List of birds of Australia facts for kids

The list scope includes outlying islands:
    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

This is a list of the wild birds found in Australia, including its many islands and territories like Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Ashmore Reef, Torres Strait Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island, Macquarie Island, and Heard Island and McDonald Islands. It does not include the Australian Antarctic Territory. This list also features birds that have been introduced by people, common visitors (called vagrants), and species that have recently become extinct. In total, about 980 living and extinct bird species are included here.

For a long time, people have been studying and writing about Australia's birds. Famous works include John Gould's The Birds of Australia from the 1840s and the more recent Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds (1990-2006).

Cassowaries and Emu

Order: Casuariiformes Family: Casuariidae

Emu

2 species recorded [2 extant native]
This family includes two amazing flightless birds found in Australia: the Southern Cassowary and the Emu. Two other species live in New Guinea. Emus from King Island and Kangaroo Island were once thought to be different species, but scientists now believe they are the same as mainland emus.

Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl

Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae

Plumed whistling ducks

Musk duck

Black swan

Pink-eared duck

Pacific black duck

32 species recorded [20 extant native, 4 introduced, 7 vagrant, 1 hybrid]
This family includes ducks, geese, and swans. These birds are perfectly built for life in water. They have webbed feet, flat bills, and special oily feathers that shed water easily. Australia is home to many of these birds, including some that were introduced by people and others that are just visiting.

Penguins

Order: Sphenisciformes Family: Spheniscidae

A wild Australian little penguin returning to its burrow to feed its chicks on Bruny Island

14 species recorded [7 extant native, 7 vagrant]
Penguins are amazing birds that cannot fly, but they are excellent swimmers! They mostly live in the Southern Hemisphere, especially around Antarctica. Only one type, the Australian little penguin, makes its home and raises its young on Australia's coast.

Albatrosses

Order: Procellariiformes Family: Diomedeidae

12 species recorded [11 extant native, 1 vagrant]
Albatrosses are huge seabirds found in the Southern and North Pacific Oceans. The biggest ones are some of the largest flying birds on Earth! You can spot many different kinds in Australian waters, though some are just passing through.

White-capped albatross

Hawks, Eagles, and Kites

Order: Accipitriformes Family: Accipitridae

Grey goshawk

22 species recorded [17 extant native, 5 vagrant]
This family includes powerful birds of prey like hawks, eagles, and kites. They have strong, hooked beaks to tear meat, powerful legs with sharp talons, and amazing eyesight to spot their prey from far away.

Falcons and Caracaras

Order: Falconiformes Family: Falconidae

Australian hobby

8 species recorded [6 extant native, 2 vagrant]
Falcons are birds of prey that hunt during the day. Unlike hawks and eagles, they use their strong beaks to kill their prey, not their talons.

Kingfishers

Order: Coraciiformes Family: Alcedinidae

Laughing kookaburra

15 species recorded [11 extant native, 4 vagrant]
Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with big heads, long pointy beaks, short legs, and small tails.

Cockatoos

Order: Psittaciformes Family: Cacatuidae

Pink cockatoo

14 species recorded [14 extant native]
Cockatoos are a type of parrot with a curved beak and special feet that have two toes pointing forward and two pointing backward. What makes them stand out is their amazing crest of feathers on their head, which they can move up and down!

Old World Parrots

Order: Psittaciformes Family: Psittaculidae

Australian king-parrot (male)

Eastern rosella (female)

Red-rumped parrot (male)

Rainbow lorikeet

Blue-winged parrot

44 species recorded [42 extant native, 1 extirpated native, 1 extinct native]
Parrots are known for their strong, curved beaks, upright way of standing, and special feet with claws that help them grip. Many are super colorful, with bright feathers in all sorts of patterns. These parrots live across Africa, Asia, and Oceania, including Australia and New Zealand.

Lyrebirds

Order: Passeriformes Family: Menuridae

Superb lyrebird

2 species recorded [2 extant native]
Lyrebirds are famous for their amazing ability to copy sounds from their surroundings, like other birds, animals, and even human noises! The male lyrebird also has a beautiful, large tail that he fans out to impress females.

Bowerbirds

Order: Passeriformes Family: Ptilonorhynchidae

Regent bowerbird

11 species recorded [11 extant native]
Bowerbirds are small to medium-sized birds, and the males are truly special! To attract a female, the male builds a unique structure called a 'bower.' These can be simple clearings with twigs or fancy decorated huts made of sticks and leaves.

Fairywrens

Order: Passeriformes Family: Maluridae

Variegated fairywren

26 species recorded [26 extant native]
Fairywrens are small, insect-eating birds found only in Australia and New Guinea. They are known for their interesting social lives: while a male and female might pair up, they often help raise chicks from other partners too!

Honeyeaters

Order: Passeriformes Family: Meliphagidae

Lewin's honeyeater

New Holland honeyeater

Little friarbird

Scarlet myzomela

76 species recorded [76 extant native]
Honeyeaters are a large group of small to medium-sized birds, mostly found in Australia and New Guinea. They love to drink nectar from flowers, just like hummingbirds, and are very diverse.

Crows, Jays, and Magpies

Order: Passeriformes Family: Corvidae

Little raven

6 species recorded [5 extant native, 1 vagrant]
This family includes smart birds like crows, ravens, and magpies. They are usually larger than many other songbirds, and some species are known for being very intelligent.

Australasian Robins

Order: Passeriformes Family: Petroicidae

Eastern yellow robin

Rose robin

23 species recorded [23 extant native]
Australasian robins are small, plump birds with round heads and short, straight beaks. They live in many different wooded areas, from cool mountain forests to warm rainforests and even dry scrublands. These birds mainly eat insects, but some also enjoy seeds.

Images for kids

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  Magpie goose at Fogg Dam in the Northern Territory

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  Australian brushturkey

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  Malleefowl

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  Brown quail

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  King quail

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  Australasian grebe

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  Australasian grebe

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  Crested pigeon and spinifex pigeon

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  Bar-shouldered dove in Darwin, Northern Territory

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  Channel-billed cuckoo

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  Tawny frogmouth

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  Australian owlet-nightjar

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  Australasian swamphen

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  Australian spotted crake

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  Bush stone-curlew

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  Red-necked avocet

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  Masked lapwing

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  Double-banded plover non-breeding plumage

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  Australian painted-snipe

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  Sanderling

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  Red knot

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  Sharp-tailed sandpiper

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  Black-breasted buttonquail

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  Australian pratincole at Fogg Dam in the Northern Territory

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  Little tern with crested terns

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  Pacific gull

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  Red-tailed tropicbird

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  Short-tailed shearwater

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  Black necked stork (jabiru) and juvenile pied heron in the Northern Territory

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  Great frigatebird

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  Australasian gannet

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  Little pied cormorant

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  White-necked heron

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  Australian little egret

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  Pacific reef heron, dark morph

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  Royal spoonbill

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  Masked owl

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  Noisy pitta

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  Varied sittella

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  White-browed scrubwren

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  Brown thornbill

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  Golden-headed cisticola

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  Australian reed warbler

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  Little grassbird

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  Fairy martin

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  Silvereye

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  Bassian thrush

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  Mugimaki flycatcher

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  Double-barred finch

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  Red-browed finch

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  Australian pipit chicks

See also

• Birds of Australia, including links to state and local lists
• Lists of birds by region, including Oceania and Asia
• Fauna of Australia
• List of endemic birds of Australia