Welcome to the Byron The Byron Wetlands is within the traditional country of the of the Bundjalung (Arakwal) people of Byron Bay. Wetlands are natural or constructed areas of land where water covers the soil for all or part of the . The Byron Wetlands Byron Wetlands are constructed wetlands and form part of the 100 ha Byron Integrated Management Reserve – an award-winning example of how good resource management in action can minimise A Birdwatchers guide the impact of the sewage treatment plant on the surrounding ecosystems and, in addition, create a wonderful natural to the Wetlands habitat for the support of local flora and fauna diversity. With a list of over 227 already sighted, the wetlands Prepared by members of Byron Buddies have gained a reputation as a great place to birdwatch when visiting Byron. Habitats and seasons will define where you are likely to see the birds; a variety of water levels provide for different types of waterbirds and shorebirds. You may see an Arctic-breeding migratory wader feeding along the pond edges, a Comb-crested Jacana walking on the lily-pads or an Australian Grebe diving for its food. The reeds and heath provide shelter for ground and lower storey birds such as wrens, the melaleucas and banksias provide nectar for honeyeaters, thornbills feed on insects in the wattles, the top storey is preferred by the Striated Pardalote and don’t forget to check the skies for raptors and martins.

Remember, dress appropriately and always protect yourself against sunburn. A pair of binocular and a good field guide of Australian birds will no doubt enhance your visit. Access – residents and visitors need to complete an application form which can be found on Byron Shires Council’s website: www.byron.nsw.gov.au

Special thanks go to photographers: Debra Pearse, Ross Hollands & Larry Larstead To contact Byron Bird Buddies, report a new bird sighting or return the tick list with details regarding date, time & cell where birds were sited email: [email protected] or mail to BBB, PO Box 6, Brunswick Heads, NSW 2483. Download a PDF of the brochure: www.byronbirddbuddies.com.au

Byron Shire Council www.byronbirdbuddies.com.au www.birdlife.org.au www.byron.nsw.gov.au

Birds you may see at the Whiskered U Comb-crested Jacana C Pink-eared Duck R Byron Wetlands White-winged Black Tern R Latham’s Snipe C Australasian Shoveler U Approximately 227 bird species Crested Tern U Australian Painted Snipe R Grey Teal C have been recorded at the Silver U Bar-tailed Godwit R Chestnut Teal U Byron Wetlands. Many of the , & Little Curlew R Northern Mallard R birds are nomadic or migratory; Australasian C Whimbrel R Pacific Black DuckC they may be at the wetlands Little Pied C Eastern Curlew R Pacific Black Duck - HybridR for only short periods. C Common Greenshank R Hardhead C C Marsh Sandpiper U Australasian Grebe C Key Relative to the Byron Wetlands; Pied Cormorant C Wood Sandpiper U Hoary-headed Grebe R threatened species are highlighted Australian C Red-necked Stint U , Egrets & Bitterns & birds are listed by habitat eg Shorebirds Pectoral Sandpiper U Australasian Bittern U waterbirds to bushbirds. Bush Stone-curlew R Sharp-tailed Sandpiper C Australian Little Bittern R C = Common at the wetlands Australian Pied Oystercatcher R Curlew Sandpiper U Black Bittern R U = Uncommon at the wetlands Black-winged Stilt C Western Sandpiper R White-necked C R = Rare at the wetlands Pacific Golden Plover U Ducks, Swans, Geese & Grebes Eastern Great Egret C I = Introduced species American Golden Plover R Magpie Goose U Intermediate Egret C Red-capped Plover U Plumed Whistling-Duck U Cattle Egret C , & Double-banded Plover R Wandering Whistling-Duck U White-faced Heron C Lesser R Greater Sand Plover R Musk Duck R Little Egret C R Black-fronted Dotterel C Freckled Duck U Nankeen Night-Heron U Little Tern R Red-kneed Dotterel C Black Swan C Ibises & Spoonbills Gull-billed Tern R Masked Lapwing C Australian Wood Duck U Glossy Ibis C Byron Bay Integrated S° 28,37.51 E° 153,34.36 Byron Sewage Water Management Reserve Treatment Plant

Pedestrian Walking Tracks Cell D Access Roads Cell E N Cell F Main Gate S Cell G Cell H

Interpretive Centre Parking area Bird Hide Cell I Cell J

Australian White Ibis C Eastern Barn Owl U White-browed Woodswallow R Figbirds & Orioles Straw-necked Ibis C Eastern Grass Owl R Swallows & Martins Australian Figbird C Royal Spoonbill C Pigeons & Doves Welcome Swallow C Olive-backed Oriole C Yellow-billed Spoonbill U Rock Dove R Fairy Martin C Crows, Butcherbirds & Allies & Brolgas White-headed Pigeon C Tree Martin C Torresian Crow C Black-necked C Spotted Dove I, C Fairy-wrens Grey Butcherbird C Brolga R Brown Cuckoo-Dove C Superb Fairy-wren C Pied Butcherbird C Crakes, Rails & Waterhens Emerald Dove U Red-backed Fairy-wren C Australian Magpie C Purple Swamphen C Common Bronzewing R Variegated Fairy-wren C Pied Currawong C Lewin’s Rail U Crested Pigeon C Scrubwrens, Thornbills & Spangled Drongo C Buff-banded Rail C Peaceful Dove U Pardalotes Fantails, Monarchs & Flycatchers Baillon’s Crake U Bar-shouldered Dove C White-browed Scrubwren C Willy Wagtail C Australian Spotted Crake U Wonga Pigeon U Large-billed Scrubwren U Rufous Fantail R Spotless Crake U Rose-crowned Fruit-dove U Brown Gerygone R Grey Fantail C White-browed Crake R Topknot Pigeon U Mangrove Gerygone U Black-faced Monarch U Pale-vented Bush-hen R Cockatoos, Parrots & Lorikeets White-throated Gerygone C Spectacled Monarch U Black-tailed Native-hen U Glossy Black Cockatoo R Striated Thornbill R Leaden Flycatcher C Dusky Moorhen C Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo U Yellow-rumped Thornbill R Satin Flycatcher R Eurasian Coot C Galah C Yellow Thornbill U Restless Flycatcher C Mound Builders & Quails Little Corella C Brown Thornbill C Magpie-lark C Australian Brush-turkey U Long-billed Corella U Striated Pardalote C Robins Stubble Quail R Sulphur-crested Cockatoo C Honeyeaters Red-capped Robin R Brown Quail U Cockatiel R Eastern Spinebill C Rose Robin R King Quail R Rainbow Lorikeet C Lewin’s Honeyeater C Eastern Yellow Robin C Kites, Hawks, Eagles & Falcons Scaly-breasted Lorikeet C Yellow-faced Honeyeater C Reed-warblers & Grassbirds Eastern C Crimson Rosella R Noisy Miner C Golden-headed Cisticola C Black-shouldered Kite C Eastern Rosella C Little Wattlebird C Australian Reed-Warbler C Square-tailed Kite R Cuckoos Red Wattlebird R Little Grassbird C Pacific BazaU Pheasant Coucal C Scarlet Honeyeater C Tawny Grassbird C White-bellied Sea Eagle C Common Koel C Brown Honeyeater C Rufous Songlark R Whistling Kite C Channel-billed Cuckoo C White-cheeked Honeyeater C White-eyes & Flowerpeckers Brahminy Kite C Horsfield’s Bronze-CuckooU Blue-faced Honeyeater U Silvereye C Black Kite R Shining Bronze-Cuckoo C Noisy Friarbird C Mistletoebird C Brown Goshawk U Little Bronze-Cuckoo U Little Friarbird U Sparrows, Starlings & Mynas Collared Sparrowhawk U Pallid Cuckoo R Striped Honeyeater C House Sparrow I, R Grey Goshawk U Fan-tailed Cuckoo C Whipbirds, Cuckoo-shrikes Common Starling I, R Spotted Harrier R Brush Cuckoo C & Trillers Common Myna I, U Swamp Harrier C Kingfishers & Allies Eastern Whipbird C Finches & Mannikins Wedge-tailed Eagle U Azure KingfisherC Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike C Double-barred Finch C Little Eagle U Laughing Kookaburra C White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike U Red-browed Finch C Nankeen Kestrel R Forest KingfisherC Cicadabird U Chestnut-breasted Mannikin C Brown Falcon U Sacred KingfisherC White-winged Triller U Thrushes, Pipits & Wagtails Australian Hobby U Rainbow Bee-eater C Varied Triller U Russet-tailed Thrush R Black Falcon R Dollarbird C Whistlers & Shrike-thrushes Australian Pipit U Peregrine Falcon U Swifts & Woodswallows Golden Whistler C Eastern Yellow Wagtail R Owls & Frogmouths White-throated Needletail C Rufous Whistler C New Species Tawny Frogmouth U White-breasted Woodswallow C Little Shrike-thrush U Southern Boobook U Masked Woodswallow R Grey Shrike-thrush C