistler


The aviary is a haven for the birds and they are well cared for by their providers.
As you walk through the aviary you will see Golden Whistlers (pictured), Emerald Doves, Bush-stone Curlews, Wonga Pigeons, Glossy Ibis (pictured), Tawny Frogmouth, Princess Parrots  Australian King-parrots (pictured), Peacocks, Cockatiels, Satin Bowerbirds, plus a few more






Glossy Ibis




🚻♿ -  Open Tuesday to Sunday - 9.30 am - 4.00 pm - Free Entry (although a gold coin donation goes a long way to help look after the animals.)
5 minutes from Ipswich city centre  -1.3 km
Click here to view map




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Kholo Botanicial Gardens

Azure Kingfisher
Less than a 15 minute drive from Ipswich City the Kholo Botanical Gardens is located along the banks of the Brisbane River, it has BBQ facilities and lush green lawns for picnics, there are also several ponds that attract many varieties of dragonflies.
This is also a great place to spend the day looking for birds with 151 recorded species of different birds here, you should get to see the Rufous Fantails (pictured), Eastern Yellow Robins (pictured), Lewin's Honeyeaters, Yellow-faced Honeyeaters, Blue-faced Honeyeaters and on a good day you will also see the Azure Kingfisher (pictured) and Rose Robins.


Rufous Fantial










🚻♿ - Open 6.00 am - 6.00pm daily
13 minutes from Ipswich city centre 7.4 km
Click here to view map


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Colleges Crossing Recreation Reserve

White-bellied Sea Eagl
If you are looking for water birds and Raptors then a trip to Colleges Crossing is the place to go. Set on the banks of the Brisbane River, here you will see the Australian Pelicans, Great Egrets, Royal Spoonbills, Pacific Black Ducks, Australian Wood Ducks, Sacred Kingfisher, Little Pied Cormorants, Little Black Cormorants and then of course......
The Raptors... Whistling Kites, Black Kites, Grey Goshawks, Nankeen Kestrels and the magnificent White-bellied Sea Eagle (pictured) is also a regular visitor to the river.

🚻♿ -
15 minutes from Ipswich city centre 9.2 km
Click here to view map

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Pan Pacific Peace Gardens

 Pan Pacific Peace Garden is a well kept secret, in a majority of cases you will go there and be by yourself,  with only 44 birds been recorded here, although I believe there are a lot more than that, yet to be discovered.
Scarlet Honeyeater
Pan Pacific Gardens is another great spot to see water birds, I have seen Ducky Moorhens, Australian Swamphens (aka Purple Swamphens), Pacific Black Ducks, Royal Spoonbills (pictured), Intermediate Egrets and Great Egrets (pictured) all around the ponds area.



Walking further towards the top of the gardens, you will most likely see the Scarlet Honeyeaters (pictured), they are normally up quite high in the trees, but will come down lower when the bottlebrush flowers are out, looking for the nectar.




Eastern Great Egret 



You will also get to see the, what I call, Traditional Aussie birds....the Austrlaina Magpies, Pied Butcherbirds, Pied Currawongs, Willie Wagtails and Magpie-larks (aka Peewee's)


🚻♿ - Open 6.00am to 6.00pm
17 minutes from Ipswich city centre 13 km
Click here to view map




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White Rock Conservation Area
Eastern Yellow Robin
This is the premier location to see Ipswich's most diverse range of Ipswich's bird life.



White Rock Conservation Area has 138 species of birds that can seen here on a seasonal basis, every time you go you there is always something new to see.






Rainbow Bee-eater






Some of the harder to find birds are the Spotted Pardalotes (pictured) Rainbow Bee-eater, White-throated Treecreepers, 
Rose Robins, 
Speckled Warblers (rarely seen anywhere else in SEQ), Mistletoebirds, 
Striped Honeyeaters, 
Eastern Spinebills, 

Red-backed Fairy-wren
Brown Quails, 
Rainbow Beeaters (pictured), 
Eastern Yellow Robins (pictured), 
Scarlet Honeyeater (pictured)








Variegated Fairy-wren




All three species of Fairy-wrens, that live in the South East of Queensland, can be seen here at White Rock, the Superb Fairy-wren (pictured),
 the Red-backed Fairy-wren (pictured)
and the Variegated Fairy-wren (pictured).







Superb Fairy-wren










🚻♿ open 6.00am - 6.00pm everyday - (the picnic area is wheelchair accessible and most of the tracks are dirt and suitable for wheelchairs with caution, although some areas are not accessible by wheelchair)
25 minutes from Ipswich city centre 15.1 km
Click here to view map



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Spring Lakes - Springfield Lakes


Cotton Pygmy Goose - male

Springfield Lakes is the home to the pair of Cotton Pygmy Geese, it is well worth the trip to see these beautiful uncommon birds.




Comb-crested Jacana










Royal Spoonbill
Other special visitors to the Lakes are the Comb-crested Jacanas (pictured) and Royal Spoonbills (pictured). At times you will see the elegant Australian Pelican gliding by on a fishing trip, escorted by the Little Black Cormorants, Little Pied Cormorants, and on occasions, the Great Cormorant, all hoping to catch a fish or two











Australian Woodduck family (proud dad taking the lead)
Spring Lakes is also a host to a large number of other ducks and their young, the Australian Wood Ducks with their young family (pictured) are a regular sighting. You will also get to see the Hardheads (aka White-eye Duck).



🚻♿ - Always Open
29 minutes from Ipswich city centre 20.3 km
Click here to view map


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