Northern Territory bird checklist
450 bird species in 85 families have been recorded in Northern Territory, according to eBird; about 370 of them are seen regularly, and the rest are rarities, vagrants and escaped or introduced birds. Download the full list as a PDF, or tick birds off on your phone, with counts and notes, even without signal.
Download the PDF (450 species)
Species data: eBird.org, updated · How these lists are made
The most common birds in Northern Territory right now
1Great Egret
2Little Pied Cormorant
3Masked Lapwing
4Australian Ibis
5Tree Martin
6Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
7Magpie-lark
8Silver Gull
9Little Corella
10Pacific Black Duck
Northern Territory bird checklist
450 species · loading the checklist tools…
Cassowaries and Emu
- Emu
Magpie Goose
- Magpie Goose
Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl
- Spotted Whistling-Duck
- Plumed Whistling-Duck
- Wandering Whistling-Duck
- Graylag Goose
- Freckled Duck
- Black Swan
- Radjah Shelduck
- Australian Shelduck
- Muscovy Duck
- Green Pygmy-Goose
- Maned Duck
- Garganey
- Australasian Shoveler
- Pacific Black Duck
- Mallard
- Northern Pintail
- Gray Teal
- Chestnut Teal
- Pink-eared Duck
- Hardhead
- Blue-billed Duck
- Musk Duck
Megapodes
- Orange-footed Megapode
Guineafowl
- Helmeted Guineafowl
Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies
- Wild Turkey
- Ring-necked Pheasant
- Indian Peafowl
- Red Junglefowl
- Brown Quail
- Blue-breasted Quail
- Stubble Quail
Pigeons and Doves
- Rock Pigeon
- Oriental Turtle-Dove
- African Collared-Dove
- Spotted Dove
- Pacific Emerald Dove
- Common Bronzewing
- Flock Bronzewing
- Crested Pigeon
- Spinifex Pigeon
- Partridge Pigeon
- Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon
- White-quilled Rock-Pigeon
- Diamond Dove
- Peaceful Dove
- Bar-shouldered Dove
- Black-banded Fruit-Dove
- Superb Fruit-Dove
- Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove
- Elegant Imperial-Pigeon
- Torresian Imperial-Pigeon
Bustards
- Australian Bustard
Cuckoos
- Pheasant Coucal
- Pacific Koel
- Channel-billed Cuckoo
- Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo
- Black-eared Cuckoo
- Shining Bronze-Cuckoo
- Little Bronze-Cuckoo
- Pallid Cuckoo
- Sahul Brush Cuckoo
- Oriental Cuckoo
Nightjars and Allies
- Spotted Nightjar
- Large-tailed Nightjar
Frogmouths
- Tawny Frogmouth
- Papuan Frogmouth
Owlet-nightjars
- Australian Owlet-nightjar
Swifts
- White-throated Needletail
- Pacific Swift
- House Swift
Rails, Gallinules, and Coots
- Chestnut Rail
- Buff-banded Rail
- Black-tailed Nativehen
- Australian Crake
- Dusky Moorhen
- Eurasian Coot
- Australasian Swamphen
- White-browed Crake
- Pale-vented Bush-hen
- Baillon's Crake
- Spotless Crake
Cranes
- Brolga
- Sarus Crane
Thick-knees
- Beach Thick-knee
- Bush Thick-knee
Stilts and Avocets
- Pied Stilt
- Banded Stilt
- Red-necked Avocet
Oystercatchers
- Pied Oystercatcher
- Sooty Oystercatcher
Plovers and Lapwings
- Black-bellied Plover
- Pacific Golden-Plover
- Common Ringed Plover
- Black-fronted Dotterel
- Little Ringed Plover
- Banded Lapwing
- Masked Lapwing
- Red-kneed Dotterel
- Inland Dotterel
- Caspian Plover
- Oriental Plover
- Siberian Sand-Plover
- Greater Sand-Plover
- Double-banded Plover
- Red-capped Plover
- Kentish Plover
Painted-Snipes
- Australian Painted-Snipe
Jacanas
- Comb-crested Jacana
Sandpipers and Allies
- Eurasian Whimbrel
- Little Curlew
- Far Eastern Curlew
- Bar-tailed Godwit
- Black-tailed Godwit
- Asian Dowitcher
- Swinhoe's Snipe
- Latham's Snipe
- Red Phalarope
- Red-necked Phalarope
- Terek Sandpiper
- Common Sandpiper
- Green Sandpiper
- Gray-tailed Tattler
- Wandering Tattler
- Marsh Sandpiper
- Wood Sandpiper
- Common Redshank
- Nordmann's Greenshank
- Common Greenshank
- Ruddy Turnstone
- Great Knot
- Red Knot
- Ruff
- Broad-billed Sandpiper
- Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
- Curlew Sandpiper
- Stilt Sandpiper
- Long-toed Stint
- Red-necked Stint
- Sanderling
- Baird's Sandpiper
- Little Stint
- Pectoral Sandpiper
Buttonquail
- Red-backed Buttonquail
- Little Buttonquail
- Red-chested Buttonquail
- Chestnut-backed Buttonquail
Pratincoles and Coursers
- Australian Pratincole
- Oriental Pratincole
Skuas and Jaegers
- Parasitic Jaeger
Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers
- Silver Gull
- Black-headed Gull
- Laughing Gull
- Franklin's Gull
- Black-tailed Gull
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Brown Noddy
- Black Noddy
- Aleutian Tern
- Sooty Tern
- Bridled Tern
- Little Tern
- Gull-billed Tern
- Australian Tern
- Caspian Tern
- Whiskered Tern
- White-winged Tern
- Common Tern
- Black-naped Tern
- Roseate Tern
- Lesser Crested Tern
- Great Crested Tern
Grebes
- Little Grebe
- Australasian Grebe
- Hoary-headed Grebe
- Great Crested Grebe
Tropicbirds
- Red-tailed Tropicbird
Southern Storm-Petrels
- Wilson's Storm-Petrel
Northern Storm-Petrels
- Matsudaira's Storm-Petrel
Shearwaters and Petrels
- Bulwer's Petrel
- Tahiti Petrel
- Streaked Shearwater
- Flesh-footed Shearwater
- Wedge-tailed Shearwater
- Short-tailed Shearwater
- Hutton's Shearwater
Storks
- Black-necked Stork
Frigatebirds
- Lesser Frigatebird
- Great Frigatebird
- Christmas Island Frigatebird
Boobies and Gannets
- Abbott's Booby
- Red-footed Booby
- Brown Booby
- Masked Booby
Anhingas
- Australasian Darter
Cormorants and Shags
- Little Pied Cormorant
- Great Cormorant
- Little Black Cormorant
- Pied Cormorant
Ibises and Spoonbills
- Glossy Ibis
- Australian Ibis
- Straw-necked Ibis
- Royal Spoonbill
- Yellow-billed Spoonbill
Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns
- Black Bittern
- Black-backed Bittern
- Nankeen Night Heron
- Pacific Reef-Heron
- Little Egret
- Pied Heron
- White-faced Heron
- Little Heron
- Javan Pond-Heron
- Eastern Cattle-Egret
- Pacific Heron
- Great Egret
- Plumed Egret
- Great-billed Heron
Pelicans
- Australian Pelican
Osprey
- Osprey
Hawks, Eagles, and Kites
- Black-shouldered Kite
- Letter-winged Kite
- Pacific Baza
- Oriental Honey-buzzard
- Black-breasted Kite
- Square-tailed Kite
- Little Eagle
- Wedge-tailed Eagle
- Collared Sparrowhawk
- Gray Goshawk
- Brown Goshawk
- Red Goshawk
- Swamp Harrier
- Spotted Harrier
- Black Kite
- Brahminy Kite
- Whistling Kite
- White-bellied Sea-Eagle
Barn-Owls
- Australian Masked-Owl
- Australasian Grass-Owl
- Eastern Barn Owl
Owls
- Rufous Owl
- Barking Owl
- Australian Boobook
Hoopoes
- Common Hoopoe
Bee-eaters
- Rainbow Bee-eater
Kingfishers
- Azure Kingfisher
- Little Kingfisher
- Blue-winged Kookaburra
- Red-backed Kingfisher
- Forest Kingfisher
- Torresian Kingfisher
- Sacred Kingfisher
Rollers
- Dollarbird
Falcons and Caracaras
- Nankeen Kestrel
- Australian Hobby
- Brown Falcon
- Gray Falcon
- Black Falcon
- Peregrine Falcon
Cockatoos
- Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo
- Cockatiel
- Galah
- Pink Cockatoo
- Little Corella
- Long-billed Corella
- Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Old World Parrots
- Princess Parrot
- Red-winged Parrot
- Papuan Eclectus
- Alexandrine Parakeet
- Rose-ringed Parakeet
- Bourke's Parrot
- Scarlet-chested Parrot
- Australian Ringneck
- Crimson Rosella
- Northern Rosella
- Western Rosella
- Mulga Parrot
- Hooded Parrot
- Budgerigar
- Varied Lorikeet
- Rainbow Lorikeet
- Red-collared Lorikeet
- Rosy-faced Lovebird
Pittas
- Rainbow Pitta
Bowerbirds
- Western Bowerbird
- Great Bowerbird
Australasian Treecreepers
- White-browed Treecreeper
- Black-tailed Treecreeper
Fairywrens
- Sandhill Grasswren
- White-throated Grasswren
- Carpentarian Grasswren
- Thick-billed Grasswren
- Eyrean Grasswren
- Dusky Grasswren
- Rufous-crowned Emuwren
- Purple-crowned Fairywren
- Purple-backed Fairywren
- Splendid Fairywren
- White-winged Fairywren
- Red-backed Fairywren
Honeyeaters
- Pied Honeyeater
- White-lined Honeyeater
- White-gaped Honeyeater
- White-fronted Honeyeater
- Yellow-throated Miner
- Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater
- Singing Honeyeater
- White-plumed Honeyeater
- Yellow-tinted Honeyeater
- Gray-headed Honeyeater
- Gray-fronted Honeyeater
- Bar-breasted Honeyeater
- Rufous-banded Honeyeater
- Rufous-throated Honeyeater
- Gray Honeyeater
- Gibberbird
- Yellow Chat
- Crimson Chat
- Orange Chat
- Black Honeyeater
- Dusky Myzomela
- Red-headed Myzomela
- Banded Honeyeater
- Brown Honeyeater
- Blue-faced Honeyeater
- White-throated Honeyeater
- Black-chinned Honeyeater
- Painted Honeyeater
- Little Friarbird
- Helmeted Friarbird
- Silver-crowned Friarbird
Pardalotes
- Red-browed Pardalote
- Striated Pardalote
Thornbills and Allies
- Redthroat
- Weebill
- Southern Whiteface
- Banded Whiteface
- Yellow-rumped Thornbill
- Inland Thornbill
- Slaty-backed Thornbill
- Chestnut-rumped Thornbill
- Green-backed Gerygone
- Large-billed Gerygone
- White-throated Gerygone
- Mangrove Gerygone
- Western Gerygone
Pseudo-Babblers
- Gray-crowned Babbler
- White-browed Babbler
Quail-thrushes and Jewel-babblers
- Copperback Quail-thrush
- Western Quail-thrush
- Cinnamon Quail-thrush
Cuckooshrikes
- Ground Cuckooshrike
- Black-faced Cuckooshrike
- White-bellied Cuckooshrike
- White-winged Triller
- Varied Triller
- Sahul Cicadabird
Sittellas
- Varied Sittella
Whipbirds and Wedgebills
- Chiming Wedgebill
- Chirruping Wedgebill
Australo-Papuan Bellbirds
- Crested Bellbird
Shrike-tits
- Northern Shrike-tit
Whistlers and Allies
- Sandstone Shrikethrush
- Gray Shrikethrush
- Little Shrikethrush
- Black-tailed Whistler
- Gray Whistler
- Rufous Whistler
- White-breasted Whistler
Old World Orioles
- Olive-backed Oriole
- Green Oriole
- Australasian Figbird
Woodswallows, Bellmagpies, and Allies
- White-breasted Woodswallow
- Masked Woodswallow
- White-browed Woodswallow
- Black-faced Woodswallow
- Little Woodswallow
- Gray Butcherbird
- Silver-backed Butcherbird
- Pied Butcherbird
- Black Butcherbird
- Australian Magpie
Fantails
- Northern Fantail
- Willie-wagtail
- Arafura Fantail
- Gray Fantail
- Mangrove Fantail
Drongos
- Spangled Drongo
Monarch Flycatchers
- Australian Spectacled Monarch
- Magpie-lark
- Leaden Flycatcher
- Broad-billed Flycatcher
- Restless Flycatcher
- Paperbark Flycatcher
- Shining Flycatcher
White-winged Chough and Apostlebird
- Apostlebird
Crows, Jays, and Magpies
- Torresian Crow
- Little Crow
- Australian Raven
Australasian Robins
- Red-capped Robin
- Lemon-bellied Flyrobin
- Jacky-winter
- Buff-sided Robin
- Hooded Robin
- Mangrove Robin
Larks
- Singing Bushlark
Cisticolas and Allies
- Zitting Cisticola
- Golden-headed Cisticola
Reed Warblers and Allies
- Oriental Reed Warbler
- Australian Reed Warbler
Grassbirds and Allies
- Spinifexbird
- Little Grassbird
- Brown Songlark
- Rufous Songlark
- Tawny Grassbird
Swallows
- White-backed Swallow
- Welcome Swallow
- Barn Swallow
- Eastern Red-rumped Swallow
- Fairy Martin
- Tree Martin
White-eyes, Yuhinas, and Allies
- Australian Yellow White-eye
- Silvereye
Starlings
- European Starling
- Rosy Starling
- Common Myna
Flowerpeckers
- Mistletoebird
Waxbills and Allies
- Pictorella Munia
- Crimson Finch
- Painted Firetail
- Star Finch
- Double-barred Finch
- Zebra Finch
- Masked Finch
- Long-tailed Finch
- Yellow-rumped Munia
- Chestnut-breasted Munia
- Gouldian Finch
Old World Sparrows
- House Sparrow
- Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Wagtails and Pipits
- Forest Wagtail
- Gray Wagtail
- Eastern Yellow Wagtail
- Citrine Wagtail
- White Wagtail
- Australian Pipit
Finches, Euphonias, and Allies
- European Goldfinch
Most common birds in Northern Territory
Ranked by how recently and how widely each was reported to eBird in the 30 days to 2026-10-13, and whether it is one of Northern Territory’s regular birds. The list follows the seasons: migrants rise in spring and autumn.
- Great EgretArdea alba
- Little Pied CormorantMicrocarbo melanoleucos
- Masked LapwingVanellus miles
- Australian IbisThreskiornis molucca
- Tree MartinPetrochelidon nigricans
- Sulphur-crested CockatooCacatua galerita
- Magpie-larkGrallina cyanoleuca
- Silver GullChroicocephalus novaehollandiae
- Little CorellaCacatua sanguinea
- Pacific Black DuckAnas superciliosa
- Straw-necked IbisThreskiornis spinicollis
- Rainbow Bee-eaterMerops ornatus
- Magpie GooseAnseranas semipalmata
- Little Black CormorantPhalacrocorax sulcirostris
- Australian MagpieGymnorhina tibicen
- Nankeen KestrelFalco cenchroides
- Fairy MartinPetrochelidon ariel
- Plumed EgretArdea plumifera
- Black KiteMilvus migrans
- White-faced HeronEgretta novaehollandiae
Largest bird families in Northern Territory
Among its regular birds.
- Honeyeaters29
- Sandpipers and Allies23
- Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl18
- Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers16
- Hawks, Eagles, and Kites16
- Pigeons and Doves15
- Thornbills and Allies13
- Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns12
Reported in the last 30 days
337 species reported to eBird in Northern Territory in the 30 days to 2026-10-13. The 40 most recently reported:
Rufous Owl, Large-tailed Nightjar, Bush Thick-knee, Red-collared Lorikeet, Masked Lapwing, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Orange-footed Megapode, Magpie-lark, Brown Honeyeater, Torresian Imperial-Pigeon, Great Egret, Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo, Dollarbird, Plumed Egret, Australian Ibis, Little Pied Cormorant, Little Corella, Little Friarbird, Northern Fantail, White-gaped Honeyeater, Red-headed Myzomela, Arafura Fantail, Peaceful Dove, Magpie Goose, Lemon-bellied Flyrobin, Green Oriole, Australasian Figbird, Black Butcherbird, Rainbow Pitta, Pheasant Coucal, Yellow-throated Miner, Nankeen Kestrel, Buff-sided Robin, Purple-crowned Fairywren, Rainbow Bee-eater, Rufous-throated Honeyeater, Whistling Kite, Great Bowerbird, Bar-shouldered Dove, Yellow-tinted Honeyeater, …
Get to know some of them
Straw-necked Ibis
Rainbow Bee-eater
Magpie Goose
Little Black Cormorant
Australian Magpie
Black Kite
White-faced Heron
Crested Pigeon
Willie-wagtail
Great Crested Tern
Eastern Cattle-Egret
Galah
Bar-tailed Godwit
Little Egret