Many small birds are frequent visitors to backyards across Australia. The Willie Wagtail is a favourite of many and found across all of mainland Australia. Planting native species in your garden can encourage small birds to become regular buddies in your backyard.
Diamond Firetails are part of the finch family and look like they have been coloured in by a 7-year-old. Their bright scarlet tail feathers and white spotty sides make them very distinctive and easy to recognise. In a rare departure from most female birds, female Firetails are not the usual dull brown – they have the same colouring as the males. They live in open grassy woodland, heath and farmland across south-eastern Austr…
During winter, you may see a very hyperactive visitor in your garden. This little bird is very agile and graceful as it pursues insects and catches them mid-air. The Grey Fantail looks a lot like the Willie Wagtail or Rufous Fantail, but it is usually grey-brown with two small white bars on its wings, white eyebrows and a long, fanned tail that gives it its name. Grey Fantails live all across Australia except for some areas in…
The Pink Robin is unusual amongst birds in that both the male and female have pink colouring – so often, only the males of a species display bright colouring to attract their mate. Males have a distinctive bright pink chest while the females have a subtler pinkish tint. The male has a small white patch on the forehead and the female has the same spot, but buff-coloured. The contrast of the males’ black head and wings with …
The Rufous Fantail is a member of the fantail family and lives in northern and eastern coastal Australia. In March, adult Rufous Fantails in southern Australia have almost finished migrating north. Younger Rufous Fantails will be following them during March and April. During migration, they often visit more open habitats including our gardens and parks. You'll recognise the Rufous Fantail by its 'rufous' or reddy-brown colouri…
The Scarlet Robin lives in the southern areas of Australia and also on Norfolk Island. They are frequent backyard visitors in urban areas. Male Scarlet Robins have an impressive bright red chest and a black back with a conspicuous white patch above the bill. Like many bird species, the females are much less striking with a dull grey to brown coat and a lighter reddish chest. The Scarlet Robin lives in varied habitats from open…
They might only grow to about 15 cm tall and weigh only 5-10 g, but the hardy Silvereye has amazing stamina. Silvereyes can live for up to ten years, which is a long time for such a tiny bird. They can also fly extremely long distances when they migrate at the end of summer. Some travel all the way from Tasmania right up to southern Queensland, over 1,600 km. Silvereyes are very easy to recognise. As their name suggests, they …
If you live in eastern or southern Australia, you may be lucky enough to be visited by the tiny Spotted Pardalote, Pardalotus punctatus. The Spotted Pardalote may visit your backyard as it heads down from higher elevations in search of warmer weather over autumn and winter. Spotted Pardalotes have distinct white spots that cover their black head and wings, a bright yellow throat, undertail and red rump. This unique plumage has…
It seems unfair when one member of the family gets all the good looks, especially when it's the father. But that's how it is for the Superb Fairy-wren. Superb Fairy-wrens are found throughout eastern Australia and Tasmania to the south-eastern corner of South Australia. The dazzling blue plumage on a breeding male's head and neck and tail will catch your eye if you're lucky enough to have one in your area. These beautiful bird…
