kids encyclopedia robot

List of birds of Victoria, Australia facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This is a list of birds of Victoria, Australia.

Victoria is Australia's second-smallest state but has high biodiversity, with 516 bird species recorded — around 54% of Australia's total of 959 bird species in just 3% of Australia's land area.

Birds are present in high concentrations in some areas, including the Western Treatment Plant at Werribee in Melbourne's suburbs, which is a haven for tens of thousands of birds, due to a combination of permanent water, varied landforms and plant species.

Victoria contains a wider variety of natural habitats than any area of similar size in Australia. Habitats range from warm temperate rainforest in the far east of the state (East Gippsland), cool temperate rainforest, heathlands, mallee (stunted eucalypt) scrubland, grasslands, open woodland, montane forest, permanent lakes, estuaries, large permanent rivers, ocean and bay coastline. 4 million hectares of the state's 23.7 million hectare total land and marine area is protected in National Parks and conservation reserves.

Key locations

The state of Victoria includes the following 36 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) classified by BirdLife International:

Several sites in Victoria have been listed amongst Australia's top ten birdwatching locations including:

The following Victorian sites have been listed amongst Australia's top 100 birdwatching locations:

  • Banyule Flats Reserve, Banyule, 20 km northeast of Melbourne
  • Phillip Island, South Gippsland, 142 km southeast of Melbourne
  • Gipsy Point, East Gippsland, 500 km east of Melbourne
  • You Yangs Regional Park, 60 km west of Melbourne
  • Port Fairy Pelagic, Port Fairy 288 km west of Melbourne
  • Bunyip State Park, West Gippsland, 86 km east of Melbourne
  • Serendip Sanctuary, 60 km west of Melbourne
  • Cabbage Tree Creek Nature Conservation Reserve, East Gippsland 408 km east of Melbourne
  • Tarra-Bulga National Park, South Gippsland, 193 km southeast of Melbourne
  • Little Desert National Park 373 km northwest of Melbourne
  • Wilsons Promontory National Park, South Gippsland, 213 km southeast of Melbourne
  • Sale Common Nature Conservation Reserve, Sale, East Gippsland 216 km southeast of Melbourne
  • Bronzewing Flora & Fauna Reserve, Ouyen Mallee (Victoria), 425 km northwest of Melbourne
  • Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria - Cranbourne, Cranbourne, 53 km southeast of Melbourne

Species

Ostriches

Order Struthioniformes Family Struthionidae

Emus

Order Casuariformes Family Casuariidae

Magpie goose

Order Anseriformes Family Anseranatidae

Ducks, geese and swans

Order Anseriformes Family Anatidae

Mound-builders

Order Galliformes Family Megapodiidae

New World quail

Order Galliformes Family Odontophoridae

Pheasants and quail

Order Galliformes Family Phasianidae

Grebes

Order Phoenicopteriformes Family Podicipedidae

Pigeons and doves

Order Columbiformes Family Columbidae

Tropicbirds

Order Phaethontiformes Family Phaethontidae

Frogmouths

Order Caprimulgiformes Family Podargidae

Nightjars

Order Caprimulgiformes Family Caprimulgidae

Owlet-nightjars

Order Caprimulgiformes Family Aegothelidae

Swifts

Order Caprimulgiformes Family Apodidae

  • White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus
  • Fork-tailed Swift Apus pacificus

Cuckoos

Order Cuculiformes Family Cuculidae

Rails, crakes and coots

Order Gruiformes Family Rallidae

  • Lewin's Rail Lewinia pectoralis
  • Buff-banded Rail Hypotaenidia philippensis
  • Australian Spotted Crake Porzana fluminea
  • Baillon's Crake Zapornia pusilla
  • Spotless Crake Zapornia tabuensis
  • Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio
  • Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa
  • Black-tailed Native-hen Tribonyx ventralis
  • Eurasian (Common) Coot Fulica atra

Cranes

Order Gruiformes Family Gruidae

Bustards

Order Otidiformes Family Otididae

Penguins

Order Sphenisciformes Family Spheniscidae

Storm-petrels

Order Procellariformes Family Oceanitidae

  • Wilson's Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus
  • Grey-backed Storm-petrel Garrodia nereis
  • White-faced Storm-petrel Pelagodroma marina
  • Black-bellied Storm-petrel Fregetta tropica
  • New Zealand Storm-petrel Fregetta maoriana

Albatrosses

Order Procellariformes Family Diomedeidae

Order Procellariformes Family Hydrobatidae

Fulmars, petrels and shearwaters

Order Procellariformes Family Procellariidae

Storks

Order Pelecaniformes Family Ciconiidae

Pelicans

Order Pelecaniformes Family Pelecanidae

Bitterns, herons and egrets

Order Pelecaniformes Family Ardeidae

Ibises and spoonbills

Order Pelecaniformes Family Threskiornithidae

Frigatebirds

Order Pelecaniformes Family Fregatidae

  • Lesser Frigatebird Fregata ariel
  • Great Frigatebird Fregata minor

Boobies and gannets

Order Pelecaniformes Family Sulidae

Cormorants

Order Pelecaniformes Family Phalacrocoracidae

Darters

Order Pelecaniformes Family Anhingidae

Stone-curlews (thick-knees)

Order Charadriiformes Family Burhinidae

Oystercatchers

Order Charadriiformes Family Haematopodidae

Avocets and stilts

Order Charadriiformes Family Recurvirostridae

Plovers and lapwings

Order Charadriiformes Family Charadriidae

Plains-wanderer

Order Charadriiformes Family Pedionomidae

Painted-snipe

Order Charadriiformes Family Rostratulidae

Waders or shorebirds

Order Charadriiformes Family Scolopacidae

  • Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
  • Little Curlew Numenius minutus
  • Far Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis
  • Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica
  • Hudsonian Godwit Limosa haemastica
  • Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa
  • Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
  • Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris
  • Red Knot Calidris canutus
  • Ruff Calidris pugnax
  • Broad-billed Sandpiper Calidris falcinellus
  • Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata
  • Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus
  • Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
  • Long-toed Stint Calidris subminuta
  • Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis
  • Sanderling Calidris alba
  • Baird's Sandpiper Calidris bairdii
  • Little Stint Calidris minuta
  • White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis
  • Buff-breasted Sandpiper Calidris subruficollis
  • Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos
  • Asian Dowitcher Limnodromus semipalmatus
  • Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus
  • Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus
  • Latham's Snipe Gallinago hardwickii
  • Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus
  • Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
  • Grey-tailed Tattler Tringa brevipes
  • Wandering Tattler Tringa incana
  • Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes
  • Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus
  • Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia
  • Common Redshank Tringa totanus
  • Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola
  • Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis
  • Wilson's Phalarope Steganopus tricolor
  • Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus
  • Grey Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius

Buttonquail

Order Charadriiformes Family Turnicidae

Pratincoles

Order Charadriiformes Family Glareolidae

  • Australian Pratincole Stiltia isabella
  • Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum

Skuas

Order Charadriiformes Family Stercorariidae

  • Long-tailed Skua Stercorarius longicaudus
  • Arctic Jaeger (Skua) Stercorarius parasiticus
  • Pomarine Jaeger (Skua) Stercorarius pomarinus
  • South Polar Skua Stercorarius maccormicki
  • Brown Skua Stercorarius antarcticus

Gulls and terns

Order Charadriiformes Family Laridae

Osprey

Order Accipitriformes Family Pandionidae

  • Osprey Pandion haliaetus

Hawks, kites and eagles

Order Accipitriformes Family Accipitridae

Barn owls

Order Strigiformes Family Tytonidae

True owls

Order Strigiformes Family Strigidae

Bee-eaters

Order Coraciiformes Family Meropidae

Rollers

Order Coraciiformes Family Coraciidae

  • Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis

Kingfishers

Order Coraciiformes Family Alcedinidae

Falcons

Order Falconiformes Family Falconidae

Cockatoos

Order Psittaciformes Family Cacatuidae

True parrots

Order Psittaciformes Family Psittaculidae

Lyrebirds

Order Passeriformes Family Menuridae

Bowerbirds and catbirds

Order Passeriformes Family Ptilonorhynchidae

Treecreepers

Order Passeriformes Family Climacteridae

Fairywrens, emu-wrens and grasswrens

Order Passeriformes Family Maluridae

Bristlebirds

Order Passeriformes Family Dasyornithidae

Honeyeaters

Order Passeriformes Family Meliphagidae

Pardalotes

Order Passeriformes Family Pardalotidae

Scrubwrens, thornbills and allies

Order Passeriformes Family Acanthizidae

Australasian babblers

Order Passeriformes Family Pomatostomidae

Sittella

Order Passeriformes Family Neosittidae

  • Varied Sittella Daphoenositta chrysoptera

Cuckooshrikes

Order Passeriformes Family Campephagidae

  • Ground Cuckooshrike Coracina maxima
  • Black-faced Cuckooshrike Coracina novaehollandiae
  • White-bellied Cuckooshrike Coracina papuensis
  • Common Cicadabird Coracina tenuirostris
  • White-winged Triller Lalage tricolor

Quail-thrushes

Order Passeriformes Family Cinclosomatidae

  • Spotted Quail-thrush Cinclosoma punctatum
  • Chestnut (Chestnut-backed) Quail-thrush Cinclosoma castanotum

Whistlers and allies

Order Passeriformes Family Pachycephalidae

Crested bellbird

Order Passeriformes Family Oreoicidae

  • Crested Bellbird Oreoica gutturalis

Whipbirds and wedgebills

Order Passeriformes Family Eupetidae (formerly Psophodidae)

Figbirds and orioles

Order Passeriformes Family Oriolidae

Currawongs, woodswallows, butcherbirds and allies

Order Passeriformes Family Artamidae

Drongo

Order Passeriformes Family Dicruridae

Fantails

Order Passeriformes Family Rhipiduridae

Crows and ravens

Order Passeriformes Family Corvidae

Monarch flycatchers

Order Passeriformes Family Monarchidae

Chough and apostlebird

Order Passeriformes Family Corcoracidae

Australasian robins

Order Passeriformes Family Petroicidae

Sunbirds and spiderhunters

Order Passeriformes Family Dicaeidae

Australasian finches, firetails and waxbills

Order Passeriformes Family Estrildidae

Old World sparrows

Order Passeriformes Family Passeridae

  • House Sparrow Passer domesticus Introduced species
  • Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus Introduced species

Wagtails and pipits

Order Passeriformes Family Motacillidae

True finches, crossbills and allies

Order Passeriformes Family Fringillidae

  • European Greenfinch Chloris chloris Introduced species
  • European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Introduced species

Larks

Order Passeriformes Family Alaudidae

  • Horsfield's (Singing) Bushlark Mirafra javanica
  • Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis Introduced species

Cisticolas and allies

Order Passeriformes Family Cisticolidae

Grassbirds, songlarks and allies

Order Passeriformes Family Locustellidae

Reed-warblers

Order Passeriformes Family Acrocephalidae

Swallows

Order Passeriformes Family Hirundinidae

Bulbuls

Order Passeriformes Family Pycnonotidae

White-eyes

Order Passeriformes Family Zosteropidae

Starlings

Order Passeriformes Family Sturnidae

Thrushes and allies

Order Passeriformes Family Turdidae

kids search engine
List of birds of Victoria, Australia Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.