Top 10 birds to spot on the Brunswick River, when you're aboard your Morning Tea or Sunset River Cruise.
Simon & Lorraine Freeden
10 BIRDS TO SPOT ON THE BRUNSWICK RIVER
HELLO!
We are Simon & Lorraine Freeden and we love to travel and experience nature-based tours so much ourselves, that ten years ago we built our own river cruise company on the stunning Brunswick River, so we could share our passion with you!
WELCOME
We feel so lucky to have the opportunity to spend each and every day (weather permitting) out on our beloved Brunswick River; adventuring, exploring, learning, seeing and sharing nature's glory! As avid nature lovers, we've seen some incredible species, and we encourage you while you're cruising with us, to keep a lookout for these top ten birds that you might see - and note others that may surprise and delight you also!
Enjoy!
Simon & Lorraine Freeden Call 0410 016 926 Email fun@byronbaycruises.com.au Brunswick Heads Boat Harbour 1 Old Pacific Highway, Brunswick Heads
TOP 10 BIRDS ON THE BRUNSWICK RIVER
WHITE-BELLIED SEA EAGLE Australia’s 2nd largest eagle with a wingspan of 2.2m. It has a grey body and wings with a striking white chest and head. They pair for life and live for 25-30 years. We have 2 nesting pairs on the Brunswick River, one near the harbour area and the other upstream between the bridge and Mullumbimby. They use the same nest year after year and keep adding branches so it becomes huge over time. They feed on fish, turtles, sea snakes, birds, small mammals and carrion.
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TOP 10 BIRDS ON THE BRUNSWICK RIVER
OSPREY
Australia’s smallest eagle which lives in coastal areas. They have lovely markings of dark brown wings and back with a creamy coloured body. The face is creamy white with a distinct black line from the eye to the ear. Around the breast, it has dappled brown patches. It feeds mainly on medium-sized live fish and can dive totally underwater to catch a fish with its talons. As they fly they position the fish head first so it's aerodynamic then fly to a nearby tree to eat it by tearing it apart. The female is larger in size to the male. They are fantastic gliders riding the thermals high in the sky. Regularly sighted on the Brunswick River.
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TOP 10 BIRDS ON THE BRUNSWICK RIVER
BRAHMINY KITE A medium-sized bird of prey with distinct markings of chestnut brown body and wings with a white head and body. It feeds on fish, insects and carrion which it snatches from the water surface. It also steals fish from other birds. Unlike eagles, kites don’t have feathers on their legs. We mostly see them around the harbour and creek areas of the Brunswick River and are beautiful to watch up high with the sun making the wings appear to glow.
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TOP 10 BIRDS ON THE BRUNSWICK RIVER
PIED OYSTERCATCHER Also called the pipi bird due to its distinct call, it has striking black and white plumage with a vivid red beak. We say it has lipstick on! They are a shorebird found on beaches and mudflats in the Brunswick Heads area. They are usually seen probing the mud for molluscs, crabs and sandworms. They are an endangered species in NSW. Three pairs nest in the Brunswick River and thanks to the local Byron Bird Buddies group who monitor and assist with the tagging of the chicks and protection of the area with National and Marine Parks, numbers are increasing. Thanks to monitoring and tagging and areas being protected by the local Byron Bird Buddies group they are breeding back up in this area.
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TOP 10 BIRDS ON THE BRUNSWICK RIVER
WHITE-FACED HERON This slender shorebird has a beautiful blue-grey body with yellow legs and a white face and was once known as a Crane. DNA testing later found that it actually belonged to the Heron family and is common throughout Australia. It is often seen on the mudflats along the Brunswick River standing still waiting for prey of small fish, reptiles, frogs and insects in the shallow water. When it flies it make slow rhythmic movements with its wings and looks very graceful.
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TOP 10 BIRDS ON THE BRUNSWICK RIVER
EASTERN GREAT EGRET Often seen wading through shallow water in wetlands and along the riverbank searching for fish, frogs and other aquatic creatures to appear before stabbing them with its long sharp yellow bill. It is very tall elegant looking bird with beautiful pure white plumage and long black legs. It often perches in branches overhanging the river along with other herons and cormorants.
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TOP 10 BIRDS ON THE BRUNSWICK RIVER
LITTLE BLACK CORMORANT One of our favourite birds to see on the Brunswick River. Although it’s a fairly small plain blackbird they stay together in groups and are often seen ‘fish herding’. The group rounds up a school of fish then herds them by diving underwater and working as a team to push the fish into the shallows where they are circled and caught and eaten by the birds. Other birds such as herons and egrets wait onshore and snatch some of the fish herded by the cormorants. Our guests love watching this happen. Once they’ve had their fill they all fly to a branch over the river to dry their wings. We call it hanging out their washing.
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TOP 10 BIRDS ON THE BRUNSWICK RIVER
AUSTRALASIAN DARTER Part of the Cormorant family these slim water birds are usually seen on their own on the rocks around the harbour or on a tree branch along the river. They are commonly known as the ‘snakebird’ due to their very long slender neck. When they swim the body is submerged so all you can see is the long neck and head which looks like a snake. The male is black with beautiful wing markings and a rusty coloured throat. The female is larger and has a creamy chest, grey wings and body. They are very efficient hunters and can dive up to 60cm to spear a fish which they toss into the air and swallow head first.
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TOP 10 BIRDS ON THE BRUNSWICK RIVER
AZURE KINGFISHER We call these tiny kingfishers ‘torment birds’ as they seem to torment us by flying away as soon as we spot them. When they sit still they are amazing to see, with their stunning azure blue wings, breast, sides and head with a bright orange body. The legs and feet are red. They have a long, pointed beak perfect for catching fish, water beetles, spiders and other insects. It sits very still on a branch above the water and bobs its head while watching for prey then dives swiftly down to snatch it from the surface. It can fly very fast which is usually when we spot them as you just see a blue flash as it zooms past. They inhabit densely vegetated parts of the river and creeks and nest in holes, 80-130cm long, in the river bank.
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TOP 10 BIRDS ON THE BRUNSWICK RIVER
SACRED KINGFISHER Larger than the Azure Kingfisher with beautiful turquoise back, rump and tail with a creamy coloured chest and dark collar which circles the back of its neck, a black eye stripe and a long grey beak. They forage mainly on land for insects, their larvae, and reptiles. They are also fast in-flight whizzing into trees along the riverbank. They nest in termite mounds in the trees where they burrow into the mound and lay the eggs. Kingfishers seem to like staying in the shadows alongside the riverbank and we see more of them in the late afternoon or on gloomy days.
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ABOUT US
We offer sunset cruises, morning cruises and guided kayak tours and SUP tours of the Brunswick River, and each one offers such a different experience of nature! A small, beautiful river with an interesting history which we'll share parts of with you on your cruise, as well as some understanding of the aquatic ecosystem, landscapes and the environmental issues that can affect this special place. We know you'll have fun with our safe, supportive team and with what we share, we hope that you can further your appreciation of our unique Australian environment and how to help preserve it.
Enjoy!
Simon & Lorraine Freeden Call 0410 016 926 Email fun@byronbaycruises.com.au
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T E S T I M O N I A L S
This little gem of a tour of the Brunswick River will amaze you. Tour guides are friendly and very knowledgable on the history and ecological value of the river system and surrounding nature reserves. Very relaxing and entertaining !
- T i na P
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T E S T I M O N I A L S
Had such a lovely morning..nice coffee and gorgeous cakes, so relaxing.. Glad I found this treasure in the northern rivers.. The staff from the first call were excellent and so accommodating of our requests and questions.. Highly recommend Thankyou again.
- Ka t J ohn s on
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T E S T I M O N I A L S
We had a brilliant cruise on Boxing Day with Steve. Very informative and casual, thank you so much for making it very enjoyable.
- Ron i Pa r v e s
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S imon & L o r r a i ne F r eeden Ca l l 04 1 0 0 1 6 926 Ema i l f un@by r onbayc r u i s e s . com. au B r unsw i c k Heads Boa t Ha r bou r 1 O l d Pac i f i c H i ghway , B r unsw i c k Heads
Byron Bay Eco Cruises & Kayaks www.byronbaycruises.com.au/
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Byron Bay Eco Cruises & Kayaks www.byronbaycruises.com.au/
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