Australian Birds
This page is simply a list of the birds that I've positively identified since moving to Australia. I thought that it would be useful to anyone who may visit me here and wants an idea of what birds they would be likely to see and easily identify. None of the birds are listed more than once, so birds listed under 'elsewhere in Australia' are only those that I haven't seen around Adelaide. I've included the first (though often not only) place I saw those species as well. An * indicates that the species is introduced to Australia, and a ^ indicates that the species is native to Australia but introduced to the region where I saw it.
Where I have taken photos of the bird you can access one by clicking on the common name. You can view the full gallery of my (admitedly rather mixed in quality) photos here, which includes some not acessible below. Where I don't have a photo there is generally a web link to one. If not, well Google images is your friend...
Birds seen in or from our garden
| Common Name |
Latin Name |
First Seen |
Web Link |
| Adelaide Rosella |
Platycercus elegans adelaidae |
Adelaide, SA |
 |
| Australian Magpie |
Gymnorhina tibicen |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Common Blackbird* |
Turdus merula |
|
|
| Crested Pigeon |
Ocyphaps lophotes |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Eastern Spinebill |
Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Galah |
Cacatua roseicapilla |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Laughing Kookaburra |
Dacelo novaeguineae |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Little Raven |
Corvus mellori |
Adelaide, SA |
|
| Magpie-Lark |
Grallina cyanoleuca |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| New Holland Honeyeater |
Phylidonyris novaehollandiae |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Noisy Miner |
Manorina melanocephala |
|
|
| Rainbow Lorikeet |
Trichoglossus haematodus |
Alice Springs, NT |
|
| Red Wattlebird |
Anthochaera carunculata |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Silvereye |
Zosterops lateralis |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Striated Pardalote |
Pardalotus punctatus |
|
|
| Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo |
Cacatua galeritta |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Tawny Frogmouth |
Podargus strigoides |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Yellow-Tailed Black Cockatoo |
Calyptorhynchus funereus |
Bungendore, NSW |
|
| Welcome Swallow |
Hirundo neoxena |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Willie Wagtail |
Rhipidura leucophrys |
Canberra, ACT |
|
Birds seen in the Adelaide region
| Common Name |
Latin Name |
First Seen |
Web Link |
| Apostlebird |
Struthidea cinerea |
Mildura, VIC |
|
| Australasian Gannet |
Morus serrator |
|
|
| Australasian Spotted Crake |
Porzana fluminea |
Goolwa, SA |
|
| Australian Pelican |
Pelecanus conspicillatus |
|
|
| Australian Raven |
Corvus coronoides |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Australian Shelduck |
Tadorna tadornoides |
Mount Lofty, SA |
|
| Australian White Ibis |
Threskiornis molucca |
|
|
| Australian Wood Duck |
Chenonetta jubata |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Black Kite |
Milvus migrans |
Alice Springs, NT |
|
| Black Swan |
Cygnus atratus |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Black-Faced Cuckoo-Shrike |
Coracina novaehollandiae |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Black-Shouldered Kite |
Elanus axillaris |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Black-Winged Stilt |
Himantopus himantopus |
|
|
| Black-faced Cormorant |
Phalacrocorax fuscescens |
Kangaroo Island, SA |
|
| Brown Falcon |
Falco berigora |
Alice Springs, NT |
|
| Cape Barren Goose |
Cereopsis novaehollandiae |
|
|
| Caspian Tern |
Sterna caspia |
|
|
| Common Bronzewing |
Phaps chalcoptera |
Mildura, VIC |
|
| Common Starling* |
Sturnus vulgaris |
|
|
| Crescent Honeyeater |
Phylidonyris pyrrhoptera |
Scott Creek, SA |
|
| Crested Tern |
Sterna bergii |
|
|
| Darter |
Anhinga melanogaster |
|
|
| Dusky Moorhen |
Gallinula tenebrosa |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Dusky Woodswallow |
Artamus cyanopterus |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Eastern Rosella |
Platycercus eximius |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Elegant Parrot |
Neophema elegans |
Cox Scrub, SA |
|
| Eurasian Coot |
Fulica atra |
|
|
| European Goldfinch* |
Carduelis carduelis |
|
|
| Fairy Tern |
Sterna nereis |
Goolwa, SA |
|
| Golden Whistler |
Pachycephala pectoralis |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Great Cormorant |
Phalacrocorax carbo |
|
|
| Great Egret |
Ardea alba |
|
|
| Grey Currawong |
Strepera versicolor |
Adelaide, SA |
|
| Grey Fantail |
Rhipidura fuliginosa |
|
|
| Grey Shrike-Thrush |
Colluricincla harmonica |
|
|
| Grey Teal |
Anas gracilis |
Tidbinbilla, ACT |
|
| Gull-Billed Tern |
Sterna nilotica |
|
|
| Hardhead |
Aythya australis |
|
|
| Hooded Plover |
Thinornis rubricollis |
Kangaroo Island, SA |
|
| Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo |
Chrysococcyx basalis |
|
|
| House Sparrow* |
Passer domesticus |
|
|
| Little Black Cormorant |
Phalacrocorax sulcirostris |
|
|
| Little Corella |
Cacatua sanguinea |
|
|
| Little Penguin |
Eudyptula minor |
Kangaroo Island, SA |
|
| Little Pied Cormorant |
Phalocrocorax melanoleucos |
|
|
| Little Wattlebird |
Anthochaera lunulata |
Goolwa, SA |
|
| Masked Lapwing |
Vanellus miles |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Mistletoe Bird |
Dicaeum hirundinaceum |
Scott Creek, SA |
|
| Musk Lorikeet |
Glossopsitta concinna |
Adelaide, SA |
|
| Nankeen Kestrel |
Falco cenchroides |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Pacific Black Duck |
Anas superciliosa |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Pacific Gull |
Larus pacificus |
Kangaroo Island, SA |
|
| Peregrine Falcon |
Falco peregrinus |
Kangaroo Island, SA |
|
| Pied Cormorant |
Phalacrocorax varius |
|
|
| Pied Oystercatcher |
Haematopus longirostris |
Bateman's Bay, NSW |
|
| Purple Swamphen |
Porphyrio porphyrio |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Red-Browed Finch |
Neochmia temporalis |
|
|
| Red-Rumped Parrot |
Psephotus haematonotus |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Rock Parrot |
Neophema petrophila |
Goolwa, SA |
|
| Royal Spoonbill |
Platalea regia |
Kangaroo Island, SA |
|
| Sanderling |
Calidris alba |
Kangaroo Island, SA |
|
| Scarlet Robin |
Petroica multicolor |
|
|
| Silver Gull |
Larus novaehollandiae |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Singing Honeyeater |
Lichenostomus virescens |
Midura, VIC |
|
| Sooty Oystercatcher |
Haematopus fuliginosus |
|
|
| Spotted Harrier |
Circus assimilis |
Sedan, SA |
|
| Spotted Pardalote |
Pardalotus punctatus |
Cox Scrub, SA |
|
| Spotted Turtle-Dove* |
Streptopelia chinensis |
Adelaide, SA |
|
| Straw-Necked Ibis |
Threskiornis spinicollis |
|
|
| Striated Pardalote |
Pardalotus striatus |
Cox Scrub, SA |
|
| Striated Thornbill |
Acanthiza lineata |
Scott Creek, SA |
|
| Superb Fairy-Wren |
Malurus cyaneus |
Alice Springs, NT |
|
| Swamp Harrier |
Circus approximans |
Hindmarsh Island, SA |
|
| Tree Martin |
Hirundo nigricans |
|
|
| Wedge-Tailed Eagle |
Aquila audax |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Whiskered Tern |
Chlidonias hybridus |
Hindmarsh Island, SA |
|
| Whistling Kite |
Haliastur sphenurus |
Mildura, VIC |
|
| White-Bellied Sea Eagle |
Haliaeetus leucogaster |
Noosa, QLD |
|
| White-Faced Heron |
Egretta novaehollandiae |
|
|
| White-Fronted Chat |
Epthianura albifrons |
Hindmarsh Island, SA |
|
| White-Throated Treecreeper |
Cormobates leucophaeus |
|
|
| White-Winged Chough |
Corcorax melanorhamphos |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Yellow-Faced Honeyeater |
Lichenostomus chrysops |
Scott Creek, SA |
|
| Yellow-Nosed Albatross |
Diomeda chlororynchos |
Nr Kangaroo Island, SA |
|
| Yellow-Rumped Thornbill |
Acanthiza chrysorrhoa |
Canberra, ACT |
|
Birds seen elsewhere in Australia
| Common Name |
Latin Name |
First Seen |
Web Link |
| Australian Brush Turkey |
Alectura lathami |
Lammington NP, QLD |
|
| Australian Grebe |
Tachybaptus novaehollandiae |
Warrawong, SA |
|
| Australian Hobby |
Falco longipennis |
Mildura, VIC |
|
| Australian King-Parrot |
Alisterus scapularis |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Australian Shelduck |
Tadorna tadornoides |
Tidbinbilla, ACT |
|
| Black-Fronted Dotterel |
Elseyornis melanops |
Mildura, VIC |
|
| Blue Bonnet |
Northiella haematogaster |
Mildura, VIC |
|
| Blue-Billed Duck |
Oxyura australis |
Tidbinbilla, ACT |
|
| Blue-Faced Honeyeater |
Entomyzon cyanotis |
Mildura, VIC |
|
| Brahminy Kite |
Haliastur indus |
Noosa, QLD |
|
| Brown Quail |
Coturnix ypsilophora |
Mildura, VIC |
|
| Brown Thornbill |
Acanthiza pusilla |
Flinders Ranges, SA |
|
| Brown Treecreeper |
Climatcteris picumnus |
Mildura, VIC |
|
| Chestnut Teal |
Anas castanea |
Tidbinbilla, ACT |
|
| Clamorous Reed-Warbler |
Acrocephalus stentoreus |
Renmark, SA |
|
| Common Myna* |
Acridotheres tristis |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Crimson Rosella |
Platycercus elegans |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Eastern Ringneck |
Barnardius barnardi |
Hattah, VIC |
|
| Eastern Yellow Robin |
Eopsaltria australis |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Emu |
Dromaius novaehollandiae |
|
|
| Figbird |
Sphecotheres viridis |
|
|
| Flame Robin |
Petroica phoenicea |
Adelaide Hills |
|
| Gang-Gang Cockatoo |
Callocephalon fimbriatum |
Brindabella Mtns, ACT |
|
| Glossy Ibis |
Plegadis falcinellus |
Mildura, VIC |
|
| Great Crested Grebe |
Podiceps cristatus |
|
|
| Green Catbird |
Ailuroedus crassirostris |
Lamington NP, QLD |
|
| Grey Butcherbird |
Cracticus torquartus |
Fliders Ranges, SA |
|
| Grey-Crowned Babbler |
Pomatostomus temporalis |
Alice Springs, NT |
|
| Grey-Headed Honeyeater |
Lichenostomus keartlandi |
|
|
| Ground Thrush |
Zoothera lunulata |
Brindabella Mtns, ACT |
|
| Hooded Robin |
Melanodryas cucullata |
|
|
| Laughing Turtle-Dove* |
Streptopelia senegalensis |
|
|
| Little Egret |
Egretta garzetta |
|
|
| Musk Duck |
Biziura lobata |
|
|
| Magpie Goose^ |
Anseranas semipalmata |
|
|
| Noisy Friarbird |
Philemon corniculatus |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Pied Currawong |
Strepera graculina |
Canberra, ACT |
|
| Paradise Riflebird |
Ptiloris paradiseus |
Lamington NP, QLD |
|
| Pied Butcherbird |
Cracticus nigrogularis |
|
|
| Pink-Eared Duck |
Malacorhynchus membranaceus |
|
|
| Rainbow Bee-Eater |
Merops ornatus |
Alice Springs, NT |
|
| Red-Capped Parrot |
Purpureicephalus spurius |
|
|
| Red-Capped Robin |
Petroica goodenovii |
Waikerie, SA |
|
| Richard's Pipit |
Anthus novaeseelandiae |
|
|
| Rufous Fantail |
Rhipidura rufifrons |
|
|
| Sacred Kingfisher |
Todiramphus sanctus |
Mildura, VIC |
|
| Spiny-Cheeked Honeyeater |
Acanthagenys rufogularis |
|
|
| Spinifex Pigeon |
Geophaps plumifera |
Kata Tjuka, NT |
|
| Splendid Fairy-Wren |
Malurus splendens |
Alice Springs, NT |
|
| Superb Parrot |
Polytelis swainsonii |
Mount Rogers, ACT |
|
| Variagated Fairy-Wren |
Malurus lamberti |
Mildura, VIC |
|
| Western Bowerbird |
Chlamydera guttata |
Ormiston Gorge, NT |
|
| Western Corella |
Cacatua pastinator |
Perth, WA |
|
| Western Ringneck |
Barnardius zonarius |
Alice Springs, NT |
|
| White-Browed Scrubwren |
Sericornis frontalis |
|
|
| White-Naped Honeyeater |
Melithreptus lunatus |
|
|
| White-Necked Heron |
Ardea pacifica |
|
|
| White-Breasted Woodswallow |
Artamus leucorynchus |
|
|
| White-Plumed Honeyeater |
Lichenostomus penicillatus |
|
|
| Yellow Rosella |
Platycercus elegans flaveolas |
Merbein, VIC |
|
| Yellow-Billed Spoonbill |
Platelea flavipes |
|
|
| Yellow-Plumed Honeyeater |
Lichenostomus ornatus |
|
|
| Yellow-Throated Miner |
Manorina flavigula |
|
|
| Zebra Finch |
Taeniopygia guttata |
Alice Springs, NT |
|
Any photos of my own are available for use under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike license. I can supply a high-res image on request.
© 1996-2011 Everard Edwards
This page was last updated Sat Jan 7 15:00:35 CST 2012..