Situated amidst two world heritage areas, the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef, Thala Beach Lodge in Port Douglas attracts an array of bird life, making it a prime spot for birdwatching in Australia.
With nearly 200 bird species sighted in and around the lodge’s grounds, guests often find themselves dining amongst lorikeets, sunbirds and honeyeaters, as they fly in and out of the treetops adjacent to the restaurant.
Birdwatching walks with local bird and butterfly expert David Anderson are available free of charge for guests of Thala. There’s also a Bird Sighting Calendar at the lodge which encourages guests to add to the number of sightings in and around the area.
A passionate advocate for the region’s avian inhabitants, David says the varied topography of rainforest, open forest, dry country, swamps, mountains and sea around Thala Beach Lodge provide the perfect playground for more than half the country’s bird population.
A unique addition to Thala’s birdlife is the Osprey Bird Hide, launched by David and the team at Thala. The hide, located on the forest edge and overlooking the Macalister Range, provides visitors a rare opportunity of watching Osprey feed their young in a natural habitat.
Other avian residents are seasonal, while some species may be rarely seen – have a look at our Birdwatching page to see the full list of sightings at Thala. This presents an exciting opportunity for birdwatching enthusiasts to document potentially new sightings.
The unique array of bird life at Thala Beach Lodge offers the guest an experience not found elsewhere in the country. Each new day bestows the visitor with vibrant colour and song, a feature common amongst the treetops of Far North Queensland for thousands of years.
Have a look at some of these shots captured while birdwatching at Thala Beach Lodge Australia:
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- Mistletoe bird