Cairns and Tablelands birding day tours
Pickup at 7am. A full day across the Tablelands. Back by 4pm. Local guiding.
Book Your DayPickup at 7am. A full day across the Tablelands. Back by 4pm. Local guiding.
Book Your Day“A wonderful day out with Kingfisher Birding in the Wet Tropics near Cairns. David and Clayton make a terrific two-person team: warm, friendly, and a real pleasure to spend the day with. Their knowledge runs deep: not just the local birds, but the rainforest’s flora and fauna too, all shared generously. We recorded 82 species and even caught a platypus, a sighting I won’t soon forget. When the weather shifted, they adapted on the fly and changed locations to keep us on the birds. If you’re birding in Far North Queensland, I can’t recommend them highly enough. Special thanks to Clayton and David for a truly memorable day in the field.”
Ravi Kohli
October 2026 · Google review, Kingfisher Birding
What to Expect
Areas covered
The habitats we typically work through on the day. Routes vary with season and conditions.
Atherton Tablelands rainforest
Victoria’s Riflebird, Golden Bowerbird, Tooth-billed Bowerbird, Grey-headed Robin, Pale-yellow Robin, Spotted Catbird, Yellow-breasted Boatbill
Open woodland and creek edges
Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo, Australian King-Parrot, Brown Treecreeper, Dusky Woodswallow, Scarlet Myzomela
Wetland edges
Magpie Goose, Brolga, Plumed Whistling-Duck, Australasian Grebe
Rainforest creeks
Little Kingfisher, Pied Monarch, Rufous Fantail, Macleay’s Honeyeater, Platypus
Strategic Habitat Coverage
Habitat selection for day tours is made at booking based on your target species and current conditions.
Hidden Savannahs
Transitional dry-tropical woodlands and savannah grasslands supporting species typical of open habitats, including Red-winged Parrot, Squatter Pigeon, and Apostlebird.
Atherton Tablelands
Mid-elevation upland rainforests (600-1,000m) characterised by cooler, wetter microclimates. Core habitat for Chowchilla, Tooth-billed Bowerbird, and other Wet Tropics endemics.
Coastal Rainforest
Low-elevation coastal and riparian rainforest systems. Principal range of the Southern Cassowary, supporting coastal specialists such as the Buff-breasted Paradise-Kingfisher and Victoria’s Riflebird.
Specialist Habitats
Access across a range of habitats and elevation gradients - including areas that standard tours don’t reach.
Who This Tour Is For
- Birders with limited time who want a focused, locally guided day in the field
- Travellers overnighting in Cairns wanting to make the most of a single day
- Guests adding a birding day before or after a cruise, flight, or Cairns stopover
- Photographers targeting specific species - cassowary, riflebird, kingfisher
- Those considering a multi-day expedition who want to experience the guide and habitats first
How It Works
Book Your Day
Choose your date, group size, and pickup, and pop in your card. It is authorised, not charged - no money moves yet.
We Confirm
We confirm your day within one business day. That is when your card is charged - never before.
We Plan the Day
Habitat selection and timing set around your target species and current conditions.
Arrive
Meet your guide at your accommodation. Everything else is handled.
Day tours run year-round. Recommend booking at least 2 weeks ahead during peak season (April-November).
What's Included
Local guiding.
Your guide reads the birds and routes the day. Never a bus, never a crowd.
Pickup and return
Late model hybrid, air-conditioned, door to door. All fuel included.
Lunch
Lunch included. We pick somewhere worth stopping for.
Swarovski spotting scope
On a tripod whenever the bird warrants it.
Your species list
Every bird recorded throughout the day. You leave with a complete annotated list of what you saw.
Not included: Accommodation. Airport transfers available on request.
Pricing
You book the guiding and vehicle for the day, for up to 4 guests. From two guests, each additional guest is A$150.
Day tour
7am to 4pm, lunch included
| Guests | Current | From 1 January 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Solo | A$750 | A$820 |
| Up to 2 guests | A$990A$495 each | A$1,090A$545 each |
| 3 guests | A$1,140A$380 each | A$1,240A$413 each |
| 4 guests | A$1,290A$323 each | A$1,390A$348 each |
Big Day
7am to 9pm, lunch and dinner, dusk and night spotting
| Guests | Current | From 1 January 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Solo | A$1,200 | A$1,310 |
| Up to 2 guests | A$1,590A$795 each | A$1,750A$875 each |
| 3 guests | A$1,820A$607 each | A$1,980A$660 each |
| 4 guests | A$2,060A$515 each | A$2,220A$555 each |
Prices include GST and are set by your tour date. Larger group? Ask us.
Guiding, door-to-door pickup, lunch, and the scope all included.
Book Your Day
Check your date, tell us your group size and where to collect you.
Your card is authorised today and only charged when we confirm your day - within one business day.