“When the magpie geese rise from Hasties Swamp in the late afternoon, they do it in numbers that change the sky — one of those wildlife spectacles that reminds you how extraordinary Australia’s natural world actually is.”
Magpie Goose: Icon of the Atherton Tablelands Wetlands
The Magpie Goose is one of Australia’s most distinctive and biologically ancient waterbirds — a large, black-and-white bird with a distinctively hooked bill and a knob on top of its head that grows with age. It is the sole surviving member of its family and has been unchanged, essentially, for millions of years. On the Atherton Tablelands, it is most commonly seen in large numbers at Hasties Swamp near Atherton, where seasonal concentrations can reach the thousands.
Magpie geese are noisy, sociable, and entirely comfortable around other waterbirds. They graze in the shallows and on adjacent grasslands, often in mixed flocks with whistling ducks and other waterfowl. Their call — a loud, resonant honking — carries across the wetland and provides the distinctive acoustic backdrop to any Hasties Swamp visit. In flight, large flocks create a genuinely spectacular visual display, their black-and-white plumage catching the light as they bank and wheel above the water.
The best viewing at Hasties Swamp is in the early morning and late afternoon when the birds are most active. Bring binoculars — at distance, the detail of their plumage and the drama of their social interactions reward close observation. Hasties Swamp is listed as a nationally important wetland, and the magpie goose is a primary reason for that designation.
A Hot Getaways destination. Where Care is Our Compass.
