1. Cocos (Keeling) Islands
2. Christmas Island
3. Ashmore Reef
4. Torres Strait Islands
5. Lord Howe Island
6. Norfolk Island
7. Macquarie Island
8. Heard Island and McDonald Islands
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| Wildlife of Australia |
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This is a list of the wild birds found in Australia including its outlying islands and territories, but excluding the Australian Antarctic Territory. The outlying islands covered include: Christmas, Cocos (Keeling), Ashmore, Torres Strait, Coral Sea, Lord Howe, Norfolk, Macquarie and Heard/McDonald. The list includes introduced species, common vagrants and recently extinct species. It excludes species only present in captivity. 975 extant and extinct species are listed.
There have been three comprehensive accounts: the first was John Gould's Birds of Australia, the second Gregory Mathews, and the third was the Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds (1990-2006).
The taxonomy originally followed is from Christidis and Boles, 2008.[1] Their system has been developed over nearly two decades[2] and has strong local support,[3] but deviates in important ways from more generally accepted schemes. Supplemental updates follow The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 2022 edition.
[4][5] This list uses British English throughout. Bird names and other wording follows that convention.
Ostriches edit
Order: Struthioniformes Family: Struthionidae
1 species recorded [1 introduced]
This order is not native to Australia, but feral populations of one species have become established in South Australia and possibly on the New South Wales/Victoria border.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Common ostrich | Struthio camelus Linnaeus, 1758 | introduced |
Cassowaries and emu edit
Order: Casuariiformes Family: Casuariidae
2 species recorded [2 extant native]
This family of flightless ratite birds is represented by two living species in Australia. Another two species are found in New Guinea. The extinct, geographically isolated King and Kangaroo Island emus were historically considered to be separate species to mainland emus. However, genetic evidence from 2011 suggests that all three are conspecific.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Southern cassowary | Casuarius casuarius (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
| Emu | Dromaius novaehollandiae (Latham, 1790) |
Magpie goose edit
Order: Anseriformes Family: Anseranatidae
1 species recorded [1 extant native]
The family contains a single species, the magpie goose. It was an early and distinctive offshoot of the anseriform family tree, diverging after the screamers and before all other ducks, geese and swans, sometime in the late Cretaceous. The single species is found across Australia.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Magpie goose | Anseranas semipalmata (Latham, 1798) |
Ducks, geese, and waterfowl edit
Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae
30 species recorded [20 extant native, 3 introduced, 7 vagrant]
The family Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These are adapted for an aquatic existence, with webbed feet, bills that are flattened to a greater or lesser extent, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to special oils. In Australia, 30 species have been recorded, of which three have been introduced, and seven are vagrants.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Spotted whistling-duck | Dendrocygna guttata Schlegel, 1866 | |
| Plumed whistling-duck | Dendrocygna eytoni (Eyton, 1838) | |
| Wandering whistling-duck | Dendrocygna arcuata (Horsfield, 1824) | |
| Canada goose | Branta canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) | vagrant, presumably from introduced NZ population |
| Domestic greylag goose | Anser anser (Linnaeus, 1758) | introduced |
| Cape Barren goose | Cereopsis novaehollandiae Latham, 1801 | |
| Freckled duck | Stictonetta naevosa (Gould, 1841) | |
| Mute swan | Cygnus olor (Gmelin, JF, 1789) | introduced |
| Black swan | Cygnus atratus (Latham, 1790) | |
| Radjah shelduck | Radjah radjah (Garnot & Lesson, RP, 1828) | |
| Australian shelduck | Tadorna tadornoides (Jardine & Selby, 1828) | |
| Paradise shelduck | Tadorna variegata (Gmelin, JF, 1789) | vagrant, Lord Howe Island & NSW |
| Green pygmy-goose | Nettapus pulchellus Gould, 1842 | |
| Cotton pygmy-goose | Nettapus coromandelianus (Gmelin, JF, 1789) | |
| Australian wood duck | Chenonetta jubata (Latham, 1801) | |
| Garganey | Spatula querquedula (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
| Australian shoveler | Spatula rhynchotis (Latham, 1801) | |
| Northern shoveler | Spatula clypeata (Linnaeus, 1758) | vagrant |
| Eurasian wigeon | Mareca penelope (Linnaeus, 1758) | vagrant |
| Pacific black duck | Anas superciliosa Gmelin, JF, 1789 | |
| Northern mallard | Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 | introduced |
| Domestic mallard | Anas platyrhynchos domesticus | introduced |
| Pacific black duck × mallard hybrid | Anas superciliosa × platyrhynchos | native × introduced hybrid |
| Domestic muscovy duck | Cairina moschata domesticus | introduced |
| Northern pintail | Anas acuta Linnaeus, 1758 | vagrant |
| Green-winged teal | Anas crecca Linnaeus, 1758 | vagrant, Cocos (Keeling) Island |
| Grey teal | Anas gracilis Buller, 1869 | |
| Chestnut teal | Anas castanea (Eyton, 1838) | |
| Pink-eared duck | Malacorhynchus membranaceus (Latham, 1801) | |
| Hardhead | Aythya australis (Eyton, 1838) | |
| Tufted duck | Aythya fuligula (Linnaeus, 1758) | vagrant |
| Blue-billed duck | Oxyura australis Gould, 1837 | |
| Musk duck | Biziura lobata (Shaw, 1796) |
Megapodes edit
Order: Galliformes Family: Megapodiidae
3 species recorded [3 extant native]
Megapodiidae are represented by various species in the Australasian region, although only three species are found in Australia. They are commonly referred to as "mound-builders" due to their habit of constructing large mounds to incubate their eggs.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Australian brushturkey | Alectura lathami Gray, JE, 1831 | |
| Malleefowl | Leipoa ocellata Gould, 1840 | |
| Orange-footed scrubfowl | Megapodius reinwardt Dumont, 1823 |
Guineafowl edit
Order: Galliformes Family: Numididae
1 species recorded [1 introduced]
Numididae are not native to Australia, but feral populations of one species exist in Queensland.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Helmeted guineafowl | Numida meleagris (Linnaeus, 1758) | introduced |
New World quail edit
Order: Galliformes Family: Odontophoridae
1 species recorded [1 introduced]
Odontophoridae are not native to Australia, but feral populations of one species survive in external territories and possibly the mainland.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| California quail | Callipepla californica (Shaw, 1798) | introduced, Norfolk & King Island |
Pheasants, grouse, and allies edit
Order: Galliformes Family: Phasianidae
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8 species recorded [3 extant native, 5 introduced]
Phasianidae consists of the pheasants and their allies. These are terrestrial species, variable in size but generally plump, with broad, relatively short wings. Many species are gamebirds or have been domesticated as a food source for humans. Three species are native to Australia, and five commonly domesticated species are feral, with most established populations persisting on offshore islands.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Indian peafowl | Pavo cristatus Linnaeus, 1758 | introduced, King, Rottnest & Furneaux Islands |
| Brown quail | Coturnix ypsilophora | |
| Blue-breasted quail | Excalfactoria chinensis | |
| Stubble quail | Coturnix pectoralis Gould, 1837 | |
| Red junglefowl | Gallus gallus (Linnaeus, 1758) | introduced, Norfolk & Christmas Island |
| Green junglefowl | Gallus varius (Shaw, 1798) | introduced, Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| Ring-necked pheasant | Phasianus colchicus Linnaeus, 1758 | introduced, King, Flinders & Rottnest Island |
| Wild turkey | Meleagris gallopavo Linnaeus, 1758 | introduced, King, Flinders & Kangaroo Island |
Flamingos edit
Order: Phoenicopteriformes Family: Phoenicopteridae
1 species recorded [1 vagrant]
Australia has only a single record of any flamingo species, from the North Keeling Island. Several prehistoric species are also known to have existed.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Greater flamingo | Phoenicopterus roseus Pallas, 1811 | vagrant, Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
Grebes edit
Order: Podicipediformes Family: Podicipedidae
4 species recorded [3 extant native, 1 vagrant]
Grebes are small to medium-large freshwater diving birds. They have lobed toes and are excellent swimmers and divers. However, they have their feet placed far back on the body, making them quite ungainly on land. Three species have been regularly recorded in Australia, and a fourth is a vagrant.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Little grebe | Tachybaptus ruficollis (Pallas, 1764) | vagrant |
| Australasian grebe | Tachybaptus novaehollandiae (Stephens, 1826) | |
| Hoary-headed grebe | Poliocephalus poliocephalus (Jardine & Selby, 1827) | |
| Great crested grebe | Podiceps cristatus (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Pigeons and doves edit
Order: Columbiformes Family: Columbidae
41 species recorded [27 extant native, 4 introduced, 7 vagrant, 2 extirpated native, 1 extinct native]
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere. In Australian territory 41 species have been recorded, four of which have been introduced, and another six are vagrants. One has become extinct since European colonisation.
Bustards edit
Order: Otidiformes Family: Otididae
1 species recorded [1 extant native]
Bustards are large terrestrial birds mainly associated with dry open country and steppes in the Old World. They are omnivorous and nest on the ground. They walk steadily on strong legs and big toes, pecking for food as they go. They have long broad wings with "fingered" wingtips and striking patterns in flight. Many have interesting mating displays.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Australian bustard | Ardeotis australis (Gray, JE, 1829) |
Cuckoos edit
Order: Cuculiformes Family: Cuculidae
21 species recorded [14 extant native, 7 vagrant]
The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails and strong legs. The Old World cuckoos are brood parasites.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lesser coucal | Centropus bengalensis (Gmelin, JF, 1788) | vagrant, Ashmore Reef |
| Pheasant coucal | Centropus phasianinus (Latham, 1801) | |
| Chestnut-winged cuckoo | Clamator coromandus (Linnaeus, 1766) | vagrant |
| Asian koel | Eudynamys scolopaceus (Linnaeus, 1758) | vagrant, Christmas, Barrow Island, WA & Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| Pacific koel | Eudynamys orientalis (Linnaeus, 1766) | |
| Long-tailed koel | Urodynamis taitensis (Sparrman, 1787) | vagrant, Lord Howe & Norfolk Island |
| Channel-billed cuckoo | Scythrops novaehollandiae Latham, 1790 | |
| Long-billed cuckoo | Chrysococcyx megarhynchus (Gray, GR, 1858) | |
| Horsfield's bronze-cuckoo | Chrysococcyx basalis (Horsfield, 1821) | |
| Black-eared cuckoo | Chrysococcyx osculans (Gould, 1847) | |
| Shining bronze-cuckoo | Chrysococcyx lucidus (Gmelin, JF, 1788) | |
| Little bronze-cuckoo | Chrysococcyx minutillus Gould, 1859 | |
| Pallid cuckoo | Cacomantis pallidus (Latham, 1801) | |
| Chestnut-breasted cuckoo | Cacomantis castaneiventris (Gould, 1867) | |
| Fan-tailed cuckoo | Cacomantis flabelliformis (Latham, 1801) | |
| Brush cuckoo | Cacomantis variolosus (Vigors & Horsfield, 1827) | |
| Square-tailed drongo-cuckoo | Surniculus lugubris (Horsfield, 1821) | vagrant |
| Large hawk-cuckoo | Hierococcyx sparverioides (Vigors, 1832) | vagrant, Christmas Island |
| Hodgson's hawk-cuckoo | Hierococcyx nisicolor (Blyth, 1843) | vagrant, Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| Indian cuckoo | Cuculus micropterus Gould, 1838 | vagrant, Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| Oriental cuckoo | Cuculus optatus Gould, 1845 |
Frogmouths edit
Order: Caprimulgiformes Family: Podargidae
3 species recorded [3 extant native]
The frogmouths are a distinctive group of small nocturnal birds related to swifts found from India across southern Asia to Australia. Three species are found in Australia.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tawny frogmouth | Podargus strigoides (Latham, 1801) | |
| Marbled frogmouth | Podargus ocellatus Quoy & Gaimard, 1832 | |
| Papuan frogmouth | Podargus papuensis Quoy & Gaimard, 1832 |
Nightjars and allies edit
Order: Caprimulgiformes Family: Caprimulgidae
5 species recorded [3 extant native, 2 vagrant]
Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds that usually nest on the ground. They have long wings, short legs and very short bills. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is camouflaged to resemble bark or leaves.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Spotted nightjar | Eurostopodus argus Hartert, EJO, 1892 | |
| White-throated nightjar | Eurostopodus mystacalis (Temminck, 1826) | |
| Grey nightjar | Caprimulgus jotaka Temminck & Schlegel, 1845 | vagrant, Ashmore Reef |
| Large-tailed nightjar | Caprimulgus macrurus Horsfield, 1821 | |
| Savanna nightjar | Caprimulgus affinis Horsfield, 1821 | vagrant, Christmas Island |
Owlet-nightjars edit
Order: Caprimulgiformes Family: Aegothelidae
1 species recorded [1 extant native]
The owlet-nightjars are a distinctive group of small nocturnal birds related to swifts found from the Maluku Islands and New Guinea to Australia and New Caledonia. One species is found in Australia.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Australian owlet-nightjar | Aegotheles cristatus (Shaw, 1790) |
Swifts edit
Order: Caprimulgiformes Family: Apodidae
9 species recorded [4 extant native, 5 vagrant]
Swifts are small birds which spend the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings which resemble a crescent or boomerang. Nine species recorded in Australian territory, five of which are vagrants.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Papuan spine-tailed swift | Mearnsia novaeguineae (D'Albertis & Salvadori, 1879) | vagrant, Torres Strait |
| White-throated needletail | Hirundapus caudacutus (Latham, 1801) | |
| Christmas Island swiftlet | Collocalia natalis Lister, 1889 | Christmas Island |
| Glossy swiftlet | Collocalia esculenta (Linnaeus, 1758) | vagrant |
| Australian swiftlet | Aerodramus terraereginae (Ramsay, EP, 1875) | |
| Uniform swiftlet | Aerodramus vanikorensis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1832) | vagrant |
| Mossy-nest swiftlet | Aerodramus salangana (Streubel, 1848) | vagrant |
| Pacific swift | Apus pacificus (Latham, 1801) | |
| Common swift | Apus apus (Linnaeus, 1758) | vagrant |
| House swift | Apus affinis (Gray, JE, 1830) | vagrant |
Rails, gallinules, and coots edit
Order: Gruiformes Family: Rallidae
24 species recorded [15 extant native, 7 vagrant, 1 extirpated, 1 extinct native]
Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots and gallinules. Typically they inhabit dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and to be weak fliers.
Cranes edit
Order: Gruiformes Family: Gruidae
2 species recorded [2 extant native]
Cranes are large, long-legged and long-necked birds. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back. Most have elaborate and noisy courting displays or "dances".
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sarus crane | Antigone antigone (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
| Brolga | Antigone rubicunda (Perry, 1810) |
Sheathbills edit
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Chionidae
1 species recorded [1 extant native]
The sheathbills are scavengers of the Antarctic regions. They have white plumage and look plump and dove-like but are believed to be similar to the ancestors of the modern gulls and terns.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Black-faced sheathbill | Chionis minor Hartlaub, 1841 | Heard Island; mainland vagrant |
Thick-knees edit
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Burhinidae
2 species recorded [2 extant native]
The thick-knees are a group of largely tropical waders in the family Burhinidae. They are found worldwide within the tropical zone, with some species also breeding in temperate Europe and Australia. They are medium to large waders with strong black or yellow-black bills, large yellow eyes and cryptic plumage. Despite being classed as waders, most species have a preference for arid or semi-arid habitats.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bush thick-knee | Burhinus grallarius (Latham, 1801) | |
| Beach thick-knee | Esacus magnirostris (Vieillot, 1818) |
Stilts and avocets edit
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Recurvirostridae
3 species recorded [3 extant native]
Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds, which includes the avocets and stilts. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin straight bills.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pied stilt | Himantopus leucocephalus Gould, 1837 | |
| Banded stilt | Cladorhynchus leucocephalus (Vieillot, 1816) | |
| Red-necked avocet | Recurvirostra novaehollandiae Vieillot, 1816 |
Oystercatchers edit
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Haematopodidae
3 species recorded [2 extant native, 1 vagrant]
The oystercatchers are large and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pied oystercatcher | Haematopus longirostris Vieillot, 1817 | |
| South Island oystercatcher | Haematopus finschi Martens, GH, 1897 | vagrant |
| Sooty oystercatcher | Haematopus fuliginosus Gould, 1845 |
Plovers and lapwings edit
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Charadriidae
21 species recorded [15 extant native, 6 vagrant]
The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Black-bellied plover | Pluvialis squatarola (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
| European golden-plover | Pluvialis apricaria (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
| American golden-plover | Pluvialis dominica (Müller, PLS, 1776) | vagrant |
| Pacific golden-plover | Pluvialis fulva (Gmelin, JF, 1789) | |
| Grey-headed lapwing | Vanellus cinereus (Blyth, 1842) | vagrant |
| Banded lapwing | Vanellus tricolor (Vieillot, 1818) | |
| Masked lapwing | Vanellus miles (Boddaert, 1783) | |
| Lesser sand-plover | Charadrius mongolus Pallas, 1776 | |
| Greater sand-plover | Charadrius leschenaultii Lesson, RP, 1826 | |
| Caspian plover | Charadrius asiaticus Pallas, 1773 | vagrant |
| Double-banded plover | Charadrius bicinctus Jardine & Selby, 1827 | |
| Red-capped plover | Charadrius ruficapillus Temminck, 1821 | |
| Kentish plover | Charadrius alexandrinus Linnaeus, 1758 | vagrant |
| Common ringed plover | Charadrius hiaticula Linnaeus, 1758 | vagrant |
| Semipalmated plover | Charadrius semipalmatus Bonaparte, 1825 | vagrant |
| Little ringed plover | Charadrius dubius Scopoli, 1786 | |
| Oriental plover | Charadrius veredus Gould, 1848 | |
| Red-kneed dotterel | Erythrogonys cinctus Gould, 1838 | |
| Hooded plover | Thinornis cucullatus (Vieillot, 1818) | |
| Black-fronted dotterel | Elseyornis melanops (Vieillot, 1818) | |
| Inland dotterel | Peltohyas australis (Gould, 1841) |
Plains-wanderer edit
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Pedionomidae
1 species recorded [1 extant native]
The plains-wanderer is a quail-like ground bird. They are excellent camouflagers, and will first hide at any disturbance. If they're approached too close, they will run as opposed to flying, which they are very poor at.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Plains-wanderer | Pedionomus torquatus Gould, 1840 |
Painted-snipe edit
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Rostratulidae
1 species recorded [1 extant native]
Painted-snipe are short-legged, long-billed birds similar in shape to the true snipes, but more brightly coloured.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Australian painted-snipe | Rostratula australis (Gould, 1838) |
Jacanas edit
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Jacanidae
2 species recorded [1 extant native, 1 vagrant]
The jacanas are a group of waders found throughout the tropics. They are identifiable by their huge feet and claws which enable them to walk on floating vegetation in the shallow lakes that are their preferred habitat.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Comb-crested jacana | Irediparra gallinacea (Temminck, 1828) | |
| Pheasant-tailed jacana | Hydrophasianus chirurgus (Scopoli, 1786) | vagrant |
Sandpipers and allies edit
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Scolopacidae
47 species recorded [29 extant native, 18 vagrant]
Scolopacidae is a large diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds including the sandpipers, curlews, godwits, shanks, tattlers, woodcocks, snipes, dowitchers, and phalaropes. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Variation in length of legs and bills enables multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Upland sandpiper | Bartramia longicauda (Bechstein, 1812) | vagrant |
| Whimbrel | Numenius phaeopus (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
| Little curlew | Numenius minutus Gould, 1841 | |
| Far Eastern curlew | Numenius madagascariensis (Linnaeus, 1766) | |
| Eurasian curlew | Numenius arquata (Linnaeus, 1758) | vagrant |
| Bar-tailed godwit | Limosa lapponica (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
| Black-tailed godwit | Limosa limosa (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
| Hudsonian godwit | Limosa haemastica (Linnaeus, 1758) | vagrant |
| Ruddy turnstone | Arenaria interpres (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
| Great knot | Calidris tenuirostris (Horsfield, 1821) | |
| Red knot | Calidris canutus (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
| Ruff | Calidris pugnax (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
| Broad-billed sandpiper | Calidris falcinellus (Pontoppidan, 1763) | |
| Sharp-tailed sandpiper | Calidris acuminata (Horsfield, 1821) | |
| Stilt sandpiper | Calidris himantopus (Bonaparte, 1826) | vagrant |
| Curlew sandpiper | Calidris ferruginea (Pontoppidan, 1763) | |
| Temminck's stint | Calidris temminckii (Leisler, 1812) | vagrant |
| Long-toed stint | Calidris subminuta (Middendorff, 1853) | |
| Red-necked stint | Calidris ruficollis (Pallas, 1776) | |
| Sanderling | Calidris alba (Pallas, 1764) | |
| Dunlin | Calidris alpina (Linnaeus, 1758) | vagrant |
| Baird's sandpiper | Calidris bairdii (Coues, 1861) | vagrant |
| Little stint | Calidris minuta (Leisler, 1812) | vagrant |
| White-rumped sandpiper | Calidris fuscicollis (Vieillot, 1819) | vagrant |
| Buff-breasted sandpiper | Calidris subruficollis (Vieillot, 1819) | vagrant |
| Pectoral sandpiper | Calidris melanotos (Vieillot, 1819) | |
| Asian dowitcher | Limnodromus semipalmatus (Blyth, 1848) | |
| Short-billed dowitcher | Limnodromus griseus (Gmelin, JF, 1789) | vagrant |
| Long-billed dowitcher | Limnodromus scolopaceus (Say, 1822) | vagrant |
| Latham's snipe | Gallinago hardwickii (Gray, JE, 1831) | |
| Pin-tailed snipe | Gallinago stenura (Bonaparte, 1831) | |
| Swinhoe's snipe | Gallinago megala Swinhoe, 1861 | |
| Terek sandpiper | Xenus cinereus (Güldenstädt, 1775) | |
| Wilson's phalarope | Phalaropus tricolor (Vieillot, 1819) | vagrant |
| Red-necked phalarope | Phalaropus lobatus (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
| Red phalarope | Phalaropus fulicarius (Linnaeus, 1758) | vagrant |
| Common sandpiper | Actitis hypoleucos (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
| Green sandpiper | Tringa ochropus Linnaeus, 1758 | vagrant |
| Grey-tailed tattler | Tringa brevipes (Vieillot, 1816) | |
| Wandering tattler | Tringa incana (Gmelin, JF, 1789) | |
| Spotted redshank | Tringa erythropus (Pallas, 1764) | vagrant |
| Common greenshank | Tringa nebularia (Gunnerus, 1767) | |
| Nordmann's greenshank | Tringa guttifer (Nordmann, 1835) | vagrant |
| Lesser yellowlegs | Tringa flavipes (Gmelin, JF, 1789) | vagrant |
| Marsh sandpiper | Tringa stagnatilis (Bechstein, 1803) | |
| Wood sandpiper | Tringa glareola Linnaeus, 1758 | |
| Common redshank | Tringa totanus (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Buttonquail edit
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Turnicidae
7 species recorded [7 extant native]
The buttonquails are small, drab, running birds which resemble the true quails. The female is the brighter of the sexes and initiates courtship. The male incubates the eggs and tends the young.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Red-backed buttonquail | Turnix maculosus (Temminck, 1815) | |
| Black-breasted buttonquail | Turnix melanogaster (Gould, 1837) | |
| Chestnut-backed buttonquail | Turnix castanotus (Gould, 1840) | |
| Buff-breasted buttonquail | Turnix olivii Robinson, 1900 | |
| Painted buttonquail | Turnix varius (Latham, 1801) | |
| Red-chested buttonquail | Turnix pyrrhothorax (Gould, 1841) | |
| Little buttonquail | Turnix velox (Gould, 1841) |
Pratincoles and coursers edit
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Glareolidae
3 species recorded [2 extant native, 1 vagrant]
Glareolidae is a family of wading birds comprising the pratincoles, which have short legs, long pointed wings, and long forked tails, and the coursers, which have long legs, short wings, and long, pointed bills which curve downwards.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Australian pratincole | Stiltia isabella (Vieillot, 1816) | |
| Collared pratincole | Glareola pratincola (Linnaeus, 1766) | vagrant |
| Oriental pratincole | Glareola maldivarum Forster, JR, 1795 |
Skuas and jaegers edit
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Stercorariidae
5 species recorded [5 extant native]
The family Stercorariidae are, in general, medium to large birds, typically with grey or brown plumage, often with white markings on the wings. They nest on the ground in temperate and arctic regions and are long-distance migrants.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| South polar skua | Stercorarius maccormicki Saunders, H, 1893 | vagrant |
| Brown skua | Stercorarius antarcticus (Lesson, RP, 1831) | |
| Pomarine jaeger | Stercorarius pomarinus (Temminck, 1815) | |
| Parasitic jaeger | Stercorarius parasiticus (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
| Long-tailed jaeger | Stercorarius longicauda | vagrant |
Gulls, terns, and skimmers edit
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Laridae
37 species recorded [25 extant native, 12 vagrant]
Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds, the gulls, terns, and skimmers. Gulls are typically grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet. Terns are a group of generally medium to large seabirds typically with grey or white plumage, often with black markings on the head. Most terns hunt fish by diving but some pick insects off the surface of fresh water. Terns are generally long-lived birds, with several species known to live in excess of 30 years. Skimmers are a small family of tropical tern-like birds. They have an elongated lower mandible which they use to feed by flying low over the water surface and skimming the water for small fish.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sabine's gull | Xema sabini (Sabine, 1819) | vagrant |
| Silver gull | Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae (Stephens, 1826) | |
| Black-headed gull | Chroicocephalus ridibundus (Linnaeus, 1766) | vagrant |
| Laughing gull | Leucophaeus atricilla (Linnaeus, 1758) | vagrant |
| Franklin's gull | Leucophaeus pipixcan (Wagler, 1831) | vagrant |
| Black-tailed gull | Larus crassirostris Vieillot, 1818 | vagrant |
| Pacific gull | Larus pacificus Latham, 1801 | |
| Mew gull | Larus canus Linnaeus, 1758 | vagrant, Christmas Island |
| Lesser black-backed gull | Larus fuscus Linnaeus, 1758 | vagrant, Cocos (Keeling) Islands & possibly mainland |
| Slaty-backed gull | Larus schistisagus Stejneger, 1884 | vagrant |
| Kelp gull | Larus dominicanus Lichtenstein, MHC, 1823 | |
| Brown noddy | Anous stolidus (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
| Black noddy | Anous minutus Boie, F, 1844 | |
| Lesser noddy | Anous tenuirostris (Temminck, 1823) | |
| Grey noddy | Anous albivitta (Bonaparte, 1856) | |
| Blue-grey noddy | Anous ceruleus (Bennett, FD, 1840) | |
| White tern | Gygis alba (Sparrman, 1786) | Lord Howe, Norfolk & Cocos (Keeling) Islands; mainland vagrant |
| Sooty tern | Onychoprion fuscata | |
| Grey-backed tern | Onychoprion lunatus (Peale, 1849) | vagrant |
| Bridled tern | Onychoprion anaethetus (Scopoli, 1786) | |
| Aleutian tern | Onychoprion aleuticus (Baird, SF, 1869) | vagrant |
| Little tern | Sternula albifrons (Pallas, 1764) | |
| Australian fairy tern | Sternula nereis Gould, 1843 | |
| Saunders's tern | Sternula saundersi (Hume, 1877) | Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| Gull-billed tern | Gelochelidon nilotica (Gmelin, JF, 1789) | is a mainland vagrant |
| Caspian tern | Hydroprogne caspia (Pallas, 1770) | |
| Black tern | Chlidonias niger (Linnaeus, 1758) | vagrant |
| White-winged tern | Chlidonias leucopterus (Temminck, 1815) | |
| Whiskered tern | Chlidonias hybrida (Pallas, 1811) | |
| Black-fronted tern | Chlidonias albostriatus (Gray, GR, 1845) | vagrant |
| Roseate tern | Sterna dougallii Montagu, 1813 | |
| White-fronted tern | Sterna striata Gmelin, JF, 1789 | |
| Black-naped tern | Sterna sumatrana Raffles, 1822 | |
| Common tern | Sterna hirundo Linnaeus, 1758 | |
| Arctic tern | Sterna paradisaea Pontoppidan, 1763 | vagrant |
| Antarctic tern | Sterna vittata Gmelin, JF, 1789 | Macquarie & Heard Island; mainland vagrant |
| Greater crested tern | Thalasseus bergii (Lichtenstein, MHC, 1823) | |
| Lesser crested tern | Thalasseus bengalensis (Lesson, RP, 1831) |
Tropicbirds edit
Order: Phaethontiformes Family: Phaethontidae
3 species recorded [2 extant native, 1 vagrant]
Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans, with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their long wings have black markings, as does the head. Three species have been recorded from Australian waters.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| White-tailed tropicbird | Phaethon lepturus Daudin, 1802 | |
| Red-billed tropicbird | Phaethon aethereus Linnaeus, 1758 | vagrant, Ashmore Reef & Lord Howe Island |
| Red-tailed tropicbird | Phaethon rubricauda Boddaert, 1783 |
Penguins edit
Order: Sphenisciformes Family: Spheniscidae
15 species recorded [7 extant native, 8 vagrant]
Penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere, especially in Antarctica. Only one species, the Australian little penguin, breeds on the Australian coast.
Albatrosses edit
Order: Procellariiformes Family: Diomedeidae
13 species recorded [11 extant native, 2 vagrant]
The albatrosses are a family of large seabird found across the Southern and North Pacific Oceans. The largest are among the largest flying birds in the world. Thirteen species are seen to varying degrees in Australian waters, with two recorded as vagrants.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow-nosed albatross | Thalassarche chlororhynchos (Gmelin, JF, 1789) | |
| Grey-headed albatross | Thalassarche chrysostoma (Forster, JR, 1785) | |
| Buller's albatross | Thalassarche bulleri (Rothschild, 1893) | |
| White-capped albatross | Thalassarche cauta (Gould, 1841) | |
| Salvin's albatross | Thalassarche salvini (Rothschild, 1893) | |
| Chatham albatross | Thalassarche eremita Murphy, 1930 | vagrant |
| Campbell albatross | Thalassarche impavida Mathews, 1912 | |
| Black-browed albatross | Thalassarche melanophris (Temminck, 1828) | |
| Sooty albatross | Phoebetria fusca (Hilsenberg, 1822) | |
| Light-mantled albatross | Phoebetria palpebrata (Forster, JR, 1785) | |
| Royal albatross | Diomedea epomophora Lesson, RP, 1825 | |
| Wandering albatross | Diomedea exulans Linnaeus, 1758 |
Southern storm-petrels edit
Order: Procellariiformes Family: Oceanitidae
7 species recorded [5 extant native, 2 vagrant]
The southern storm-petrels are the smallest seabirds, relatives of the petrels, feeding on planktonic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. Their flight is fluttering and sometimes bat-like.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wilson's storm-petrel | Oceanites oceanicus (Kuhl, 1820) | |
| Grey-backed storm-petrel | Garrodia nereis (Gould, 1841) | |
| White-faced storm-petrel | Pelagodroma marina (Latham, 1790) | |
| White-bellied storm-petrel | Fregetta grallaria (Vieillot, 1818) | |
| New Zealand storm-petrel | Fregetta maoriana (Mathews, 1932) | vagrant |
| Black-bellied storm-petrel | Fregetta tropica (Gould, 1844) | |
| Polynesian storm-petrel | Nesofregetta fuliginosa (Gmelin, JF, 1789) | vagrant |
Northern storm-petrels edit
Order: Procellariiformes Family: Hydrobatidae
5 species recorded [2 extant native, 3 vagrant]
Though the members of this family are similar in many respects to the southern storm-petrels, including their general appearance and habits, there are enough genetic differences to warrant their placement in a separate family.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Leach's storm-petrel | Hydrobates leucorhous (Vieillot, 1818) | vagrant |
| Swinhoe's storm-petrel | Hydrobates monorhis (Swinhoe, 1867) | |
| Band-rumped storm-petrel | Hydrobates castro (Harcourt, 1851) | vagrant |
| Matsudaira's storm-petrel | Hydrobates matsudairae (Kuroda & Nm, 1922) | |
| Tristram's storm-petrel | Hydrobates tristrami (Salvin, 1896) | vagrant |
Shearwaters and petrels edit
Order: Procellariiformes Family: Procellariidae
61 species recorded [41 native extant, 19 vagrant, 1 extirpated]
The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized "true petrels", characterised by united nostrils with medium nasal septum, and a long outer functional primary flight feather.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Southern giant-petrel | Macronectes giganteus (Gmelin, JF, 1789) | |
| Northern giant-petrel | Macronectes halli Mathews, 1912 | |
| Southern fulmar | Fulmarus glacialoides (Smith, A, 1840) | |
| Antarctic petrel | Thalassoica antarctica (Gmelin, JF, 1789) | vagrant |
| Cape petrel | Daption capense (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
| Snow petrel | Pagodroma nivea (Forster, G, 1777) | vagrant, Heard & Macquarie Island |
| Kerguelen petrel | Aphrodroma brevirostris (Lesson, RP, 1831) | |
| Great-winged petrel | Pterodroma macroptera (Smith, A, 1840) | |
| Grey-faced petrel | Pterodroma gouldi (Hutton, FW, 1869) | vagrant |
| Kermadec petrel | Pterodroma neglecta (Schlegel, 1863) | vagrant; Lord Howe Island; Norfolk Island |
| Trindade petrel | Pterodroma arminjoniana (Giglioli & Salvadori, 1869) | vagrant |
| Herald petrel | Pterodroma heraldica (Salvin, 1888) | |
| Providence petrel | Pterodroma solandri (Gould, 1844) | |
| Soft-plumaged petrel | Pterodroma mollis (Gould, 1844) | |
| Barau's petrel | Pterodroma baraui (Jouanin, 1964) | vagrant |
| White-headed petrel | Pterodroma lessonii (Garnot, 1826) | |
| Mottled petrel | Pterodroma inexpectata (Forster, JR, 1844) | |
| Juan Fernandez petrel | Pterodroma externa (Salvin, 1875) | vagrant |
| Atlantic petrel | Pterodroma incerta (Schlegel, 1863) | vagrant |
| White-necked petrel | Pterodroma cervicalis (Salvin, 1891) | |
| Black-winged petrel | Pterodroma nigripennis (Rothschild, 1893) | |
| Cook's petrel | Pterodroma cookii (Gray, GR, 1843) | |
| Gould's petrel | Pterodroma leucoptera (Gould, 1844) | |
| Collared petrel | Pterodroma brevipes (Peale, 1849) | vagrant |
| Stejneger's petrel | Pterodroma longirostris (Stejneger, 1893) | vagrant |
| Pycroft's petrel | Pterodroma pycrofti Falla, 1933 | extirpated, Norfolk Island; possible vagrant |
| Vanuatu petrel | Pterodroma occulta Imber & Tennyson, 2001 | vagrant |
| Blue petrel | Halobaena caerulea (Gmelin, JF, 1789) | |
| Fairy prion | Pachyptila turtur (Kuhl, 1820) | |
| Broad-billed prion | Pachyptila vittata (Forster, G, 1777) | |
| Salvin's prion | Pachyptila salvini (Mathews, 1912) | |
| Antarctic prion | Pachyptila desolata (Gmelin, JF, 1789) | |
| Slender-billed prion | Pachyptila belcheri (Mathews, 1912) | |
| Fulmar prion | Pachyptila crassirostris (Mathews, 1912) | vagrant; Heard Island |
| Bulwer's petrel | Bulweria bulwerii (Jardine & Selby, 1828) | |
| Jouanin's petrel | Bulweria fallax Jouanin, 1955 | |
| Tahiti petrel | Pseudobulweria rostrata (Peale, 1849) | |
| Grey petrel | Procellaria cinerea Gmelin, JF, 1789 | |
| White-chinned petrel | Procellaria aequinoctialis Linnaeus, 1758 | |
| Parkinson's petrel | Procellaria parkinsoni Gray, GR, 1862 | |
| Westland petrel | Procellaria westlandica Falla, 1946 | |
| Streaked shearwater | Calonectris leucomelas (Temminck, 1836) | |
| Cory's shearwater | Calonectris borealis (Cory, 1881) | vagrant |
| Pink-footed shearwater | Ardenna creatopus (Coues, 1864) | vagrant |
| Flesh-footed shearwater | Ardenna carneipes (Gould, 1844) | |
| Great shearwater | Ardenna gravis (O'Reilly, 1818) | vagrant |
| Wedge-tailed shearwater | Ardenna pacifica (Gmelin, JF, 1789) | |
| Buller's shearwater | Ardenna bulleri (Salvin, 1888) | |
| Sooty shearwater | Ardenna grisea (Gmelin, JF, 1789) | |
| Short-tailed shearwater | Ardenna tenuirostris (Temminck, 1836) | |
| Manx shearwater | Puffinus puffinus (Brünnich, 1764) | vagrant |
| Hutton's shearwater | Puffinus huttoni Mathews, 1912 | |
| Newell's shearwater | Puffinus newelli Henshaw, 1900 | vagrant |
| Fluttering shearwater | Puffinus gavia (Forster, JR, 1844) | |
| Little shearwater | Puffinus assimilis Gould, 1838 | |
| Subantarctic shearwater | Puffinus elegans Giglioli & Salvadori, 1869 | |
| Tropical shearwater | Puffinus bailloni Bonaparte, 1857 | vagrant |
| Persian shearwater | Puffinus persicus Hume, 1872 | possible vagrant |
| Heinroth's shearwater | Puffinus heinrothi Reichenow, 1919 | vagrant |
| Common diving-petrel | Pelecanoides urinatrix (Gmelin, JF, 1789) | |
| South Georgian diving-petrel | Pelecanoides georgicus Murphy & Harper, 1916 | Macquarie & Heard Island; mainland vagrant |
Storks edit
_-_Fogg_Dam_-_Northern_Territory_-_Australia_%26_Juvenile_Pied_Heron_in_flight.jpg)
Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Ciconiidae
1 species recorded [1 extant native]
Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked, wading birds with long, stout bills. Storks are mute, but bill-clattering is an important mode of communication at the nest. Their nests can be large and may be reused for many years.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Black-necked stork | Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus (Latham, 1790) |
Frigatebirds edit
Order: Suliformes Family: Fregatidae
3 species recorded [3 extant native]
Frigatebirds are large seabirds usually found over tropical oceans. They are large, black, or black-and-white, with long wings and deeply forked tails. The males have coloured inflatable throat pouches. They do not swim or walk and cannot take off from a flat surface. Having the largest wingspan-to-body-weight ratio of any bird, they are essentially aerial, able to stay aloft for more than a week.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lesser frigatebird | Fregata ariel (Gray, GR, 1845) | |
| Christmas Island frigatebird | Fregata andrewsi Mathews, 1914 | Christmas Island; mainland vagrant |
| Great frigatebird | Fregata minor (Gmelin, JF, 1789) |
Boobies and gannets edit
Order: Suliformes Family: Sulidae
6 species recorded [5 extant native, 1 vagrant]
The sulids comprise the gannets and boobies. Both groups are medium-large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish. Six species have been recorded from Australian territory.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Masked booby | Sula dactylatra Lesson, RP, 1831 | |
| Brown booby | Sula leucogaster (Boddaert, 1783) | |
| Red-footed booby | Sula sula (Linnaeus, 1766) | |
| Abbott's booby | Papasula abbotti (Ridgway, 1893) | Christmas Island; mainland vagrant |
| Cape gannet | Morus capensis (Lichtenstein, MHC, 1823) | vagrant |
| Australasian gannet | Morus serrator (Gray, GR, 1843) |
Anhingas edit
Order: Suliformes Family: Anhingidae
2 species recorded [1 extant native, 1 vagrant]
Anhingas or darters are cormorant-like water birds with long necks and long, straight bills. They are fish eaters which often swim with only their neck above the water. One species is found in Australia.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Oriental darter | Anhinga melanogaster Pennant, 1769 | vagrant |
| Australasian darter | Anhinga novaehollandiae (Gould, 1847) |
Cormorants and shags edit
Order: Suliformes Family: Phalacrocoracidae
10 species recorded [7 extant native, 2 vagrant]
Cormorants are medium-to-large aquatic birds, usually with mainly dark plumage and areas of coloured skin on the face. The bill is long, thin and sharply hooked. Their feet are four-toed and webbed, a distinguishing feature among the order Pelecaniformes. Nine species occur in Australian territory, with two as vagrants.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Little pied cormorant | Microcarbo melanoleucos (Vieillot, 1817) | |
| Great cormorant | Phalacrocorax carbo (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
| Spotted shag | Phalacrocorax punctatus (Sparrman, 1786) | vagrant |
| Little black cormorant | Phalacrocorax sulcirostris (Brandt, JF, 1837) | |
| Pied cormorant | Phalacrocorax varius (Gmelin, JF, 1789) | |
| Black-faced cormorant | Phalacrocorax fuscescens (Vieillot, 1817) | |
| Imperial shag | Leucocarbo atriceps (King, PP, 1828) | Heard & Macquarie Island |
| Kerguelen shag | Leucocarbo verrucosus (Cabanis, 1875) | vagrant |
| Macquarie shag | Leucocarbo purpurascens (Brandt, JF, 1837) | |
| Heard Island shag | Leucocarbo nivalis (Falla, 1937) |
Pelicans edit
Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Pelecanidae
1 species recorded [1 extant native]
Pelicans are large water birds with distinctive pouches under their bills. Like other birds in the order Pelecaniformes, they have four webbed toes. One species has been recorded in Australia.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Australian pelican | Pelecanus conspicillatus Temminck, 1824 |
Herons, egrets, and bitterns edit
Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Ardeidae
25 species recorded [15 extant native, 10 vagrant]
The family Ardeidae contains the bitterns, herons, and egrets. Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more wary. Members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted, unlike other long-necked birds such as storks, ibises, and spoonbills.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Australasian bittern | Botaurus poiciloptilus (Wagler, 1827) | |
| Yellow bittern | Ixobrychus sinensis (Gmelin, JF, 1789) | vagrant |
| Black-backed bittern | Ixobrychus dubius Mathews, 1912 | |
| Schrenck's bittern | Ixobrychus eurhythmus (Swinhoe, 1873) | vagrant, Christmas Island |
| Cinnamon bittern | Ixobrychus cinnamomeus (Gmelin, JF, 1789) | vagrant |
| Black bittern | Ixobrychus flavicollis (Latham, 1790) | |
| Grey heron | Ardea cinerea Linnaeus, 1758 | vagrant |
| Pacific heron | Ardea pacifica Latham, 1801 | |
| Great-billed heron | Ardea sumatrana Raffles, 1822 | |
| Purple heron | Ardea purpurea Linnaeus, 1766 | vagrant |
| Great egret | Ardea alba Linnaeus, 1758 | |
| Intermediate egret | Ardea intermedia Wagler, 1829 | |
| White-faced heron | Egretta novaehollandiae (Latham, 1790) | |
| Little egret | Egretta garzetta (Linnaeus, 1766) | |
| Western reef-heron | Egretta gularis (Bosc, 1792) | possibly Cocos (Keeling) Islands but likely hybridised with E. sacra |
| Pacific reef-heron | Egretta sacra (Gmelin, JF, 1789) | |
| Pied heron | Egretta picata (Gould, 1845) | |
| Cattle egret | Bubulcus ibis (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
| Chinese pond-heron | Ardeola bacchus (Bonaparte, 1855) | vagrant |
| Javan pond-heron | Ardeola speciosa (Horsfield, 1821) | vagrant |
| Striated heron | Butorides striatus | |
| Black-crowned night-heron | Nycticorax nycticorax (Linnaeus, 1758) | vagrant, Cocos (Keeling) Islands & Ashmore Reef |
| Nankeen night-heron | Nycticorax caledonicus (Gmelin, JF, 1789) | |
| Japanese night-heron | Gorsachius goisagi (Temminck, 1836) | vagrant, Christmas Island |
| Malayan night-heron | Gorsachius melanolophus (Raffles, 1822) | vagrant, Christmas Island |
Ibises and spoonbills edit
Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Threskiornithidae
5 species recorded [5 extant native]
Threskiornithidae is a family of large terrestrial and wading birds which includes the ibises and spoonbills. They have long, broad wings with 11 primary and about 20 secondary feathers. They are strong fliers and despite their size and weight, very capable soarers.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Glossy ibis | Plegadis falcinellus (Linnaeus, 1766) | |
| Australian ibis | Threskiornis moluccus | |
| Straw-necked ibis | Threskiornis spinicollis (Jameson, 1835) | |
| Royal spoonbill | Platalea regia Gould, 1838 | |
| Yellow-billed spoonbill | Platalea flavipes Gould, 1838 |
Osprey edit
Order: Accipitriformes Family: Pandionidae
1 species recorded [1 extant native]
The family Pandionidae contains only one species, the osprey. The osprey is a medium-large raptor which is a specialist fish-eater with a worldwide distribution.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Osprey | Pandion haliaetus (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Hawks, eagles, and kites edit
Order: Accipitriformes Family: Accipitridae
22 species recorded [17 extant native, 5 vagrant]
Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey, which includes hawks, eagles, kites, harriers, and Old World vultures. These birds have powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons, and keen eyesight.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Black-shouldered kite | Elanus axillaris (Latham, 1801) | |
| Letter-winged kite | Elanus scriptus Gould, 1842 | |
| Oriental honey-buzzard | Pernis ptilorhynchus (Temminck, 1821) | vagrant |
| Black-breasted kite | Hamirostra melanosternon (Gould, 1841) | |
| Long-tailed honey-buzzard | Henicopernis longicauda (Lesson, RP & Garnot, 1828) | vagrant |
| Square-tailed kite | Lophoictinia isura (Gould, 1838) | |
| Pacific baza | Aviceda subcristata (Gould, 1838) | |
| Little eagle | Hieraaetus morphnoides (Gould, 1841) | |
| Gurney's eagle | Aquila gurneyi Gray, GR, 1861 | vagrant, Torres Strait |
| Wedge-tailed eagle | Aquila audax (Latham, 1801) | |
| Swamp harrier | Circus approximans Peale, 1849 | |
| Spotted harrier | Circus assimilis Jardine & Selby, 1828 | |
| Chinese sparrowhawk | Accipiter soloensis (Horsfield, 1821) | vagrant, Cocos (Keeling) Islands & Ashmore Reef |
| Grey goshawk | Accipiter novaehollandiae (Gmelin, JF, 1788) | |
| Brown goshawk | Accipiter fasciatus (Vigors & Horsfield, 1827) | |
| Japanese sparrowhawk | Accipiter gularis (Temminck & Schlegel, 1845) | vagrant, Cocos (Keeling) Islands & Ashmore Reef |
| Collared sparrowhawk | Accipiter cirrocephalus (Vieillot, 1817) | |
| Red goshawk | Erythrotriorchis radiatus (Latham, 1801) | |
| Black kite | Milvus migrans (Boddaert, 1783) | |
| Whistling kite | Haliastur sphenurus (Vieillot, 1818) | |
| Brahminy kite | Haliastur indus (Boddaert, 1783) | |
| White-bellied sea eagle | Haliaeetus leucogaster |
Barn-owls edit
Order: Strigiformes Family: Tytonidae
4 species recorded [4 extant native]
Barn-owls are medium to large owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long strong legs with powerful talons.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sooty owl | Tyto tenebricosa (Gould, 1845) | |
| Australian masked-owl | Tyto novaehollandiae (Stephens, 1826) | |
| Australasian grass-owl | Tyto longimembris (Jerdon, 1839) | |
| Barn owl | Tyto alba (Scopoli, 1769) |
Owls edit
Order: Strigiformes Family: Strigidae
10 species recorded [6 extant native, 4 vagrant]
The typical owls are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey. They have large forward-facing eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak, and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Oriental scops-owl | Otis sunia | vagrant, Barrow Island, WA |
| Buffy fish-owl | Ketupa ketupu (Horsfield, 1821) | vagrant, Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| Rufous owl | Ninox rufa (Gould, 1846) | |
| Powerful owl | Ninox strenua (Gould, 1838) | |
| Barking owl | Ninox connivens (Latham, 1801) | |
| Southern boobook | Ninox boobook (Latham, 1801) | |
| Tasmanian boobook | Ninox leucopsis (Gould, 1838) | |
| Brown boobook | Ninox scutulata (Raffles, 1822) | vagrant |
| Northern boobook | Ninox japonica (Temminck & Schlegel, 1845) | vagrant |
| Christmas Island boobook | Ninox natalis Lister, 1889 | Christmas Island |
Hoopoes edit
Order: Bucerotiformes Family: Upupidae
1 species recorded [1 vagrant]
Hoopoes have black, white, and orangey-pink colouring with a large erectile crest on their head.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Eurasian hoopoe | Upupa epops Linnaeus, 1758 | vagrant |
Kingfishers edit
Order: Coraciiformes Family: Alcedinidae
15 species recorded [11 extant native, 4 vagrant]
Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Common kingfisher | Alcedo atthis (Linnaeus, 1758) | vagrant, Christmas & Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| Azure kingfisher | Ceyx azureus (Latham, 1801) | |
| Little kingfisher | Ceyx pusillus Temminck, 1836 | |
| Laughing kookaburra | Dacelo novaeguineae (Hermann, 1783) | |
| Blue-winged kookaburra | Dacelo leachii Vigors & Horsfield, 1827 | |
| Black-capped kingfisher | Halcyon pileata (Boddaert, 1783) | vagrant |
| Red-backed kingfisher | Todiramphus pyrrhopygia | |
| Forest kingfisher | Todiramphus macleayii (Jardine & Selby, 1830) | |
| Torresian kingfisher | Todiramphus sordidus (Gould, 1842) | |
| Sacred kingfisher | Todiramphus sanctus (Vigors & Horsfield, 1827) | |
| Collared kingfisher | Todiramphus chloris (Boddaert, 1783) | |
| Yellow-billed kingfisher | Syma torotoro Lesson, RP, 1827 | |
| Little paradise-kingfisher | Tanysiptera hydrocharis Gray, GR, 1858 | vagrant, Torres Strait |
| Common paradise-kingfisher | Tanysiptera galatea Gray, GR, 1859 | vagrant, Torres Strait |
| Buff-breasted paradise-kingfisher | Tanysiptera sylvia Gould, 1850 |
Bee-eaters edit
Order: Coraciiformes Family: Meropidae
1 species recorded [1 extant native]
The bee-eaters are a group of near passerine birds in the family Meropidae. Most species are found in Africa but others occur in southern Europe, Madagascar, Australia, and New Guinea. They are characterised by richly coloured plumage, slender bodies, and usually elongated central tail feathers. All are colourful and have long downturned bills and pointed wings, which give them a swallow-like appearance when seen from afar.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rainbow bee-eater | Merops ornatus Latham, 1801 |
Rollers edit
Order: Coraciiformes Family: Coraciidae
2 species recorded [1 extant native, 1 vagrant]
Rollers resemble crows in size and build, but are more closely related to the kingfishers and bee-eaters. They share the colourful appearance of those groups with blues and browns predominating. The two inner front toes are connected, but the outer toe is not.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| European roller | Coracias garrulus Linnaeus, 1758 | vagrant, Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| Dollarbird | Eurystomus orientalis (Linnaeus, 1766) |
Falcons and caracaras edit
Order: Falconiformes Family: Falconidae
7 species recorded [6 extant native, 1 vagrant]
Falconidae is a family of diurnal birds of prey. They differ from hawks, eagles, and kites in that they kill with their beaks instead of their talons.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nankeen kestrel | Falco cenchroides Vigors & Horsfield, 1827 | |
| Amur falcon | Falco amurensis Radde, 1863 | vagrant |
| Eurasian hobby | Falco subbuteo Linnaeus, 1758 | vagrant |
| Australian hobby | Falco longipennis Swainson, 1838 | |
| Brown falcon | Falco berigora Vigors & Horsfield, 1827 | |
| Grey falcon | Falco hypoleucos Gould, 1841 | |
| Black falcon | Falco subniger Gray, GR, 1843 | |
| Peregrine falcon | Falco peregrinus Tunstall, 1771 |
New Zealand parrots edit
Order: Psittaciformes Family: Nestoridae
1 species recorded [1 extinct native]
The family diverged from the other parrots around 82 million years ago when New Zealand broke off from Gondwana, while the ancestors of the genera Nestor and Strigops diverged from each other between 60 and 80 million years ago.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Norfolk kaka | Nestor productus (Gould, 1836) | extinct, Norfolk Island |
Cockatoos edit
Order: Psittaciformes Family: Cacatuidae
14 species recorded [14 extant native]
The cockatoos share many features with other parrots including the characteristic curved beak shape and a zygodactyl foot, with two forward toes and two backwards toes. They differ, however in a number of characteristics, including the often spectacular movable headcrest.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Palm cockatoo | Probosciger aterrimus (Gmelin, JF, 1788) | |
| Red-tailed black-cockatoo | Calyptorhynchus banksii (Latham, 1790) | |
| Glossy black-cockatoo | Calyptorhynchus lathami (Temminck, 1807) | |
| Yellow-tailed black-cockatoo | Calyptorhynchus funereus | |
| Carnaby's black-cockatoo | Calyptorhynchus latirostris | |
| Baudin's black-cockatoo | Calyptorhynchus baudinii | |
| Gang-gang cockatoo | Callocephalon fimbriatum (Grant, J, 1803) | |
| Pink cockatoo | Lophochroa leadbeateri | |
| Galah | Eolophus roseicapilla (Vieillot, 1817) | |
| Long-billed corella | Cacatua tenuirostris (Kuhl, 1820) | |
| Western corella | Cacatua pastinator (Gould, 1841) | |
| Little corella | Cacatua sanguinea Gould, 1843 | |
| Sulphur-crested cockatoo | Cacatua galerita (Latham, 1790) | |
| Cockatiel | Nymphicus hollandicus (Kerr, 1792) |
Old World parrots edit
Order: Psittaciformes Family: Psittaculidae
45 species recorded [43 extant native, 1 extirpated native, 1 extinct native]
Characteristic features of parrots include a strong curved bill, an upright stance, strong legs, and clawed zygodactyl feet. Many parrots are vividly coloured, and some are multi-coloured. In size they range from 8 cm (3.1 in) to 1 m (3.3 ft) in length. Old World parrots are found from Africa east across south and southeast Asia and Oceania to Australia and New Zealand.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Superb parrot | Polytelis swainsonii (Desmarest, 1826) | |
| Regent parrot | Polytelis anthopeplus (Lear, 1831) | |
| Princess parrot | Polytelis alexandrae Gould, 1863 | |
| Australian king-parrot | Alisterus scapularis (Lichtenstein, MHC, 1816) | |
| Red-winged parrot | Aprosmictus erythropterus (Gmelin, JF, 1788) | |
| Eclectus parrot | Eclectus roratus (Müller, PLS, 1776) | |
| Red-cheeked parrot | Geoffroyus geoffroyi (Bechstein, 1811) | |
| Eastern ground parrot | Pezoporus wallicus (Kerr, 1792) | |
| Western ground parrot | Pezoporus flaviventris | |
| Night parrot | Pezoporus occidentalis (Gould, 1861) | |
| Bourke's parrot | Neopsephotus bourkii (Gould, 1841) | |
| Blue-winged parrot | Neophema chrysostoma (Kuhl, 1820) | |
| Elegant parrot | Neophema elegans (Gould, 1837) | |
| Rock parrot | Neophema petrophila (Gould, 1841) | |
| Orange-bellied parrot | Neophema chrysogaster (Latham, 1790) | |
| Turquoise parrot | Neophema pulchella (Shaw, 1792) | |
| Scarlet-chested parrot | Neophema splendida (Gould, 1841) | |
| Swift parrot | Lathamus discolor (Shaw, 1790) | |
| Red-crowned parakeet | Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae (Sparrman, 1787) | extirpated, Macquarie Island |
| Norfolk Island parakeet | Cyanoramphus cookii (Gray, GR, 1859) | Norfolk Island |
| Australian ringneck | Barnardius zonarius (Shaw, 1805) | |
| Green rosella | Platycercus caledonicus (Gmelin, JF, 1788) | |
| Crimson rosella | Platycercus elegans (Gmelin, JF, 1788) | |
| Northern rosella | Platycercus venustus (Kuhl, 1820) | |
| Eastern rosella | Platycercus eximius (Shaw, 1792) | |
| Pale-headed rosella | Platycercus adscitus (Latham, 1790) | |
| Western rosella | Platycercus icterotis (Temminck & Kuhl, 1820) | |
| Greater bluebonnet | Northiella haematogaster (Gould, 1838) | |
| Naretha bluebonnet | Northiella narethae (White, HL, 1921) | |
| Red-rumped parrot | Psephotus haematonotus (Gould, 1838) | |
| Mulga parrot | Psephotus varius | |
| Hooded parrot | Psephotus dissimilis | |
| Golden-shouldered parrot | Psephotus chrysopterygius | |
| Paradise parrot | Psephotus pulcherrimus | extinct |
| Red-capped parrot | Purpureicephalus spurius (Kuhl, 1820) | |
| Double-eyed fig-parrot | Cyclopsitta diophthalma (Hombron & Jacquinot, 1841) | |
| Budgerigar | Melopsittacus undulatus (Shaw, 1805) | |
| Musk lorikeet | Glossopsitta concinna (Shaw, 1791) | |
| Little lorikeet | Parvipsitta pusilla (Shaw, 1790) | |
| Purple-crowned lorikeet | Parvipsitta porphyrocephala (Dietrichsen, 1837) | |
| Varied lorikeet | Psitteuteles versicolor (Lear, 1831) | |
| Coconut lorikeet | Trichoglossus haematodus (Linnaeus, 1771) | Torres Strait |
| Red-collared lorikeet | Trichoglossus rubritorquis Vigors & Horsfield, 1827 | |
| Rainbow lorikeet | Trichoglossus moluccanus (Gmelin, JF, 1788) | |
| Scaly-breasted lorikeet | Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus (Kuhl, 1820) |
Pittas edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Pittidae
6 species recorded [3 extant native, 3 vagrant]
Pittas are medium-sized by passerine standards and are stocky, with fairly long, strong legs, short tails, and stout bills. Many are brightly coloured. They spend the majority of their time on wet forest floors, eating snails, insects, and similar invertebrates.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Papuan pitta | Erythropitta macklotii (Temminck, 1834) | |
| Blue-winged pitta | Pitta moluccensis (Müller, PLS, 1776) | vagrant |
| Fairy pitta | Pitta nympha Temminck & Schlegel, 1847 | vagrant |
| Hooded pitta | Pitta sordida (Müller, PLS, 1776) | vagrant, Barrow Island, WA |
| Noisy pitta | Pitta versicolor Swainson, 1825 | |
| Rainbow pitta | Pitta iris Gould, 1842 |
Lyrebirds edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Menuridae
2 species [2 extant native]
Lyrebirds are most notable for their superb ability to mimic natural and artificial sounds from their environment, and the striking beauty of the male bird's huge tail when it is fanned out in courtship display.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Albert's lyrebird | Menura alberti Bonaparte, 1850 | |
| Superb lyrebird | Menura novaehollandiae Latham, 1801 |
Scrub-birds edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Atrichornithidae
2 species recorded [2 extant native]
The scrub-bird family is ancient and is understood to be most closely related to the lyrebirds, and probably also the bowerbirds and treecreepers.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rufous scrub-bird | Atrichornis rufescens (Ramsay, EP, 1866) | |
| Noisy scrub-bird | Atrichornis clamosus (Gould, 1844) |
Bowerbirds edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Ptilonorhynchidae
11 species recorded [11 extant native]
The bowerbirds are small to medium-sized passerine birds. The males notably build a bower to attract a mate. Depending on the species, the bower ranges from a circle of cleared earth with a small pile of twigs in the center to a complex and highly decorated structure of sticks and leaves.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Spotted catbird | Ailuroedus maculosus Ramsay, EP, 1875 | |
| Black-eared catbird | Ailuroedus melanotis (Gray, GR, 1858) | |
| Green catbird | Ailuroedus crassirostris (Paykull, 1815) | |
| Tooth-billed bowerbird | Scenopoeetes dentirostris (Ramsay, EP, 1876) | |
| Golden bowerbird | Amblyornis newtonianus | |
| Regent bowerbird | Sericulus chrysocephalus (Lewin, 1808) | |
| Satin bowerbird | Ptilonorhynchus violaceus (Vieillot, 1816) | |
| Western bowerbird | Ptilonorhynchus guttatus | |
| Spotted bowerbird | Ptilonorhynchus maculatus | |
| Great bowerbird | Ptilonorhynchus nuchalis | |
| Fawn-breasted bowerbird | Ptilonorhynchus cerviniventris |
Australasian treecreepers edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Climacteridae
6 species recorded [6 extant native]
The Climacteridae are medium-small, mostly brown-coloured birds with patterning on their underparts.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| White-throated treecreeper | Cormobates leucophaea (Latham, 1801) | |
| White-browed treecreeper | Climacteris affinis Blyth, 1863 | |
| Red-browed treecreeper | Climacteris erythrops Gould, 1841 | |
| Brown treecreeper | Climacteris picumnus Temminck, 1824 | |
| Black-tailed treecreeper | Climacteris melanura | |
| Rufous treecreeper | Climacteris rufa |
Fairywrens edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Maluridae
27 species recorded [27 extant native]
Maluridae is a family of small, insectivorous passerine birds endemic to Australia and New Guinea. They are socially monogamous and sexually promiscuous, meaning that although they form pairs between one male and one female, each partner will mate with other individuals and even assist in raising the young from such pairings.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Grey grasswren | Amytornis barbatus Favaloro & McEvey, 1968 | |
| Rufous grasswren | Amytornis whitei Mathews, 1910 | |
| Opalton grasswren | Amytornis rowleyi Schodde & Mason, IJ, 1999 | |
| Striated grasswren | Amytornis striatus (Gould, 1840) | |
| White-throated grasswren | Amytornis woodwardi Hartert, EJO, 1905 | |
| Carpentarian grasswren | Amytornis dorotheae (Mathews, 1914) | |
| Short-tailed grasswren | Amytornis merrotsyi Mellor, 1913 | |
| Western grasswren | Amytornis textilis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) | |
| Thick-billed grasswren | Amytornis modestus (North, 1902) | |
| Black grasswren | Amytornis housei (Milligan, 1902) | |
| Eyrean grasswren | Amytornis goyderi (Gould, 1875) | |
| Dusky grasswren | Amytornis purnelli (Mathews, 1914) | |
| Kalkadoon grasswren | Amytornis ballarae Condon, 1969 | |
| Southern emuwren | Stipiturus malachurus (Shaw, 1798) | |
| Rufous-crowned emuwren | Stipiturus ruficeps Campbell, AJ, 1899 | |
| Mallee emuwren | Stipiturus mallee Campbell, AJ, 1908 | |
| Purple-crowned fairywren | Malurus coronatus Gould, 1858 | |
| Red-winged fairywren | Malurus elegans Gould, 1837 | |
| Blue-breasted fairywren | Malurus pulcherrimus Gould, 1844 | |
| Purple-backed fairywren | Malurus assimilis North, 1901 | |
| Variegated fairywren | Malurus lamberti Vigors & Horsfield, 1827 | |
| Lovely fairywren | Malurus amabilis Gould, 1852 | |
| Splendid fairywren | Malurus splendens (Quoy & Gaimard, 1832) | |
| Superb fairywren | Malurus cyaneus (Ellis, 1782) | |
| White-winged fairywren | Malurus leucopterus Quoy & Gaimard, 1824 | |
| Red-backed fairywren | Malurus melanocephalus (Latham, 1801) |
Honeyeaters edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Meliphagidae
76 species recorded [76 extant native]
The honeyeaters are a large and diverse family of small to medium-sized birds most common in Australia and New Guinea. They are nectar feeders and closely resemble other nectar-feeding passerines.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern spinebill | Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris (Latham, 1801) | |
| Western spinebill | Acanthorhynchus superciliosus Gould, 1837 | |
| Pied honeyeater | Certhionyx variegatus Lesson, RP, 1830 | |
| Yellow-spotted honeyeater | Meliphaga notata (Gould, 1867) | |
| Lewin's honeyeater | Meliphaga lewinii (Swainson, 1837) | |
| White-lined honeyeater | Territornis albilineata (White, HL, 1917) | |
| Kimberley honeyeater | Territornis fordiana (Schodde, 1989) | |
| Graceful honeyeater | Microptilotis gracilis (Gould, 1866) | |
| Cryptic honeyeater | Microptilotis imitatrix (Mathews, 1912) | |
| Yellow honeyeater | Stomiopera flava (Gould, 1843) | |
| White-gaped honeyeater | Stomiopera unicolor (Gould, 1843) | |
| White-fronted honeyeater | Purnella albifrons (Gould, 1841) | |
| Yellow-faced honeyeater | Caligavis chrysops (Latham, 1801) | |
| Yellow-tufted honeyeater | Lichenostomus melanops (Latham, 1801) | |
| Purple-gaped honeyeater | Lichenostomus cratitius (Gould, 1841) | |
| Bell miner | Manorina melanophrys (Latham, 1801) | |
| Noisy miner | Manorina melanocephala (Latham, 1801) | |
| Yellow-throated miner | Manorina flavigula (Gould, 1840) | |
| Black-eared miner | Manorina melanotis (Wilson, FE, 1911) | |
| Bridled honeyeater | Bolemoreus frenatus (Ramsay, EP, 1874) | |
| Eungella honeyeater | Bolemoreus hindwoodi (Longmore & Boles, 1983) | |
| Spiny-cheeked honeyeater | Acanthagenys rufogularis Gould, 1838 | |
| Little wattlebird | Anthochaera chrysoptera (Latham, 1801) | |
| Western wattlebird | Anthochaera lunulata Gould, 1838 | |
| Regent honeyeater | Anthochaera phrygia (Shaw, 1794) | |
| Red wattlebird | Anthochaera carunculata (Shaw, 1790) | |
| Yellow wattlebird | Anthochaera paradoxa (Daudin, 1800) | |
| Varied honeyeater | Gavicalis versicolor (Gould, 1843) | |
| Mangrove honeyeater | Gavicalis fasciogularis (Gould, 1854) | |
| Singing honeyeater | Gavicalis virescens (Vieillot, 1817) | |
| Yellow-plumed honeyeater | Ptilotula ornata (Gould, 1838) | |
| White-plumed honeyeater | Ptilotula penicillata (Gould, 1837) | |
| Yellow-tinted honeyeater | Ptilotula flavescens (Gould, 1840) | |
| Fuscous honeyeater | Ptilotula fusca (Gould, 1837) | |
| Grey-headed honeyeater | Ptilotula keartlandi (North, 1895) | |
| Grey-fronted honeyeater | Ptilotula plumula (Gould, 1841) | |
| Brown-backed honeyeater | Ramsayornis modestus (Gray, GR, 1858) | |
| Bar-breasted honeyeater | Ramsayornis fasciatus (Gould, 1843) | |
| Rufous-banded honeyeater | Conopophila albogularis (Gould, 1843) | |
| Rufous-throated honeyeater | Conopophila rufogularis (Gould, 1843) | |
| Grey honeyeater | Conopophila whitei (North, 1910) | |
| Gibberbird | Ashbyia lovensis (Ashby, 1911) | |
| Yellow chat | Epthianura crocea Castelnau & Ramsay, EP, 1877 | |
| Crimson chat | Epthianura tricolor Gould, 1841 | |
| Orange chat | Epthianura aurifrons Gould, 1838 | |
| White-fronted chat | Epthianura albifrons (Jardine & Selby, 1828) | |
| Black honeyeater | Sugomel nigrum (Gould, 1838) | |
| Dusky honeyeater | Myzomela obscura Gould, 1843 | |
| Red-headed honeyeater | Myzomela erythrocephala Gould, 1840 | |
| Scarlet honeyeater | Myzomela sanguinolenta (Latham, 1801) | |
| Tawny-crowned honeyeater | Gliciphila melanops (Latham, 1801) | |
| Green-backed honeyeater | Glycichaera fallax Salvadori, 1878 | |
| Banded honeyeater | Cissomela pectoralis (Gould, 1841) | |
| Brown honeyeater | Lichmera indistincta (Vigors & Horsfield, 1827) | |
| Crescent honeyeater | Phylidonyris pyrrhoptera | |
| New Holland honeyeater | Phylidonyris novaehollandiae (Latham, 1790) | |
| White-cheeked honeyeater | Phylidonyris niger (Bechstein, 1811) | |
| White-streaked honeyeater | Trichodere cockerelli (Gould, 1869) | |
| White-eared honeyeater | Nesoptilotis leucotis (Latham, 1801) | |
| Yellow-throated honeyeater | Nesoptilotis flavicollis (Vieillot, 1817) | |
| Blue-faced honeyeater | Entomyzon cyanotis (Latham, 1801) | |
| White-throated honeyeater | Melithreptus albogularis Gould, 1848 | |
| Gilbert's honeyeater | Melithreptus chloropsis Gould, 1848 | |
| White-naped honeyeater | Melithreptus lunatus (Vieillot, 1802) | |
| Black-headed honeyeater | Melithreptus affinis (Lesson, RP, 1839) | |
| Brown-headed honeyeater | Melithreptus brevirostris (Vigors & Horsfield, 1827) | |
| Black-chinned honeyeater | Melithreptus gularis (Gould, 1837) | |
| Strong-billed honeyeater | Melithreptus validirostris (Gould, 1837) | |
| Tawny-breasted honeyeater | Xanthotis flaviventer (Lesson, RP, 1828) | |
| Macleay's honeyeater | Xanthotis macleayana | |
| Striped honeyeater | Plectorhyncha lanceolata Gould, 1838 | |
| Painted honeyeater | Grantiella picta (Gould, 1838) | |
| Little friarbird | Philemon citreogularis (Gould, 1837) | |
| Helmeted friarbird | Philemon buceroides (Swainson, 1838) | |
| Silver-crowned friarbird | Philemon argenticeps (Gould, 1840) | |
| Noisy friarbird | Philemon corniculatus (Latham, 1790) |
Bristlebirds edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Dasyornithidae
3 species recorded [3 extant native]
Bristlebirds are long-tailed, sedentary, ground-frequenting birds. The common name of the family is derived from the presence of prominent rictal bristles - three stiff, hair-like feathers curving downwards on either side of the gape.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Western bristlebird | Dasyornis longirostris Gould, 1841 | |
| Eastern bristlebird | Dasyornis brachypterus (Latham, 1801) | |
| Rufous bristlebird | Dasyornis broadbenti (McCoy, 1867) |
Pardalotes edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Pardalotidae
4 species recorded [4 extant native]
Pardalotes spend most of their time high in the outer foliage of trees, feeding on insects, spiders, and above all lerps (a type of sap-sucking insect).
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Spotted pardalote | Pardalotus punctatus (Shaw, 1792) | |
| Forty-spotted pardalote | Pardalotus quadragintus Gould, 1838 | |
| Red-browed pardalote | Pardalotus rubricatus Gould, 1838 | |
| Striated pardalote | Pardalotus striatus (Gmelin, JF, 1789) |
Thornbills and allies edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Acanthizidae
45 species recorded [44 extant native, 1 extinct native]
Thornbills are small passerine birds, similar in habits to the tits.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pilotbird | Pycnoptilus floccosus Gould, 1851 | |
| Rockwarbler | Origma solitaria (Lewin, 1808) | |
| Fernwren | Oreoscopus gutturalis (De Vis, 1889) | |
| Yellow-throated scrubwren | Neosericornis citreogularis (Gould, 1838) | |
| White-browed scrubwren | Sericornis frontalis (Vigors & Horsfield, 1827) | |
| Spotted scrubwren | Sericornis maculatus Gould, 1847 | |
| Tasmanian scrubwren | Sericornis humilis Gould, 1838 | |
| Atherton scrubwren | Sericornis keri Mathews, 1920 | |
| Tropical scrubwren | Sericornis beccarii Salvadori, 1874 | |
| Large-billed scrubwren | Sericornis magnirostra (Gould, 1838) | |
| Scrubtit | Acanthornis magna (Gould, 1855) | |
| Redthroat | Pyrrholaemus brunneus Gould, 1841 | |
| Speckled warbler | Pyrrholaemus sagittatus (Latham, 1801) | |
| Rufous fieldwren | Calamanthus campestris (Gould, 1841) | |
| Western fieldwren | Calamanthus montanellus Milligan, 1903 | |
| Striated fieldwren | Calamanthus fuliginosus (Vigors & Horsfield, 1827) | |
| Chestnut-rumped heathwren | Hylacola pyrrhopygia (Vigors & Horsfield, 1827) | |
| Shy heathwren | Hylacola cauta Gould, 1843 | |
| Buff-rumped thornbill | Acanthiza reguloides Vigors & Horsfield, 1827 | |
| Western thornbill | Acanthiza inornata Gould, 1841 | |
| Slender-billed thornbill | Acanthiza iredalei Mathews, 1911 | |
| Mountain thornbill | Acanthiza katherina De Vis, 1905 | |
| Brown thornbill | Acanthiza pusilla (Shaw, 1790) | |
| Tasmanian thornbill | Acanthiza ewingii Gould, 1844 | |
| Inland thornbill | Acanthiza apicalis Gould, 1847 | |
| Yellow-rumped thornbill | Acanthiza chrysorrhoa (Quoy & Gaimard, 1832) | |
| Chestnut-rumped thornbill | Acanthiza uropygialis Gould, 1838 | |
| Slaty-backed thornbill | Acanthiza robustirostris Milligan, 1903 | |
| Yellow thornbill | Acanthiza nana Vigors & Horsfield, 1827 | |
| Striated thornbill | Acanthiza lineata Gould, 1838 | |
| Weebill | Smicrornis brevirostris (Gould, 1838) | |
| Green-backed gerygone | Gerygone chloronota Gould, 1843 | |
| Fairy gerygone | Gerygone palpebrosa Wallace, 1865 | |
| White-throated gerygone | Gerygone olivacea (Gould, 1838) | |
| Yellow-bellied gerygone | Gerygone chrysogaster Gray, GR, 1858 | |
| Large-billed gerygone | Gerygone magnirostris Gould, 1843 | |
| Dusky gerygone | Gerygone tenebrosa (Hall, R, 1901) | |
| Brown gerygone | Gerygone mouki Mathews, 1912 | |
| Western gerygone | Gerygone fusca (Gould, 1838) | |
| Mangrove gerygone | Gerygone levigaster Gould, 1843 | |
| Norfolk Island gerygone | Gerygone modesta Pelzeln, 1860 | Norfolk Island |
| Lord Howe gerygone | Gerygone insularis Ramsay, EP, 1878 | extinct, Lord Howe Island |
| Southern whiteface | Aphelocephala leucopsis (Gould, 1841) | |
| Chestnut-breasted whiteface | Aphelocephala pectoralis (Gould, 1871) | |
| Banded whiteface | Aphelocephala nigricincta (North, 1895) |
Pseudo-babblers edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Pomatostomidae
4 species recorded [4 extant native]
The pseudo-babblers are small to medium-sized birds endemic to Australia and New Guinea. They are ground-feeding omnivores and highly social
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Grey-crowned babbler | Pomatostomus temporalis (Vigors & Horsfield, 1827) | |
| White-browed babbler | Pomatostomus superciliosus (Vigors & Horsfield, 1827) | |
| Hall's babbler | Pomatostomus halli Cowles, 1964 | |
| Chestnut-crowned babbler | Pomatostomus ruficeps (Hartlaub, 1852) |
Logrunners edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Orthonychidae
2 species recorded [2 extant native]
The Orthonychidae is a family of birds with a single genus, Orthonyx, which comprises two types of passerine birds endemic to Australia and New Guinea, the logrunners and the chowchilla. Both use stiffened tails to brace themselves when feeding.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Australian logrunner | Orthonyx temminckii Ranzani, 1822 | |
| Chowchilla | Orthonyx spaldingii Ramsay, EP, 1868 |
Quail-thrushes and jewel-babblers edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Cinclosomatidae
7 species recorded [7 extant native]
The Cinclosomatidae is a family containing jewel-babblers and quail-thrushes.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Spotted quail-thrush | Cinclosoma punctatum (Shaw, 1795) | |
| Chestnut quail-thrush | Cinclosoma castanotum Gould, 1840 | |
| Copperback quail-thrush | Cinclosoma clarum Morgan, 1926 | |
| Chestnut-breasted quail-thrush | Cinclosoma castaneothorax Gould, 1849 | |
| Western quail-thrush | Cinclosoma marginatum Sharpe, 1883 | |
| Cinnamon quail-thrush | Cinclosoma cinnamomeum Gould, 1846 | |
| Nullarbor quail-thrush | Cinclosoma alisteri Mathews, 1910 |
Cuckooshrikes edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Campephagidae
8 species recorded [7 extant native, 1 extirpated native]
The cuckooshrikes are small to medium-sized passerine birds. They are predominantly greyish with white and black, although some species are brightly coloured.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ground cuckooshrike | Coracina maxima (Rüppell, 1839) | |
| Barred cuckooshrike | Coracina lineata (Swainson, 1825) | |
| Black-faced cuckooshrike | Coracina novaehollandiae (Gmelin, JF, 1789) | |
| White-bellied cuckooshrike | Coracina papuensis (Gmelin, JF, 1788) | |
| Long-tailed triller | Lalage leucopyga (Gould, 1838) | extirpated, Norfolk Island |
| White-winged triller | Lalage tricolor (Swainson, 1825) | |
| Varied triller | Lalage leucomela (Vigors & Horsfield, 1827) | |
| Common cicadabird | Edolisoma tenuirostre (Jardine, 1831) |
Sittellas edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Neosittidae
2 species recorded [2 extant native]
The sittellas are a family of small passerine birds found only in Australasia. They resemble treecreepers, but have soft tails.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Papuan sittella | Daphoenositta papuensis (Schlegel, 1871) | |
| Varied sittella | Daphoenositta chrysoptera (Latham, 1801) |
Whipbirds and wedgebills edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Psophodidae
5 species recorded [5 extant native]
The Psophodidae is a family containing whipbirds and wedgebills.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern whipbird | Psophodes olivaceus (Latham, 1801) | |
| Black-throated whipbird | Psophodes nigrogularis Gould, 1844 | |
| White-bellied whipbird | Psophodes leucogaster Howe & Ross, JA, 1933 | |
| Chiming wedgebill | Psophodes occidentalis (Mathews, 1912) | |
| Chirruping wedgebill | Psophodes cristatus (Gould, 1838) |
Australo-Papuan bellbirds edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Oreoicidae
1 species recorded [1 extant native]
The three species contained in the family have been moved around between different families for fifty years. A series of studies of the DNA of Australian birds between 2006 and 2001 found strong support for treating the three genera as a new family, which was formally named in 2016.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Crested bellbird | Oreoica gutturalis (Vigors & Horsfield, 1827) |
Shrike-tits edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Falcunculidae
3 species recorded [3 extant native]
The shrike-tits have a parrot-like bill, used for distinctive bark-stripping behaviour, which gains it access to invertebrates.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern shrike-tit | Falcunculus frontatus (Latham, 1801) | |
| Western shrike-tit | Falcunculus leucogaster Gould, 1838 | |
| Northern shrike-tit | Falcunculus whitei Campbell, AJ, 1910 |
Whistlers and allies edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Pachycephalidae
14 species recorded [14 extant native]
The family Pachycephalidae includes the whistlers, shrikethrushes, and some of the pitohuis.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sandstone shrikethrush | Colluricincla woodwardi Hartert, EJO, 1905 | |
| Bower's shrikethrush | Colluricincla boweri Ramsay, EP, 1885 | |
| Grey shrikethrush | Colluricincla harmonica (Latham, 1801) | |
| Arafura shrikethrush | Colluricincla megarhyncha (Quoy & Gaimard, 1832) | |
| Rufous shrikethrush | Colluricincla rufogaster Gould, 1845 | |
| Olive whistler | Pachycephala olivacea Vigors & Horsfield, 1827 | |
| Red-lored whistler | Pachycephala rufogularis Gould, 1841 | |
| Gilbert's whistler | Pachycephala inornata Gould, 1841 | |
| Golden whistler | Pachycephala pectoralis (Latham, 1801) | |
| Western whistler | Pachycephala fuliginosa Vigors & Horsfield, 1827 | |
| Black-tailed whistler | Pachycephala melanura Gould, 1843 | |
| Grey whistler | Pachycephala simplex Gould, 1843 | |
| Rufous whistler | Pachycephala rufiventris (Latham, 1801) | |
| White-breasted whistler | Pachycephala lanioides Gould, 1840 |
Old World orioles edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Oriolidae
3 species recorded [3 extant native]
The Old World orioles are colourful passerine birds. They are not related to the New World orioles.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Olive-backed oriole | Oriolus sagittatus (Latham, 1801) | |
| Green oriole | Oriolus flavocinctus (King, PP, 1826) | |
| Australasian figbird | Sphecotheres vieilloti Vigors & Horsfield, 1827 |
Boatbills edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Machaerirhynchidae
1 species recorded [1 extant native]
The boatbills have affinities to woodswallows and butcherbirds, and are distributed across New Guinea and northern Queensland.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow-breasted boatbill | Machaerirhynchus flaviventer Gould, 1851 |
Woodswallows, bellmagpies, and allies edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Artamidae
15 species recorded [15 extant native]
The woodswallows are soft-plumaged, somber-coloured passerine birds. They are smooth, agile flyers with moderately large, semi-triangular wings. The cracticids: currawongs, bellmagpies and butcherbirds, are similar to the other corvids. They have large, straight bills and mostly black, white or grey plumage. All are omnivorous to some degree.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| White-breasted woodswallow | Artamus leucorynchus (Linnaeus, 1771) | |
| Masked woodswallow | Artamus personatus (Gould, 1841) | |
| White-browed woodswallow | Artamus superciliosus (Gould, 1837) | |
| Black-faced woodswallow | Artamus cinereus Vieillot, 1817 | |
| Dusky woodswallow | Artamus cyanopterus (Latham, 1801) | |
| Little woodswallow | Artamus minor Vieillot, 1817 | |
| Black-backed butcherbird | Cracticus mentalis Salvadori & D'Albertis, 1875 | |
| Grey butcherbird | Cracticus torquatus (Latham, 1801) | |
| Silver-backed butcherbird | Cracticus argenteus Gould, 1841 | |
| Pied butcherbird | Cracticus nigrogularis (Gould, 1837) | |
| Black butcherbird | Melloria quoyi (Lesson, RP & Garnot, 1827) | |
| Australian magpie | Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1801) | |
| Pied currawong | Strepera graculina (Shaw, 1790) | |
| Black currawong | Strepera fuliginosa (Gould, 1837) | |
| Grey currawong | Strepera versicolor (Latham, 1801) |
Fantails edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Rhipiduridae
7 species recorded [6 extant native, 1 extirpated]
The fantails are small insectivorous birds which are specialist aerial feeders.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Northern fantail | Rhipidura rufiventris (Vieillot, 1818) | |
| Willie-wagtail | Rhipidura leucophrys (Latham, 1801) | |
| Rufous fantail | Rhipidura rufifrons (Latham, 1801) | |
| Arafura fantail | Rhipidura dryas Gould, 1843 | |
| Grey fantail | Rhipidura albiscapa Gould, 1840 | includes the Norfolk fantail R. a. pelzeni, which may be a subspecies of R. fuliginosa |
| Mangrove fantail | Rhipidura phasiana De Vis, 1885 | |
| New Zealand fantail | Rhipidura fuliginosa (Sparrman, 1787) | extirpated, Lord Howe Island; surviving Norfolk birds may be this species |
Drongos edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Dicruridae
2 species recorded [1 extant native, 1 vagrant]
The drongos are mostly black or dark grey in colour, sometimes with metallic tints. They have long forked tails, and some Asian species have elaborate tail decorations. They have short legs and sit very upright when perched, like a shrike. They flycatch or take prey from the ground.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Crow-billed drongo | Dicrurus annectens (Hodgson, 1836) | vagrant |
| Spangled drongo | Dicrurus bracteatus Gould, 1843 |
Birds-of-paradise edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Paradisaeidae
4 species recorded [4 extant native]
The birds-of-paradise are best known for the striking plumage possessed by the males of most species, in particular highly elongated and elaborate feathers extending from the tail, wings or head. These plumes are used in courtship displays to attract females.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Trumpet manucode | Phonygammus keraudrenii (Lesson, RP & Garnot, 1826) | |
| Paradise riflebird | Ptiloris paradiseus Swainson, 1825 | |
| Victoria's riflebird | Ptiloris victoriae Gould, 1850 | |
| Magnificent riflebird | Ptiloris magnificus (Vieillot, 1819) |
Monarch flycatchers edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Monarchidae
15 species recorded [13 extant native, 2 vagrant]
The monarch flycatchers are small to medium-sized insectivorous passerines which hunt by flycatching.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| White-eared monarch | Carterornis leucotis (Gould, 1850) | |
| Island monarch | Monarcha cinerascens (Temminck, 1827) | vagrant |
| Black-faced monarch | Monarcha melanopsis (Vieillot, 1818) | |
| Black-winged monarch | Monarcha frater Sclater, PL, 1874 | |
| Spectacled monarch | Symposiachrus trivirgatus (Temminck, 1826) | |
| Frilled monarch | Arses telescophthalmus | vagrant, Torres Strait |
| Frill-necked monarch | Arses lorealis De Vis, 1895 | |
| Pied monarch | Arses kaupi Gould, 1851 | |
| Magpie-lark | Grallina cyanoleuca (Latham, 1801) | |
| Leaden flycatcher | Myiagra rubecula (Latham, 1801) | |
| Broad-billed flycatcher | Myiagra ruficollis (Vieillot, 1818) | |
| Satin flycatcher | Myiagra cyanoleuca (Vieillot, 1818) | |
| Restless flycatcher | Myiagra inquieta (Latham, 1801) | |
| Paperbark flycatcher | Myiagra nana (Gould, 1870) | |
| Shining flycatcher | Myiagra alecto (Temminck, 1827) |
White-winged chough and apostlebird edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Corcoracidae
2 species recorded [2 extant native]
They are found in open habitat in eastern Australia, mostly open eucalypt woodlands and some forest that lacks a closed canopy. They are highly social, spend much of their time foraging through leaf litter with a very distinctive gait, calling to one another almost constantly
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| White-winged chough | Corcorax melanorhamphos (Vieillot, 1817) | |
| Apostlebird | Struthidea cinerea Gould, 1837 |
Shrikes edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Laniidae
2 species recorded [2 vagrant]
Shrikes are passerine birds known for their habit of catching other birds and small animals and impaling the uneaten portions of their bodies on thorns. A typical shrike's beak is hooked, like a bird of prey.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tiger shrike | Lanius tigrinus Drapiez, 1828 | vagrant |
| Brown shrike | Lanius cristatus Linnaeus, 1758 | vagrant, Christmas Island & Ashmore Reef |
Crows, jays, and magpies edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Corvidae
6 species recorded [5 extant native, 1 vagrant]
The family Corvidae includes crows, ravens, jays, choughs, magpies, treepies, nutcrackers and ground jays. Corvids are above average in size among the Passeriformes, and some of the larger species show high levels of intelligence.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| House crow | Corvus splendens Vieillot, 1817 | vagrant, introduced and now extirpated[6] |
| Torresian crow | Corvus orru Bonaparte, 1850 | |
| Little crow | Corvus bennetti North, 1901 | |
| Australian raven | Corvus coronoides Vigors & Horsfield, 1827 | |
| Little raven | Corvus mellori Mathews, 1912 | |
| Forest raven | Corvus tasmanicus Mathews, 1912 |
Australasian robins edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Petroicidae
23 species recorded [23 extant native]
Most species of Petroicidae have a stocky build with a large rounded head, a short straight bill and rounded wingtips. They occupy a wide range of wooded habitats, from subalpine to tropical rainforest, and mangrove swamp to semi-arid scrubland. All are primarily insectivores, although a few supplement their diet with seeds.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jacky-winter | Microeca fascinans (Latham, 1801) | |
| Lemon-bellied flycatcher | Microeca flavigaster Gould, 1843 | |
| Yellow-legged flycatcher | Microeca griseoceps | |
| Scarlet robin | Petroica boodang (Lesson, RP, 1837) | |
| Flame robin | Petroica phoenicea Gould, 1837 | |
| Rose robin | Petroica rosea Gould, 1840 | |
| Pink robin | Petroica rodinogaster (Drapiez, 1819) | |
| Norfolk robin | Petroica multicolor (Gmelin, JF, 1789) | Norfolk Island |
| Red-capped robin | Petroica goodenovii (Vigors & Horsfield, 1827) | |
| Hooded robin | Melanodryas cucullata (Latham, 1801) | |
| Dusky robin | Melanodryas vittata (Quoy & Gaimard, 1832) | |
| White-faced robin | Tregellasia leucops (Salvadori, 1876) | |
| Pale-yellow robin | Tregellasia capito (Gould, 1854) | |
| Eastern yellow robin | Eopsaltria australis (Shaw, 1790) | |
| Western yellow robin | Eopsaltria griseogularis Gould, 1838 | |
| White-breasted robin | Eopsaltria georgiana | |
| Mangrove robin | Peneonanthe pulverulenta | |
| White-browed robin | Poecilodryas superciliosa (Gould, 1847) | |
| Buff-sided robin | Poecilodryas cerviniventris (Gould, 1858) | |
| Ashy robin | Heteromyias albispecularis (Salvadori, 1876) | |
| Grey-headed robin | Heteromyias cinereifrons (Ramsay, EP, 1876) | |
| Northern scrub-robin | Drymodes superciliaris Gould, 1850 | |
| Southern scrub-robin | Drymodes brunneopygia Gould, 1841 |
Larks edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Alaudidae
2 species recorded [1 extant native, 1 introduced]
Larks are small terrestrial birds with often extravagant songs and display flights. Most larks are fairly dull in appearance. Their food is insects and seeds.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Horsfield's bushlark | Mirafra javanica Horsfield, 1821 | |
| Eurasian skylark | Alauda arvensis Linnaeus, 1758 | introduced |
Cisticolas and allies edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Cisticolidae
2 species recorded [2 extant native]
The Cisticolidae are warblers found mainly in warmer southern regions of the Old World. They are generally very small birds of drab brown or grey appearance found in open country such as grassland or scrub.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Zitting cisticola | Cisticola juncidis (Rafinesque, 1810) | |
| Golden-headed cisticola | Cisticola exilis (Vigors & Horsfield, 1827) |
Reed warblers and allies edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Acrocephalidae
2 species recorded [1 extant native, 1 vagrant]
The members of this family are usually rather large for "warblers". Most are rather plain olivaceous brown above with much yellow to beige below. They are usually found in open woodland, reedbeds, or tall grass. The family occurs mostly in southern to western Eurasia and surroundings, but it also ranges far into the Pacific, with some species in Africa.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Oriental reed warbler | Acrocephalus orientalis (Temminck & Schlegel, 1847) | vagrant |
| Australian reed warbler | Acrocephalus australis (Gould, 1838) |
Grassbirds and allies edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Locustellidae
8 species recorded [5 extant native, 3 vagrant]
Locustellidae are a family of small insectivorous songbirds found mainly in Eurasia, Africa, and the Australian region. They are smallish birds with tails that are usually long and pointed, and tend to be drab brownish or buffy all over.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Spinifexbird | Poodytes carteri (North, 1900) | |
| Little grassbird | Poodytes gramineus (Gould, 1845) | |
| Brown songlark | Cincloramphus cruralis (Vigors & Horsfield, 1827) | |
| Rufous songlark | Cincloramphus mathewsi Iredale, 1911 | |
| Tawny grassbird | Cincloramphus timoriensis (Wallace, 1864) | |
| Gray's grasshopper warbler | Helopsaltes fasciolatus (Gray, GR, 1861) | vagrant, Ashmore Reef & possibly mainland |
| Pallas's grasshopper warbler | Helopsaltes certhiola (Pallas, 1811) | vagrant, Christmas Island & Ashmore Reef |
| Middendorff's grasshopper warbler | Helopsaltes ochotensis (Middendorff, 1853) | vagrant |
Swallows edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Hirundinidae
7 species recorded [6 extant native, 1 vagrant]
The family Hirundinidae is adapted to aerial feeding. They have a slender streamlined body, long pointed wings, and a short bill with a wide gape. The feet are adapted to perching rather than walking, and the front toes are partially joined at the base.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Barn swallow | Hirundo rustica Linnaeus, 1758 | |
| Welcome swallow | Hirundo neoxena Gould, 1842 | |
| Red-rumped swallow | Cecropis daurica (Laxmann, 1769) | |
| Fairy martin | Petrochelidon ariel (Gould, 1842) | |
| Tree martin | Petrochelidon nigricans (Vieillot, 1817) | |
| Asian house-martin | Delichon dasypus (Bonaparte, 1850) | vagrant, Christmas & Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| White-backed swallow | Cheramoeca leucosternus |
Bulbuls edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Pycnonotidae
2 species recorded [1 introduced, 1 extirpated]
Bulbuls are medium-sized songbirds. Some are colourful with yellow, red or orange vents, cheeks, throats or supercilia, but most are drab, with uniform olive-brown to black plumage. Some species have distinct crests.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Red-vented bulbul | Pycnonotus jocosus (Linnaeus, 1758) | extirpated |
| Red-whiskered bulbul | Pycnonotus jocosus (Linnaeus, 1758) | introduced |
Leaf warblers edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Phylloscopidae
6 species recorded [6 vagrant]
Leaf warblers are a family of small insectivorous birds found mostly in Eurasia and ranging into Wallacea and Africa. The species are of various sizes, often green-plumaged above and yellow below, or more subdued with greyish-green to greyish-brown colours.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow-browed warbler | Phylloscopus inornatus (Blyth, 1842) | vagrant, Ashmore Reef |
| Dusky warbler | Phylloscopus fuscatus (Blyth, 1842) | vagrant, Christmas Island |
| Willow warbler | Phylloscopus trochilus (Linnaeus, 1758) | vagrant, Ashmore Reef |
| Eastern crowned warbler | Phylloscopus coronatus (Temminck & Schlegel, 1845) | vagrant, Ashmore Reef |
| Arctic warbler | Phylloscopus borealis (Blasius, JH, 1858) | vagrant |
| Kamchatka leaf warbler | Phylloscopus examinandus Stresemann, 1913 | vagrant, Ashmore Reef |
Bush warblers and allies edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Scotocercidae
1 species recorded [1 vagrant]
The members of this family are found throughout Africa, Asia, and Polynesia. Their taxonomy is in flux, and some authorities place some genera in other families.[7]
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Asian stubtail | Urosphena squameiceps (Swinhoe, 1863) | vagrant, Ashmore Reef |
White-eyes, yuhinas, and allies edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Zosteropidae
8 species recorded [6 extant native, 1 possibly extinct native, 1 extinct native]
The white-eyes are small birds of rather drab appearance, the plumage above being typically greenish-olive, but some species have a white or bright yellow throat, breast, or lower parts, and several have buff flanks. As the name suggests, many species have a white ring around each eye.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Christmas Island white-eye | Zosterops natalis Lister, 1889 | Christmas Island |
| Lemon-bellied white-eye | Zosterops chloris Bonaparte, 1850 | |
| Ashy-bellied white-eye | Zosterops citrinella Bonaparte, 1850 | |
| Australian yellow white-eye | Zosterops luteus Gould, 1843 | |
| Slender-billed white-eye | Zosterops tenuirostris Gould, 1837 | Norfolk Island |
| Robust white-eye | Zosterops strenuus Gould, 1855 | extinct, Lord Howe Island |
| White-chested white-eye | Zosterops albogularis Gould, 1837 | possibly extinct, Norfolk Island |
| Silvereye | Zosterops lateralis (Latham, 1801) |
Starlings edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Sturnidae
8 species recorded [2 extant native, 2 introduced, 3 vagrant, 1 extinct native]
Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds. Their flight is strong and direct and they are very gregarious. Their preferred habitat is fairly open country. They eat insects and fruit. Plumage is typically dark with a metallic sheen.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Metallic starling | Aplonis metallica (Temminck, 1824) | |
| Singing starling | Aplonis cantoroides (Gray, GR, 1862) | Torres Strait |
| Norfolk starling | Aplonis fusca Gould, 1836 | extinct, Lord Howe & Norfolk Island |
| European starling | Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758 | introduced |
| Rosy starling | Pastor roseus (Linnaeus, 1758) | vagrant |
| Daurian starling | Agropsar sturninus (Pallas, 1776) | vagrant, Christmas & Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| Chestnut-cheeked starling | Agropsar philippensis (Pennant, 1781) | vagrant, Ashmore Reef |
| Common myna | Acridotheres tristis (Linnaeus, 1766) | introduced |
Thrushes and allies edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Turdidae
7 species recorded [3 extant native, 2 introduced, 2 vagrant]
The thrushes are a group of passerine birds that occur mainly in the Old World. They are plump, soft plumaged, small to medium-sized insectivores or sometimes omnivores, often feeding on the ground. Many have attractive songs.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bassian thrush | Zoothera lunulata (Latham, 1801) | |
| Russet-tailed thrush | Zoothera heinei (Cabanis, 1851) | |
| Siberian thrush | Geokichla sibirica (Pallas, 1776) | vagrant, Ashmore Reef |
| Song thrush | Turdus philomelos Brehm, CL, 1831 | introduced |
| Eurasian blackbird | Turdus merula Linnaeus, 1758 | introduced |
| Eye-browed thrush | Turdus obscurus Gmelin, JF, 1789 | vagrant |
| Island thrush | Turdus poliocephalus Latham, 1801 | Christmas Island |
Old World flycatchers edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Muscicapidae
9 species recorded [9 vagrant]
Old World flycatchers are a large group of small arboreal insectivores. The appearance of these birds is highly varied, but they mostly have weak songs and harsh calls.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Grey-streaked flycatcher | Muscicapa griseisticta (Swinhoe, 1861) | vagrant, Ashmore Reef & Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| Dark-sided flycatcher | Muscicapa sibirica Gmelin, JF, 1789 | vagrant |
| Asian brown flycatcher | Muscicapa dauurica Pallas, 1811 | vagrant, Ashmore Reef, Browse & Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| Blue-and-white flycatcher | Cyanoptila cyanomelana (Temminck, 1829) | vagrant |
| Siberian blue robin | Larvivora cyane (Pallas, 1776) | vagrant, Ashmore Reef |
| Siberian rubythroat | Calliope calliope (Pallas, 1776) | vagrant |
| Narcissus flycatcher | Ficedula narcissina (Temminck, 1836) | vagrant, Ashmore Reef, Barrow Island, WA & Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| Mugimaki flycatcher | Ficedula mugimaki (Temminck, 1836) | vagrant, Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| Blue rock-thrush | Monticola solitarius (Linnaeus, 1758) | vagrant |
| Amur stonechat | Saxicola stejnegeri (Parrot, 1908) | vagrant |
| Isabelline wheatear | Oenanthe isabellina (Temminck, 1829) | vagrant |
Flowerpeckers edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Dicaeidae
2 species recorded [2 extant native]
The flowerpeckers are very small, stout, often brightly coloured birds, with short tails, short thick curved bills, and tubular tongues.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Red-capped flowerpecker | Dicaeum geelvinkianum Meyer, AB, 1874 | Torres Strait |
| Mistletoebird | Dicaeum hirundinaceum (Shaw, 1792) |
Sunbirds and spiderhunters edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Nectariniidae
1 species recorded [1 extant native]
The sunbirds and spiderhunters are very small passerine birds which feed largely on nectar, although they will also take insects, especially when feeding young. Their flight is fast and direct on short wings. Most species can take nectar by hovering like a hummingbird, but usually perch to feed.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Olive-backed sunbird | Nectarinia jugularis |
Waxbills and allies edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Estrildidae
22 species recorded [18 extant native, 3 introduced, 1 vagrant]
The estrildid finches are small passerine birds of the Old World tropics and Australasia. They are gregarious and often colonial seed eaters with short thick but pointed bills. They are all similar in structure and habits, but have wide variation in plumage colours and patterns.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Painted firetail | Emblema pictum Gould, 1842 | |
| Beautiful firetail | Stagonopleura bella (Latham, 1801) | |
| Red-eared firetail | Stagonopleura oculata (Quoy & Gaimard, 1832) | |
| Diamond firetail | Stagonopleura guttata (Shaw, 1796) | |
| Red-browed finch | Neochmia temporalis (Latham, 1801) | |
| Crimson finch | Neochmia phaeton (Hombron & Jacquinot, 1841) | |
| Star finch | Bathilda ruficauda (Gould, 1837) | |
| Plum-headed finch | Aidemosyne modesta (Gould, 1837) | |
| Zebra finch | Taeniopygia guttata (Vieillot, 1817) | |
| Double-barred finch | Stizoptera bichenovii (Vigors & Horsfield, 1827) | |
| Masked finch | Poephila personata Gould, 1842 | |
| Long-tailed finch | Poephila acuticauda (Gould, 1840) | |
| Black-throated finch | Poephila cincta (Gould, 1837) | |
| Blue-faced parrotfinch | Erythrura trichroa (Kittlitz, 1833) | |
| Gouldian finch | Chloebia gouldiae (Gould, 1844) | |
| Scaly-breasted munia | Lonchura punctulata (Linnaeus, 1758) | introduced, mainland; vagrant, Ashmore Reef |
| Chestnut munia | Lonchura atricapilla (Vieillot, 1807) | introduced |
| Pale-headed munia | Lonchura pallida (Wallace, 1864) | vagrant, Ashmore Reef |
| Yellow-rumped munia | Lonchura flaviprymna (Gould, 1845) | |
| Chestnut-breasted munia | Lonchura castaneothorax (Gould, 1837) | |
| Java sparrow | Padda oryzivora (Linnaeus, 1758) | introduced, Christmas Island |
| Pictorella munia | Heteromunia pectoralis (Gould, 1841) |
Old World sparrows edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Passeridae
2 species recorded [2 introduced]
Old World sparrows are small passerine birds, typically small, plump, brown or grey with short tails and short powerful beaks. They are seed-eaters, but also consume small insects.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| House sparrow | Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) | introduced |
| Eurasian tree sparrow | Passer montanus (Linnaeus, 1758) | introduced |
Wagtails and pipits edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Motacillidae
10 species recorded [4 extant native, 6 vagrant]
Motacillidae is a family of small passerine birds with medium to long tails and comprises the wagtails, longclaws, and pipits. These are slender ground-feeding insectivores of open country.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Forest wagtail | Dendronanthus indicus (Gmelin, JF, 1789) | vagrant |
| Grey wagtail | Motacilla cinerea Tunstall, 1771 | vagrant |
| Western yellow wagtail | Motacilla flava Linnaeus, 1758 | |
| Eastern yellow wagtail | Motacilla tschutschensis Gmelin, JF, 1789 | |
| Citrine wagtail | Motacilla citreola Pallas, 1776 | vagrant |
| White wagtail | Motacilla alba Linnaeus, 1758 | vagrant |
| Australian pipit | Anthus australis Vieillot, 1818 | |
| Tree pipit | Anthus trivialis (Linnaeus, 1758) | vagrant |
| New Zealand pipit | Anthus novaeseelandiae (Gmelin, JF, 1789) | vagrant |
| Pechora pipit | Anthus gustavi Swinhoe, 1863 | vagrant, Ashmore Reef & Browse Island |
| Red-throated pipit | Anthus cervinus (Pallas, 1811) | vagrant |
Finches, euphonias, and allies edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Fringillidae
5 species recorded [4 introduced, 1 introduced vagrant]
Finches are small to moderately large seed-eating passerine birds with a strong beak, usually conical and in some species very large. All have 12 tail feathers and nine primary flight feathers. Finches have a bouncing flight, alternating bouts of flapping with gliding on closed wings, and most sing well.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Common chaffinch | Fringilla coelebs Linnaeus, 1758 | vagrant from introduced NZ population, Macquarie, Lord Howe & Norfolk Island |
| European greenfinch | Chloris chloris (Linnaeus, 1758) | introduced |
| Common redpoll | Acanthis flammea (Linnaeus, 1758) | introduced, Macquarie Island & vagrant, Lord Howe Island; in both cases, from introduced NZ population |
| Lesser redpoll | Acanthis cabaret (Müller, PLS, 1776) | introduced |
| European goldfinch | Carduelis carduelis (Linnaeus, 1758) | introduced |
Old World buntings edit
Order: Passeriformes Family: Emberizidae
2 species recorded [1 introduced vagrant, 1 vagrant]
The emberizids are a large family of seed-eating birds with distinctively shaped bills. Many emberizid species have distinctive head patterns.
| Common name | Binomial | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Yellowhammer | Emberiza citrinella Linnaeus, 1758 | vagrant from introduced NZ population, Lord Howe Island & possibly Macquarie Island |
| Yellow-breasted bunting | Emberiza aureola Pallas, 1773 | vagrant |
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Christidis, Leslie; Boles, Walter (2008). Systematics and Taxonomy of Australian Birds. Melbourne: CSIRO. ISBN 978-0-643-09602-8.
- ^ Christidis, Leslie; Boles, Walter (1994). The Taxonomy and Species of Birds of Australia and its Territories. Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union. ISBN 978-1-875122-06-6.
- ^ "Birds Australia Checklist". Birds Australia. Archived from the original on 7 January 2010. Retrieved 4 January 2010.
- ^ Lepage, Denis. "Checklist of Birds of Australia". Bird Checklists of the World. Avibase. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
- ^ "Birds of Western Australia, the complete checklist". WICE (World Institute for Conservation and Environment). Retrieved 13 October 2019.
- ^ BirdLife International (2018). "Corvus splendens". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T22705938A131944731. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22705938A131944731.en. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
- ^ Gill, F. and D. Donsker (Eds). 2019. IOC World Bird List (v 9.2). Doi 10.14344/IOC.ML.9.2. http://www.worldbirdnames.org/ retrieved 22 June 2019.
Lists of dinosaurs by continent | ||
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| Non-avian dinosaurs |
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| Birds | ||