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Information on some interesting local birds are shown below. Click to see a larger image which may assist in bird identification.
All images © Peter Fuller, a talented local photographer.
| Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax This magnificent bird is the largest Australian raptor. It is found throughout Australia and is most often seen soaring gracefully on upswept wings |
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| Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes This bird is common in inland Australia and has been extending its range into the more southern parts of Victoria. When flying, its wings make a distinctive whirring sound. |
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| Yellow-tufted Honeyeater Lichenostomus melanops This brightly plumaged bird is found in south-eastern Australia at sites where there is a supply of flowering tree. It is partly nomadic, but can usually be found in the Brisbane Ranges |
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| Black-chinned Honeyeater Melithreptus gularis This bird is often found by following the loud calls it makes as it is feeding in blossom. Found in open woodland in Eastern Australia, the bird is often sighted in the You Yangs. |
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| Weebill Smicrornis brevirostrus Tiny bird seen hovering about the foliage of trees chasing small insects. Common in Northern Victoria, it is found in the drier woodlands north of Geelong. |
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| Speckled Warbler Chthornicola sagittate This ground dweller is scare and difficult to find in its SE Australia range. It can be found in the dry woodlands north of Geelong. |
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| Buff-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza reguloides There are five species of Thornbill commonly seen in the Geelong area – Yellow, Striated, Buff-rumped, Yellow-rumped and Brown. The Buff-rumped inhabits drier open woodland. |
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| Scarlet Robin Petroica rodinogasta This beautiful robin is found in the drier woodlands. There are seven species of robins in the area Hooded (rare), Rose, Pink, Flame, Scarlet, Red-capped (rare) and Eastern Yellow Robin. |
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| Jacky Winter Microeca fascinans A bird of open woodlands, it is unfortunately declining in numbers like many smaller bush birds. |
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| Zebra Finch Taeniopygia guttata This finch is a popular cage bird, but it can bee seen in the grassy plains north of Geelong. |
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| Diamond Firetail Stagonopleura bella A delightful finch that is well-named. It can be found in the drier forests around Geelong. |
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| Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus lathami These large parrots travel long distances with a distinctive buoyant flight. They are birds of woodlands |
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| Crimson Rosella Platycercus elegans elegans This brightly coloured parrot is commonly seen in wetter forests |
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| Blue-winged Parrot Neophema chrysostoma This parrot is found in open woodland, grasslands or saltmarsh. Its close relative, the rare Orange-bellied Parrot, can be found in saltmarsh areas during winter. |
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| Tawny-crowned Honeyeater Phylidonyris melanops This honeyeater inhabits heathlands and is difficult to find. There are regular sightings in the heathlands near Geelong. |
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| Rufous Bristlebird Dasyornis broadbenti There are 3 species of bristlebird in Australia. They all inhabit coastal heathland. The Rufous Bristlebird is usually secretive and difficult to spot, but it is regularly seen in some places along the Great Ocean Road. |
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| Southern Emu-wren Stipiturus malachurus A difficult bird to find in the dense heathland it inhabits, those who are patient can glimpse a small bird with an extraordinary long filamentous tail |
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| Australian King Parrot Alisterus scapularis The striking colours and large size of this parrot make it a favourite sighting for many visitors. It can be found in the wetter forests of the Otway Ranges. |
| Olive Whistler Pachycephala olivacea This whistler is not quite as striking as its beautiful cousins, the Golden and Rufous, but it does share their skills as a songster. All three whistler species are present in the Otway Ranges. |
| Forest Raven Corvus tasmanicus This raven is common in Tasmania, but it is also found in a few places on the mainland including the Otway Ranges |
| Bassian Thrush Zoothera lunulata At first glance, the intricate patterns on this thrush allow it to blend in to the background of the wet forests that it inhabits. A closer look will allow the watcher to see the lovely scalloping in the plumage |
| Satin Bowerbird Ptilonorhynchus viloceus The male bird is an iridescent dark blue, while the female is green with lighter underparts. The male builds a bower of sticks decorated with blue or green objects, to attract the female. |
| Brolga Grus rubicunda This stately crane stands up to 1.5 metres tall with a wingspan of over 2 metres. It has suffered from the drainage of some of the wetlands it inhabits, but it can be found in several places close to Geelong. |
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| Banded Stilt Cladorhynchus leucocephalus After breeding in Lake Eyre, many of these brightly marked birds move to the saline wetlands. They are often seen in large flocks near Geelong. |
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| Red-necked Avocet Recurvirostra novaehollandiae Large flocks of these avocets congregate to feed on brine shrimp in the saline wetlands near Geelong. |
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| Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis This summer migrant often congregates in flocks of over 100 birds in wetlands near Geelong. |
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| Hooded Plover Thinornis rubricollis A resident local that nests on sandy beaches, this plover has suffered from disturbance from human activities. |
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| Latham’s Snipe Gallinago hardwickii After breeding in Japan, Latham’s Snipe migrate to Australia. They prefer wetlands with plenty of grass or reed cover. Geelong hosts many of these snipe of summer. |
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Migratory waders
Many wader species migrate to Australia and may be seen from late spring until early autumn. Common species include Red-necked Stint, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper and Common Greenshank. Less common species include Bar-tailed Godwit, Eastern Curlew, Ruddy Turnstone, Pacific Golden Plover, and Double-banded Plover (winter). Many other rarer waders are liable to be seen in the Ramsar listed wetlands in area surrounding Geelong.
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Eastern Curlew |
Pacific Golden Plover |
Double-banded Plover |
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