The Tamworth region is world renowned for its documented bird routes, with twitches from near and far swooping in to observe over 250 species of birds. The most sought after by bird enthusiasts are the endangered Honeyeaters which can be found near Barraba.

There are many bird routes throughout the region that will allow you to observe the unique wildlife. The bird routes consist of 36 sites along a 180km corridor. Most of the sites are part of old driving roads known as Travelling Stock Routes with many of them signposted for easy reference.

Some of the more popular routes to observe the splendour of these birds in their natural habitat include the Moonbi Common, New England Gully Road, and the Cockburn River. Due to the regions geographic location, birds from both Western and Eastern NSW are able to be easily spotted.

To increase your changes of spotting a bird in its natural habitat remember to tread lightly and stay as quiet as possible. A booklet, Bird Routes of the Tamworth Regional Council Area, is available for download, or a hard copy can be obtained at the region’s Visitors Information centres. The booklet is a useful tool when birding as it includes images and written descriptions of the native bird species found around the region.

For more information, contact the Barraba Visitor Information Centre on (02) 6782 1255; alternatively contact the Tamworth Birdwatchers Inc on (02) 6760 5740 or barrababirds@optus.com.au.

FACT:
Barraba is a famous birding region as it was the first area to produce its own structured bird routes. These routes ensure that your twitching adventures are successful, and that endangered and vulnerable species may still be seen.