Birds to See in Northern Territory in December
49 bird species on our list for Northern Territory are recorded regularly in December
Of these, the most often recorded are Whistling Kite, Blue-winged Kookaburra, Willie Wagtail, Common Sandpiper and Galah. New this month: Great Cormorant.
On the move in December
GBIF · DecFrom Northern Territory’s bird records, 2019–2024: arriving birds are regular this month but not last; leaving birds are regular this month but not next.
Other months
All 49 birds in December
49 birds
Whistling KiteHaliastur sphenurusResidentCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 1.16% in Dec
Blue-winged KookaburraDacelo leachiiResidentCommon38–41 cmRecorded all year · 1.03% in Dec
Willie WagtailRhipidura leucophrysResidentCommon19–22 cmRecorded all year · 0.84% in Dec
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorCommon18–20 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.76% in Dec
GalahEolophus roseicapillaResidentCommon35–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.73% in Dec
Great White EgretArdea albaResidentCommon80–104 cmRecorded all year · 0.48% in Dec
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusSummer visitorUncommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 0.47% in Dec
GreenshankTringa nebulariaSummer visitorUncommon30–35 cmRecorded all year · 0.45% in Dec
Little EgretEgretta garzettaResidentUncommon55–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Dec
Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellusResidentUncommon48–66 cmRecorded all year · 0.33% in Dec
Little TernSternula albifronsSummer visitorUncommon21–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.29% in Dec
BrolgaAntigone rubicundaResidentUncommon100–140 cmRecorded all year · 0.28% in Dec
Long-tailed FinchPoephila acuticaudaResidentUncommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.27% in Dec
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresSummer visitorUncommon21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.26% in Dec
OspreyPandion haliaetusResidentUncommon54–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.23% in Dec
Sharp-tailed SandpiperCalidris acuminataSummer visitorUncommon17–22 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.22% in Dec
BudgerigarMelopsittacus undulatusResidentCommon18–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in Dec
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaSummer visitorUncommon27–30 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.20% in Dec
Wood SandpiperTringa glareolaSummer visitorUncommon19–21 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.19% in Dec
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaSummer visitorUncommon37–41 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.19% in Dec
CockatielNymphicus hollandicusResidentUncommon30–33 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in Dec
White-winged TernChlidonias leucopterusSummer visitorUncommon20–27 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.17% in Dec
Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaSummer visitorUncommon40–44 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.16% in Dec
Pacific Golden-PloverPluvialis fulvaSummer visitorUncommon23–26 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.16% in Dec
CootFulica atraResidentUncommon36–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in Dec
Australian HobbyFalco longipennisResidentUncommon30–35 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Dec
Australian BustardArdeotis australisResidentUncommon100–140 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Dec
ApostlebirdStruthidea cinereaResidentUncommon29–33 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Dec
SanderlingCalidris albaSummer visitorUncommon18–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Dec
Australian MagpieGymnorhina tibicenResidentUncommon37–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Dec
Red KnotCalidris canutusSummer visitorUncommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Dec
Common TernSterna hirundoSummer visitorUncommon31–35 cmRegularly Jun–Apr · 0.10% in Dec
Gull-billed TernGelochelidon niloticaSummer visitorUncommon33–42 cmRegularly Jun–Feb · 0.08% in Dec
Gouldian FinchChloebia gouldiaeResidentUncommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Dec
Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaSummer visitorUncommon18–23 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.06% in Dec
Mulga ParrotPsephotellus variusResidentUncommon27–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Dec
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Dec
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataSummer visitorUncommon66–84 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Dec
Little Ringed PloverThinornis dubiusSummer visitorRare14–17 cmRegularly Sep–Feb · 0.03% in Dec
Black SwanCygnus atratusResidentUncommon110–142 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Dec
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentRare29–37 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Dec
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentRare14–17 cmRegularly Nov–Sep · 0.02% in Dec
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusResidentRare13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Dec
MallardAnas platyrhynchosSummer visitorRare50–65 cmRegularly Sep–Jan · 0.02% in Dec
Indian PeafowlPavo cristatusResidentRare86–230 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Dec
Australian RavenCorvus coronoidesWinter visitorUncommon46–53 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.01% in Dec
Helmeted GuineafowlNumida meleagrisResidentRare53–63 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.01% in Dec
EmuDromaius novaehollandiaeResidentRare150–190 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.01% in Dec
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentRare80–100 cmRegularly May–Dec · 0.01% in Dec
Data: EOD – eBird Observation Dataset (Cornell Lab of Ornithology), accessed via GBIF.org, CC BY 4.0. Records from 2019–2024, aggregated and filtered by Birdfact. How these lists are made