New guide unlocks secret world of Hobart's bird world

Published on 23 February 2024

The secrets of Hobart's bird world have been unlocked with the release today of a comprehensive guide to Hobart bird walks.

"Hobart's bushland reserves, parks and even street trees are havens for an incredible array of native birds, including pink robins, the beautiful firetail, golden whistler and the elusive Bassian thrush," Hobart Mayor Anna Reynolds said.

"If you know what to look for and where to look you can find wedge-tailed eagles soaring on wind currents above kunanyi / Mt Wellington and flame robins and fan-tailed cuckoos in our forests and woodlands.

"Our mighty blue gums draw the critically swift parrot, a very fast bird that forages in Knocklofty Reserve, Ridgeway and Bicentennial parks.

"If you're lucky you might even spot a grey goshawk, a pure white raptor that can be seen hunting on our urban fringes and of which there are thought to be less than 110 breeding pairs left in Tasmania.

“In 2019, the City of Hobart released our first Biodiversity Action Plan in recognition of the important natural assets that we look after for the community and for future generations.

“It’s an important part of our work and our budget and quite a unique difference in Hobart’s work compared to other capital cities.”

Hobart Bird Walks has been published by Birdlife Tasmania with a City of Hobart grant and follows a similar guide created for Kingborough.

"BirdLife Tasmania is very pleased to produce a second bird walks guide for south east Tasmania, the first being for the Kingborough municipality," BirdLife Tasmania Convenor Karen Dick said.

"The guide aims to introduce people to the places that showcase Hobart's wonderful birdlife.

"This exciting project seeks to encourage both locals and visitors to enjoy and value our native birds so we can work together to protect them and their habitats."

Hobart Sustainability in Infrastructure portfolio chair Bill Harvey said the high variation in bird habitats found in Hobart made it a bird lover's paradise.

"The heathlands, forests, woodlands, grasslands shorelines and of course the River Derwent create a mosaic of birdlife habitat that make Hobart a bird lover's paradise," Cr Harvey said.

"Eleven of the 12 Tasmanian bird species found nowhere else on the planet can be seen in Hobart, including the Tasmanian thornbill, scrubtit and of course our beloved turbo chooks, the Tasmanian native-hen."

The guide, Hobart Bird Walks, is available at the City of Hobart Customer Service Centre.

For more information visit here.