Bird Watching on Lord Howe
Australia's premier seabird island
This is an ornithologists dream! Fourteen seabird species breed on the Lord Howe group of islands, numbering several hundred thousand birds each year.
These seabirds have been breeding on the islands for thousands of years, with no predators. They therefore do not see humans as a threat; in fact the White terns nest in trees above the island roads, and Sooty terns breed on many of the island beaches. Lord Howe Island is the most southerly breeding location in the world for White terns, Sooty terns, Black noddies and Brown noddies. It is possible to approach the seabirds very close and enjoy the experience of observing them courting, then incubating the eggs and feeding chicks.
Close by Arajilla, a small colony of Flesh-footed shearwaters breed each year, and you can watch them return at sunset each night from September to March. A short stroll along the nearby Old Settlement Beach at low tide is an excellent location for the waders such as Ruddy turnstones, Pacific Golden plovers and Bar-tailed godwits.
While staying at Arajilla we can organise a special seabird cruise to Ball's Pyramid with the Island Naturalist Ian Hutton and Jack Shick on board the fast boat MV Noctiluca. This trip enables you to see close up many of the seabirds, including the Kermadec petrel and White bellied storm petrel, and in autumn and winter several albatross species. Walks through the forest around Arajilla allow good observations of the Lord Howe Woodhen, the Lord Howe Currawong and Lord Howe Golden Whistler. You can stay at Arajilla and take part in a special Birdweek, run each March and October by Ian Hutton.
See Map – Lord Howe Island Birds - click here
See also Bird Life and Lord Howe Island Nature Tours with Ian Hutton