Birds

Birdlife is so abundant in the Coorong that the area has been officially recognised as a Wetland of International Importance. Less than three kilometres wide, the inland sea of shallow lagoons is home to Australia's largest breeding colony of pelicans while many shore birds, including those migrating from Japan, China and Siberia, also call the Coorong home over summer:

• Pelican Point offers a great opportunity to see water birds.
• Parnka Point is popular with the waders and the rare Orange-bellied Parrot.
• Jacks Point Pelican Observatory allows you the opportunity to observe pelicans and fairy terns nesting on the islands of the Coorong lagoon.
• The mallee scrub in the Salt Creek area is home to a variety of bush birds including the Mallee Fowl which has developed the most sophisticated incubation mounds in terms of construction and maintenance.
• The ocean beach is home to the endangered Hooded Plover and numerous terns.

In springtime (September to November) the Wetlands and Waders Festival is an arts and nature celebration of the annual migration of wader and wetland birds into the coastal wetlands and River Murray.