Popular Birding Spots
The “Bush Capital” is fortunate to have many good birding spots within a few minutes of the city centre. Most of the bush is dry woodland but there are also more diverse landscapes within the ACT, from open grasslands to wet high-country forests. There are many places close to the city, or within an hour’s drive of the city centre, where it is possible to see the ACT’s typical species. Over 290 species have been recorded in the ACT, approximately one third of the national total.
Canberra Birds has produced a series of brochures providing information about birding in the ACT to help observers plan their outings.
Birding in the ACT provides an overview of the wide variety of species found here plus a brief introduction to some of the best birding locations (publication mid-2025).
Three regional brochures each describe five places to go birding north, or south, of Lake Burley Griffin and in the ranges west and south of the urban area.
This brochure describes five interesting places to go birding north of Lake Burley Griffin.
Jerrabomberra Wetlands
Jerrabomberra Wetlands Nature Reserve is Canberra’s favourite birding spot with a list of over 200 species. More than three-quarters of the species ever recorded in the ACT have turned up here at some time. This brochure describes what to look for and where to go in the reserve.
Important Note: Although the nearby Fyshwick Sewage Treatment Works can be viewed from outside the fence on Dairy Road, access to the ponds is prohibited.
Where to find more information
Local observers post to the Canberra Birds ‘chatline’ about where they’ve seen interesting birds.
Many also use eBird to record their sightings. The eBird Recent Checklists page links to lists of birds recently seen at any location. The Hotspots page lists Canberra area locations in order of the number of species recorded there. Check the ACT Bird List to find out where to look for particular species.
The Maps, Forms and Lists page has more information on some of the locations included in the brochures.