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About Melbourne Birds
List of Melbourne Birds
Bird Images
References
About Melbourne Birds
Melbourne's freshwater systems are home to over 270 bird species.
Since Europeans came to Melbourne a loss of habitat and food sources has resulted in a drastic reduction in indigenous bird species and numbers.
Furthermore, introduced birds such as the common black bird and European miner compete with native species, while other introduced animals such as feral cats and foxes have become new predators.
Birds were an important food source of, and remain of great spiritual and cultural significance to the Indigenous Aboriginal People of Melbourne. Bunjil, the eagle and Waa (or Waang) the crow are the two moieties of the people of the Kulin Nation.
The Sacred Kingfisher journeys from the far north of Australia to Melbourne in each spring as part of its yearly migration. The return in 1992 of its distinct four-note call to the Merri Creek is celebrated annually through the Kingfisher Festival. Click here to go to the CERES website, then click "events" to find out more about the King Fisher Festival.
List of Melbourne Birds
NB: Birds marked * are featured in bird images.
Birds marked ° are featured in Wurundjeri Dreaming, narrated by Wurundjeri Elder Ian Hunter.
Australasian Bittern (Botaurus poicilopiilus)
Autralasian Little Grebe (Tachybaptus novaehollandiae)
Australasian Shoveller (Anas rhynchotis)
Australain (Spotted) Crake (Porzana fluminea)
Australian Hobby (Falco longipenni)
Australian Kestrel (Falco cenchroides)
Australain Magpie Lark (Grallina cyanoleuca)
Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicullatus)*
Australian Shelduck (Tadorna tadornoides)
Barn Owl (Tyto alba)
Black Falcon (Falco subniger)
Black-fronted plover (Charadvius (Elseyornis) melanops)
Black-tailed Native-hen (Gallinula ventralis)
Black-shouldered Kite (Elanuss axillaris)
Black Swan (Cygnus atratus)* °
Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)
Blue-billed Duck (Oxyura australis)
Bluff-banded Rail (Gallirallus philippensis)
Brolga (Grus rubicundus)* °
Brown Falcon (Falco berigora)
Brown Goshawk (Accipiter fasciatus)
Bush Thick-knee (Esacus magnirsotris)*
Cape Barren Goose (Cereopsis novaehollandiae)*
Chestnut Teal (Anas castanea)
Clamorous Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus stentoreus)
Collared Sparrowhawk (Accipiter cirrhocephalus)
Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans)
Darter (Anhinga melanogaster)
Dusky Moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa)
Eastern Rosella (Platycercus eximius)
Eastern Spinbill (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris)
Eastern Yellow Robin (Eopsaltria australis)
Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae)
Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra)
Flame Robin (Petroica phoenicea)
Golden-headed Cisticola (Cisticola exilis)
Great (Black) Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Great Egret (Ardea alba)
Grey-crowned Babbler (Pomatostomus temporalis)
Grey (White) Goshawk ( Accipiter novaehollandiae)
Grey Teal (Anas gibberifrons)
Hardhead (White-eyed Duck) (Aythya astralis)
Hooded Robin (Melanodryas cucullata)
Intermediate Egret (Ardea intermedia)*
King Quail (Coturnix chinensis)
Laughing kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae)
Lewin's Rail (Dryolimnas pectoralis)
Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus)
Little Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris)*
Little Eagle (Hieraetus morphnoides)
Little Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax melanoleucos)*
Little Raven (Corvus mellori)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Maned (Wood) Duck (Chenonette jubata)
Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles)
Mistletoes Bird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum)
Musk Duck (Biziura labata)
Musk Lorikeet (Glossopsitta concinna)
Nankeen Night Heron (Nycticorax caladonicus)*
New Holland Honeyeater (Phylindonyris novaehollandiae)
Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa)* °
Pacific (White-necked) Herron (Ardea pacifica)
Painted Snipe (Rostratula benghalensis)
Pallid Cockoo (Cuculus pallidus)
Peregrine Falcon (Falco perigrinus)
Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio)*
Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus haematodus)
Red-browned Firetail (Neochmia temporalis)
Red-capped Plover (Charadrius ruficapillus) °
Red-capped Robin (Petroica goodenovii)
Red-rumped Parrot (Psephotus haematonotus)
Richerd's Pipit (Anthus novaeseelandiae)
Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regia)
Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris)
Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopica)
Sacred Kingfisher (Halcyon sancta)
Scarlet Robin (Petroica multicolor)
Silver-eye (Zosterops lateralis)
Singing Bushlark (Mirafra javanica)
Skylark (Alauda arvensis)
Spotless Crake (Porzana tabuensis)
Spotted Harrier (Circus assimilis)
Spotted Pardalote (Pardalotus punctatus)
Straw-necked Ibis (Threskiornis spinicollis)
Striated Thornbill (Acanthiza lineata)
Stubble Quail (Coturnix pectoralis)
Superb Blue Wren (Malurus cyaneus)
Swamp (Marsh) Harrier ( Circus approximans)
Swamp (Brown) Quail (Coturnix ypsilophora)
Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax) °
Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena)
Whistling kite (Haliastur sphenurus)
White-browned Scrubwren (Sericornis frontalia)
White-faced Heron (Ardea novaehollandiae)
White-fronted Chat (Ephthianura albifrons)
White-plummed Honeyeater (Lichenostomus penicillatus)
White-throated Treecreeper (Climacteris leucophaea)
Willie Wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys)
Yellow-billed Spoonbill (Platalea flavipes)
Yellow-rumped Thornbill (Acanthiza chrysorrhoa)
References
:: Marshall, Brett & Bainbridge, Brian. Creek Life: flora and fauna of the Merri Creek Valley, Merri Creek Management Committee, East Brunswick, Victoria 1995.
:: A. Gooding, J. Lawrie & M. Pollard. Stream Life: Local Flora and Fauna Education Kit for Teachers , MCMC Victoria 1998.
:: Simpson & Day. Field Guide to the Birds of Australia, Vicking O'Neil, Ringwood 1993. ISBN 0 670 90478 3
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