Birdwatching & wildlife A nature refuge
As the only land mass within a 900-kilometre radius, the islands are an important refuge for visiting birds and home to a surprising diversity of wildlife.
On land, you’ll find everything from rare blue-tailed skinks to an eclectic collection of crabs. Underwater, the lagoon and reef are alive with turtles, rays, tropical fish and other marine life.
Birdwatching A birder’s paradise.
The islands are known for special sightings of vagrant species from Asia, Europe and even Africa, with several resident species found nowhere else in Australia.
Their isolated location makes the islands an important resting point for migratory birds escaping the Northern Hemisphere winter. Here, birds can feed, recover and shelter in a remote atoll environment unlike anywhere else in the country.
Birdwatching Vagrant visitors and year-round residents
Cocos is the only place in Australia that attracts birds from both the East Asian–Australasian Flyway and the Indian Flyway, as well as species from the Western Palearctic. Incredibly, the islands are also often a refuge for birds from Africa or the Middle East.
The islands are also home to the endemic Cocos Buff-banded Rail, which can sometimes be seen foraging around the picnic area on Direction Island and on Horsburgh Island.
Over at Pulu Keeling National Park, the Red-footed Booby has one of the largest breeding colonies in the world, and these striking seabirds are often seen in the southern atoll.
Birdwatching What to look for
Birdwatchers may spot species such as the White-breasted Waterhen, Intermediate Egret, Western Reef Heron, Saunders’s Tern, Green Junglefowl and a variety of migratory waders.
Alongside these special sightings are the ever-present frigatebirds, noddies, boobies and tropicbirds soaring above the atoll. For keen birders, local guides can also help access harder-to-reach parts of the lagoon in search of local specialties and the occasional rare find.
The best time to visit Cocos (Keeling) Islands for birdwatching is generally from November to early March.
Birding Tours Australia also offers special packaged tours across Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Christmas Island for birders, twitchers and photographers.
Wildlife Crabs and blue-tailed skinks
Birds are only part of the story. The islands’ white-sand beaches and tropical forest floors are also home to a fascinating variety of land-based wildlife.
Look out for purple land crabs, red hermit crabs, horn-eyed ghost crabs and the enormous robber crab. The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are also home to red crabs, a species found only here and on Christmas Island.
Another special resident is the blue-tailed skink. This small, rainbow-hued lizard can now be seen basking in the sun on Pulu Balan and Pulu Balan Madar, where a population was relocated from Taronga Zoo in a conservation effort to establish a safe wild home.
Marine Life Life under the waves
Marine life is a big part of the natural beauty of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
Beneath the surface, the lagoon and surrounding reef are home to sea turtles, manta rays, reef sharks, colourful tropical fish and healthy coral gardens, creating an underwater world that feels every bit as remarkable as the islands above.
It’s this rich marine environment that makes Cocos especially rewarding for nature lovers, whether you’re exploring from the shore or heading out on the water.
Wildlife Experiencing wildlife
You don’t need to go far to experience wildlife on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Birds and crabs can be spotted across the atoll, while snorkelling spots off West Island, Direction Island and Home Island offer the chance to encounter the marine life below the waves.
For a more immersive experience, local operators can take you to remote islands, secluded snorkelling sites and special places such as the manta feeding station.
