With more than 280 bird species calling it home, one of the best places in Australia to take your binoculars and go birdwatching is Kakadu National Park – they even have a dedicated bird week!

From wetlands thick with magpie geese to the chance to see 4 different kingfishers in one spot, this World Heritage–listed park is alive with birdlife all year round – but the best time to see them is right now, between September and November.

Here are four of our favourite birdwatching spots in Kakadu and what you can see:

1. Yellow Water Billabong

Kakadu’s most famous wetland is also its birding mecca. Cruises and boardwalks make Yellow Water the perfect place to get up close to the action when birdwatching in Kakadu – and while it’s great all year round – we highly recommend doing the cruise during Kakadu Bird Week which is strategically in Kurrung Season (September/October) each year; when the billabong is at its lowest, and all the birds gather around the last remaining water. They’re quite used to the boats too – meaning you can get up close to get the shot!

• Dry Season (May–Oct/Nov): Magpie geese and whistling-ducks gather as water levels drop. Watch for sea eagles, brolgas and jabiru (black-necked stork) – and spot the sought-after Little Kingfisher.
• Wet Season (Nov/Dec–Apr): Once it starts raining, rising waters bring breeding birds and insect-eaters. Dawn cruises showcase a mix of migratory species that you won’t see all year round.

2. NOURLANGIE & Anbangbang Billabong

One of our favourite places for sunset – other than Ubirr – is overlooking the Nourlangie escarpment from Nowurlandja. You actually watch the rocks change colour as the sun shines on them, rather than watching the sunset. In the golden hour before this, head down below to the Anbangbang for a mix of waterbirds and woodland species.

• Dry Season: See willie wagtails, lemon-bellied fly catchers, and fruit-doves in the woodland, alongside spoonbills and herons in the billabong.
• Wet Season: See forest birds and water birds fill the billabong edges at dawn and dusk.

3. Mamukala Wetlands

This wetland just out of Jabiru has an incredible observation hide and a loop walking track, which makes Mamukala tailor-made for birdwatchers.

• Dry Season: Again the late dry (Sept–Nov) is best — thousands of magpie geese, jacanas, kingfishers, darters, egrets and more.
• Wet Season: Birds spread across the floodplains once it rains, so numbers will be less, but breeding plumage and insect activity make for interesting encounters, and the chance to still spot birds like the Red Tailed Black Cockatoo.

4. Ubirr and the East Alligator

Better known for its rock art and sunsets, Ubirr is also a hotspot for escarpment birds.

• Dry Season: Spot the chestnut-quilled rock pigeon and white-throated grasswren, plus red-tailed black cockatoos and black kites.
• Wet Season: Look for rainbow pittas and honeyeaters darting among the greenery, and raptors soaring above.

When to Visit: Kakadu’s Bird Seasons

Birdlife shifts dramatically with the seasons. Here’s a quick guide to timing your trip:

• May–July (Early Dry): Cooler days, easy walking, see jabirus, egrets, and raptors.
• Aug–Oct (Late Dry): Sheer numbers — thousands of waterbirds crowd the remaining billabongs! Hot, but spectacular.
• Nov–Dec (Build-up): Breeding season. Migratory shorebirds arrive.
• Jan–Mar (Wet): Floodplains expand; access can be trickier, but a great variation in birdlife.
• April (Transition): Waters recede, attracting fish-hunting raptors. Migratory birds head north.

Birdwatching Tips

• Go at dawn for peak activity.
• Use Kakadu’s hides and cruises for close but respectful encounters with the wildlife.
• Stay at Cooinda Lodge for easy access to the wetland cruises at dawn
• Check park alerts in the Wet, as some tracks and paths may be closed.
• Take water – bird season is also sweat season!