YELLOW-BILLED SPOONBILL

39     YELLOW-BILLED SPOONBILL                   Platalea flavipes

Australia      (39)

The Yellow-billed spoonbill is 76-92 cms, with a wing span of about 1.3 m. It is mostly solitary seeking out isolated fresh water. In autumn and winter it forms into groups of 50 plus.Forages in muddy waters. Most of Australia except western SA, SW NT, and bottom eastern 3/4 of WA.

BLACK SWAN

38     BLACK SWAN         Cynus atratus

Australia    (38)

World's only mostly black swan.  1-1.4 m, span 1.6-2 m, the male is larger. Becomes flightless during post-breeding moult, when can gather in large flocks of thousands on secure waterways. Usually frequents permanent water areas, dams, ponds, lagoons. Ranges over much of Australia, excluding tip Cape York, area east of Darwin and eastern part of WA.

SUPERB PARROTS

37    SUPERB PARROTS          Polytelis swainsonii

Australia    (37)

Superb parrot found in gums and she-oaks along river courses. Ranges in an area from Albury to Cowra, and up to Namoi River in winter. 36-42 cms.

CRESTED PIGEON

36     CRESTED PIGEON            Ocyphaps lophotes

Australia    (36)

Also called Topknot. 30-34 cms. Most of mainland Australia, except Cape York, Top End, Kimberleys, southern Victoria and an area in east of Western Australia. Found in pastoral areas, towns, sports grounds and parks.

COCKATIEL

Photographed in western NSW

35        COCKATIEL       Nympicus hollandicus

Australia   (35)

Also known as the Cockatoo-parrot and quarrion. It is 30-33 cmd. Inhabits mainland Australia except Cape York, east coast of NSW, south coast of Victoria, sw tip of Western Australia and eastern Western Australia. Found near water in open woodlands, open seen eating grain spilt on roadways.

female, photographed in central Queensland

male, photographed in central Queensland

BLACK-FRONTED DOTTEREL

34        BLACK-FRONTED DOTTEREL       Elseyornis melanops

Australia    (34)

Also known as the Black-fronted Plover. 16-18 cms. Found over most of Australia except area in central-east of Western Australia. Mainly around water, gravel roads.

SPLENDID FAIRY-WREN

 33          SPLENDID FAIRY-WREN           Malurus splendens

Australia   (33)

Also known as Banded, Black-backed or Turquoise Fairy-wren. 12-14 cms. 

NOTE:        4 subspecies in Australia

melanotus:             w NSW, e SA, s QLd

splendens:           sw and w WA

musgravi:              SA, s NT, e WA

emmottorum:         central Qld

Subspecies splendens, photographed near Perth, WA, July 2018

Subspecies musgravi, photographed near Whyalla, South Australia, September 2018

PEACEFUL DOVE

32             PEACEFUL DOVE           Geopelia striata

Australia       (32)

Peaceful dove 19-21 cms. Found in scrubland, woodlands, timbered watercourses, agricultural lands, roadsides and parks. Found over most of mainland Australia except southern Victoria, western South Australia, southern half Western Australia and sw corner of NT.

BROWN CUCKOO-DOVE

31        BROWN CUCKOO-DOVE          Macropygia amboinensis

Australia   (31)

Also known as Brown or Pheasant pigeon. 38-43 cms. Found all along east coast of NSW and Queensland. Located in rain forests, woodlands, along roadways.

AUSTRALASIAN GREBE

30         AUSTRALASIAN GREBE       Tachybaptus novaehollandiae

Australia   (30)

Also known as Little Grebe. 23-26 cms. Found all over Australia. Frequents shallow fresh water, dams, wetlands, sewage ponds. Dives when startled. Young hide under parents' wing, even when diving.

SPOTTED BOWERBIRD

29         SPOTTED BOWERBIRD        Chlamydera maculata

Australia    (29)

25-30 cms. Found over large part of southern/central Queensland, central NSW. Frequents inland scrub and woodlands, gardens and vineyards.

COMMON STARLING

28      COMMON STARLING      Sturnus vulgaris

Australia       (28)

Found in the se third of Australia, including half of Queensland and SA, all of NSW, Victoria and Tasmania. Native to Europe, n and w Asia, but introduced to Australia in the 1860s. Many are destroyed at the Nullarbor Station each year to prevent their spread to WA. Inhabits urban areas, pastoral areas and woodlands.

COMMON MYNA

27    COMMON MYNA          Acridotheres tristis

Australia     (27)

Also known as Indian myna or Mynah. It is 23-25 cms. The myna was introduced to Australia from Asia in the 1860s. It is now widely considered a pest. It inhabits urban areas and agricultural areas. Found in an area around Laura/Mossman in northern Queensland, Brisbane, and from the NSW north coast down into most of Victoria. Found in pairs and loose flocks.

BLUE-WINGED KOOKABURRA

26     BLUE-WINGED KOOKABURRA        Dacelo leachii

Australia    (26)

Also known as Barking and Howling Jackass. 38-40 cms in size. Across the north of Australia and down as far as Brisbane. A large pocket in WA around Shark Bay/Pilbara. tropical and sub-tropical woodlands, paperbark swamps, watercourses, clearings.

Photographed near Broome (WA), subspecies leachii

MISTLETOEBIRD

25         MISTLETOEBIRD               Dicaeum hirundinaceum

Australia    (25)

Also called Mistletoe Flowerpecker. It is 9.5-11 cms. Found over most of mainland Australia except bottom half of the eastern part of Western Australia and an area where the borders of SA/NT and Queensland meet. Found in any habitat which supports mistletoe. Deposits sticky, excreted mistletoe seeds on leaves and branches.

SPOTTED PARDALOTE

Photographed at Mount Tyson, southern Queensland

24        SPOTTED PARDALOTE      Pardalotus punctatus

Australia     (24)

Also known as Diamondbird and Yellow-rumped pardalote. 8-10 cms.

STRIATED PARDALOTE

23    STRIATED PARDALOTE               Pardalotus striatus

Australia     (23)

Also known as Pickwick, Wittachew and Chip-chip. 9.5-11.5 cms. Over most of Australia except area  towards east of Western Australia and around junction of borders of NT/SA/Queensland.

Six subspecies in Australia:
substiatus:                   Most of mainland, WA except n; SA, s NT; se Q; w NSW;w Vic.
melanocephalus:         e Q.except north.
uropygialis:                 northern Australia
ornatus:                       eastern NSW and e Vic.
striatus:                       Tasmania
melvillensis:               Tiwi Island

Subspecies striatus photographed in Tasmania February 2017

Subspecies substrialus, photographed near Lake Gilles, South Australia, September 2018