Ben Boyd National Park

National Park · Australia

No ratings yet

Photo © Dhx1

Photo © Dhx1 — CC0 1.0 — Source: Wikimedia Commons

Where the temperate forests of the far south coast meet towering sea cliffs, Ben Boyd National Park unveils one of New South Wales' most dramatic coastal landscapes. The park's rugged terrain encompasses steep sandstone headlands, sheltered coves, and dense eucalyptus woodland that thrives in the region's cool, temperate climate with reliable year-round rainfall. The forest understory hosts small mammals and invertebrates that sustain a rich community of birds of prey, woodland songbirds, and insectivores, while the rocky foreshore and offshore waters attract marine birds and diving seabirds that exploit the nutrient-rich currents of the Tasman Sea. Freshwater streams cut through the park's interior, supporting additional wildlife communities adapted to the Cfb climate—one that favours persistent moisture and lush vegetation growth across all seasons without drought stress.

For wildlife photographers and birders, the park delivers extraordinary opportunities to observe temperate coastal fauna in a landscape where sheer cliffs, golden light, and windswept headlands create some of Australia's most photogenic habitat. Migratory seabirds and shorebirds arrive seasonally with predictable patterns, while year-round residents—from raptors hunting over open grassland to waders working the intertidal zone—offer consistent subjects across spring, summer, autumn and winter. The cool maritime climate and reliable precipitation mean vegetation remains vibrant and wildlife active throughout the year, eliminating the dry-season lulls that constrain birdwatching at many Australian parks. Access to clifftop trails and sheltered viewpoints allows intimate observation without intrusive disturbance, rewarding both patient fieldwork and spontaneous encounters with the birds and mammals that define this temperate corner of the Pacific coast.

Superb Lyrebird

Menura novaehollandiae

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

Cacatua galerita

Australian King Parrot

Alisterus scapularis

Pink-eared Duck

Malacorhynchus membranaceus

Chenonetta jubata

Synoicus ypsilophorus

Tawny Frogmouth

Podargus strigoides

White-throated Needletail

Hirundapus caudacutus

Eudynamys orientalis

Channel-billed Cuckoo

Scythrops novaehollandiae

Shining Bronze Cuckoo

Chalcites lucidus

Fan-tailed Cuckoo

Cacomantis flabelliformis

White-headed Pigeon

Columba leucomela

Spilopelia chinensis

Brush Bronzewing

Ocyphaps lophotes

Leucosarcia melanoleuca

Lopholaimus antarcticus

Lewinia pectoralis

Buff-banded Rail

Gallirallus philippensis

Australian Crake

Porzana fluminea

Australasian Swamphen

Porphyrio melanotus

Australasian Grebe

Tachybaptus novaehollandiae

Hoary-headed Grebe

Poliocephalus poliocephalus

Beach Stone-curlew

Esacus magnirostris

Pied Oystercatcher

Haematopus longirostris

Sooty Oystercatcher

Haematopus fuliginosus

Red-necked Avocet

Recurvirostra novaehollandiae

Pacific Golden Plover

Pluvialis fulva

Thinornis cucullatus

Eurasian Whimbrel

Numenius phaeopus

Far Eastern Curlew

Numenius madagascariensis

Bar-tailed Godwit

Limosa lapponica

Ruddy Turnstone

Arenaria interpres

Calidris canutus

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

Calidris acuminata

Red-necked Stint

Calidris ruficollis

Hydroprogne caspia

Chlidonias hybrida

White-fronted Tern

Greater Crested Tern

Thalasseus bergii

Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae

Larus pacificus

Pomarine Jaeger

Stercorarius pomarinus

Thalassarche cauta

Northern Giant Petrel

Macronectes halli

Wedge-tailed Shearwater

Ardenna pacifica

Buller's Shearwater

Ardenna bulleri

Fluttering Shearwater

Australasian Gannet

Australasian Darter

Anhinga novaehollandiae

Little Pied Cormorant

Microcarbo melanoleucos

Black-faced Cormorant

Phalacrocorax fuscescens

Australian Pied Cormorant

Phalacrocorax varius

Little Black Cormorant

Phalacrocorax sulcirostris

Great Cormorant

Phalacrocorax carbo

Australian White Ibis

Threskiornis molucca

Straw-necked Ibis

Threskiornis spinicollis

Royal Spoonbill

Nankeen Night Heron

Nycticorax caledonicus

Pacific Reef Heron

Egretta garzetta

White-faced Heron

Egretta novaehollandiae

White-necked Heron

Australian Pelican

Pelecanus conspicillatus

Black-shouldered Kite

Elanus axillaris

Wedge-tailed Eagle

Spotted Harrier

Circus assimilis

Haliastur sphenurus

Australian Boobook

Laughing Kookaburra

Dacelo novaeguineae

Sacred Kingfisher

Todiramphus sanctus

Azure Kingfisher

Nankeen Kestrel

Falco cenchroides

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo

Eolophus roseicapilla

Cacatua sanguinea

Crimson Rosella

Platycercus elegans

Rainbow Lorikeet

Trichoglossus moluccanus

Satin Bowerbird

Ptilonorhynchus violaceus

White-throated Treecreeper

Cormobates leucophaea

Superb Fairywren

Malurus cyaneus

Southern Emu-wren

Stipiturus malachurus

Eastern Spinebill

Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris

Tawny-crowned Honeyeater

Gliciphila melanops

Scarlet Myzomela

Myzomela sanguinolenta

Noisy Friarbird

Philemon corniculatus

Crescent Honeyeater

Phylidonyris pyrrhopterus

New Holland Honeyeater

Phylidonyris novaehollandiae

Brown-headed Honeyeater

Melithreptus brevirostris

White-naped Honeyeater

Melithreptus lunatus

Lewin's Honeyeater

Meliphaga lewinii

Yellow-tufted Honeyeater

Lichenostomus melanops

Yellow-faced Honeyeater

Caligavis chrysops

Little Wattlebird

Anthochaera chrysoptera

Anthochaera carunculata

Manorina melanophrys

Striated Fieldwren

Calamanthus fuliginosus

White-browed Scrubwren

Sericornis frontalis

Yellow-rumped Thornbill

Acanthiza chrysorrhoa

Yellow Thornbill

Striated Thornbill

Acanthiza lineata

Brown Thornbill

Acanthiza pusilla

Eastern Whipbird

Psophodes olivaceus

Dusky Woodswallow

Artamus cyanopterus

Australian Magpie

Gymnorhina tibicen

Grey Butcherbird

Cracticus torquatus

Strepera graculina

Strepera versicolor

Black-faced Cuckooshrike

Coracina novaehollandiae

White-bellied Cuckooshrike

Coracina papuensis

Varied Sittella

Daphoenositta chrysoptera

Australian Golden Whistler

Pachycephala pectoralis

Rufous Whistler

Pachycephala rufiventris

Grey Shrikethrush

Colluricincla harmonica

Spangled Drongo

Dicrurus bracteatus

Rhipidura leucophrys

Rhipidura albiscapa

Australian Rufous Fantail

Rhipidura rufifrons

Black-faced Monarch

Monarcha melanopsis

Leaden Flycatcher

Myiagra rubecula

Restless Flycatcher

Myiagra inquieta

Australian Raven

Corvus coronoides

Petroica boodang

Microeca fascinans

Eastern Yellow Robin

Eopsaltria australis

Welcome Swallow

Hirundo neoxena

Petrochelidon nigricans

Zosterops lateralis

Zoothera lunulata

Common Blackbird

Dicaeum hirundinaceum

Passer domesticus

Beautiful Firetail

Stagonopleura bella

Red-browed Finch

Neochmia temporalis

Australian Pipit

Anthus australis

Australasian Figbird

Sphecotheres vieilloti

Australian Shelduck

Tadorna tadornoides

Cairina moschata

Australasian Shoveler

Spatula rhynchotis

Anas platyrhynchos

Aythya australis

White-throated Nightjar

Eurostopodus mystacalis

Australian Owlet-nightjar

Aegotheles cristatus

Sahul Brush Cuckoo

Cacomantis variolosus

Brown Cuckoo-Dove

Macropygia phasianella

Common Bronzewing

Phaps chalcoptera

Geopelia placida

Gallinula tenebrosa

Great Crested Grebe

Podiceps cristatus

Painted Buttonquail

Himantopus leucocephalus

Black-tailed Godwit

Gallinago hardwickii

Common Sandpiper

Actitis hypoleucos

Grey-tailed Tattler

Tringa brevipes

Curlew Sandpiper

Calidris ferruginea

Sternula albifrons

Australian Tern

Gelochelidon macrotarsa

Parasitic Jaeger

Stercorarius parasiticus

Stercorarius antarcticus

Eudyptula minor

Wilson's Storm Petrel

Oceanites oceanicus

Grey-backed Storm Petrel

Garrodia nereis

White-faced Storm Petrel

Pelagodroma marina

Wandering Albatross

Diomedea exulans

Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross

Thalassarche carteri

Buller's Albatross

Thalassarche bulleri

Southern Giant Petrel

Macronectes giganteus

Grey-faced Petrel

Pterodroma gouldi

Providence Petrel

Pterodroma solandri

White-chinned Petrel

Procellaria aequinoctialis

Sooty Shearwater

Flesh-footed Shearwater

Ardenna carneipes

Hutton's Shearwater

Puffinus huttoni

Yellow-billed Spoonbill

Platalea flavipes

Australasian Bittern

Botaurus poiciloptilus

Ardea plumifera

Pandion haliaetus

Square-tailed Kite

Lophoictinia isura

Hieraaetus morphnoides

Circus approximans

Greater Sooty Owl

Tyto tenebricosa

Australian Masked Owl

Tyto novaehollandiae

Eastern Barn Owl

Ninox connivens

Australian Hobby

Falco longipennis

Glossy Black Cockatoo

Calyptorhynchus lathami

Gang-gang Cockatoo

Callocephalon fimbriatum

Long-billed Corella

Cacatua tenuirostris

Eastern Rosella

Platycercus eximius

Lathamus discolor

Pezoporus wallicus

Red-browed Treecreeper

Climacteris erythrops

Variegated Fairywren

Malurus lamberti

Epthianura tricolor

White-fronted Chat

Epthianura albifrons

Little Friarbird

Philemon citreogularis

White-eared Honeyeater

Nesoptilotis leucotis

Fuscous Honeyeater

Ptilotula fusca

Manorina melanocephala

Eastern Bristlebird

Dasyornis brachypterus

Spotted Pardalote

Pardalotus punctatus

Striated Pardalote

Pardalotus striatus

Pycnoptilus floccosus

Large-billed Scrubwren

Sericornis magnirostra

Buff-rumped Thornbill

Acanthiza reguloides

White-throated Gerygone

Gerygone olivacea

Spotted Quail-thrush

Cinclosoma punctatum

White-browed Woodswallow

Artamus superciliosus

Sahul Cicadabird

Edolisoma tenuirostre

White-winged Triller

Lalage tricolor

Eastern Shriketit

Falcunculus frontatus

Olive-backed Oriole

Oriolus sagittatus

Grallina cyanoleuca

Satin Flycatcher

Myiagra cyanoleuca

Petroica phoenicea

Eurasian Skylark

Alauda arvensis

Petrochelidon ariel

Australian Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus australis

Little Grassbird

Poodytes gramineus

Golden-headed Cisticola

Cisticola exilis

Acridotheres tristis

Common Starling

Sturnus vulgaris

Double-barred Finch

Stizoptera bichenovii

European Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis

Coturnix pectoralis

Heteroscenes pallidus

Western Swamphen

Porphyrio porphyrio

Pluvialis squatarola

Butorides striata

Ninox novaeseelandiae

Oriental Dollarbird

Eurystomus orientalis

Coconut Lorikeet

Trichoglossus haematodus

New Zealand Pipit

Anthus novaeseelandiae

Eastern Gray Kangaroo

Macropus giganteus

Vombatus ursinus

Short-beaked Echidna

Tachyglossus aculeatus

Agile Antechinus

Antechinus agilis

Mainland Dusky Antechinus

Antechinus mimetes

Southern Brown Bandicoot

Isoodon obesulus

Long-nosed Bandicoot

Perameles nasuta

Red-necked Wallaby

Notamacropus rufogriseus

Wallabia bicolor

Narrow-toed Feather-tailed Glider

Acrobates pygmaeus

Yellow-bellied Glider

Petaurus australis

Eastern Ring-tailed Possum

Pseudocheirus peregrinus

Common Brush-tailed Possum

Trichosurus vulpecula

European Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Common Water Rat

Hydromys chrysogaster

Australian Bush Rat

Rattus fuscipes

Lesser Long-eared Bat

Nyctophilus geoffroyi

New Zealand Fur Seal

Arctocephalus forsteri

Afro-Australian Fur Seal

Arctocephalus pusillus

Hydrurga leptonyx

Balaenoptera brydei

Megaptera novaeangliae

Panglobal Common Dolphin

Delphinus delphis

Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin

Tursiops aduncus

Common Bottlenose Dolphin

Tursiops truncatus

Common Fallow Deer

Spotted-tailed Quoll

Dasyurus maculatus

White-footed Dunnart

Sminthopsis leucopus

Petaurus breviceps

Southern Myotis

Myotis macropus

Rüppell's Broad-nosed Bat

Scoteanax rueppellii

Gould's Wattled Bat

Chalinolobus gouldii

Chocolate Wattled Bat

Chalinolobus morio

Little Forest Bat

Vespadelus vulturnus

Gray-headed Flying Fox

Pteropus poliocephalus

Southern Right Whale

Eubalaena australis

Striped Dolphin

Stenella coeruleoalba

Risso's Dolphin

Grampus griseus

Long-nosed Potoroo

Potorous tridactylus

View Complete List (287 more) →

0 Community observations

No community observations yet — be the first to log a sighting here.