Due to its remoteness and restricted access, Arnhem Land remains one of the least ornithologically explored regions of Australia. This paper documents records of nine bird species which result from bird tours and surveys in the area surrounding Arnhem Land Barramundi Lodge, south of Maninerida, western Arnhem Land, from 2008 to 2018, and assesses their significance based on the historical literature, two national bird atlases and online database records. Three species, Red Goshawk (Erythrotniorchis radiatus Accipitridae), Rufous Owl (Ninox rufa Strigilidae) and Gouldian Finch (Chioebia gouldiae Estrildidae), are historically known from localities to the west (Gunbalanya and King River) and east (Gove Peninsula), so their presence in the study area might be expected.
Observations of two nesting pairs ofRed Goshawks represent the first breeding records of this rare species for Arnhem Land. Annual sightings of predominantly juvenile Gouldian Finches and a record of recently-fledged birds suggest local breeding. Four other species, Hooded Parrot (Psephotellus dissimilis Psittaculidae), Yellow-tinted Honeyeater (Prrlotula flavescens Meliphagidae), Black-chinned Honeyeater (Medthreptus gularis laetior Meliphagidae) and Hooded Robin (Me/anodryas cucullata Petroicidae), are largely known in the Top End from the semi-arid Katherine-Mataranka region, and the near-coastal observations documented here represent considerable extensions of the geographical ranges of all but the Hooded Parrot. All four species were associated with the seasonally-inundated paperbark woodland of the Tomkinson floodplain, though only the Yellow-tinted Honeyeater was abundant. The small population of Hooded Robins appears to be highly isolated and thus vulnerable to local, if not regional, extinction. Finally, I summarise records of the Mangrove Grey Fantail (R+cpidura phasiana Rhipiduridae) and the migratory Grey Fantail (RAcpidura albiscapa Rhipiduridae) in Arnhem Land, which help to define their ranges in the Top End of the Northern Territory.