#AustralasianBirds

Birds of the world 🌍🦜mybirdcards@mastodon.world
2025-10-06
🌍🌏🌎 Sanderling (Calidris alba) 

The Sanderling is a small, plump member of the Sandpiper family. In winter, it's very pale grey above and white below with a dark shoulder patch; breeding plumage adds brick-red. It breeds in the High Arctic tundra but migrates globally, wintering on sandy beaches of every continent except Antarctica. Its characteristic behaviour is running back and forth with the waves on the shoreline ("wave-chasing") to probe for small invertebrates. Two subspecies are recognised. 2.5 Flash (Edited) 

Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)

Fun fact: The Sanderling is the only sandpiper that lacks a hind toe. This unique anatomical feature is believed to help them run more quickly and efficiently across soft, sandy surfaces.

πŸ“·: Photo by JacekBen via Pixabay 
https://pixabay.com/photos/sanderling-bird-beach-north-sea-4359720/

IXCS
Birds of the world 🌍🦜mybirdcards@mastodon.world
2025-09-11
🌏 Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax)

The Wedge-tailed Eagle is a large, dark-brown to black eagle with a distinctive wedge-shaped tail. It's Australia's largest bird of prey, also found in southern Papua New Guinea. Highly aerial, it soars on thermals, hunts live prey, and also scavenges. Two subspecies are recognised. 2.5 Flash (Edited) 

Fun fact: They've been known to work together in groups to hunt large prey. 

Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)

πŸ“·: Photo by pen_ash via Pixabay 
https://pixabay.com/photos/wedge-tailed-eagle-eagle-bird-9781524/

GRPS
Birds of the world 🌍🦜mybirdcards@mastodon.world
2025-09-02

🌏 Black Swan (Cygnus atratus) #AustralianBirds #AustralasianBirds | #BlackSwan #CygnusAtratus | #Swans #DuckFamily #Waterfowl #Waterbirds πŸ“·: Photo by daledbet🦜 #MyBirdcards | #birdsoftheworld #birds

🌏 Black Swan (Cygnus atratus) 

The Black Swan is a large, predominantly black bird with a striking red bill and white flight feathers. Native to Australia, it has been introduced to several countries, including New Zealand, Japan, and the UK. Sociable and gregarious, they are often found in large flocks on freshwater lakes and wetlands. They are herbivores, foraging for aquatic vegetation by dabbling or upending. 2.5 Flash (Edited)

No subspecies are recognised.

Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)

πŸ“·: Photo by daledbet via Pixabay 
https://pixabay.com/photos/swan-bird-black-swan-waterfowl-6824064/

MGWA
Birds of the world 🌍🦜mybirdcards@mastodon.world
2025-08-19
🌏 Kererū (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae)

The KererΕ«, also known as KΕ«kupa, New Zealand Pigeon or Wood Pigeon is a large, plump bird with a small head. Its head, back, and wings are covered in iridescent green and bronze-purple feathers, contrasted by a bright white breast. Found throughout New Zealand, it lives in forests, parks, and gardens. KererΕ« are generally solitary or in pairs, but they can be seen in flocks when food is plentiful. They are slow, deliberate flyers, but their wings make a distinctive "whoosh" sound. 2.5 Flash (Edited)

Two subspecies are recognised.

Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)

πŸ“·: Photo by Manubird via Pixabay 
https://pixabay.com/photos/pigeon-new-zealand-7712820/

KYPQ
Birds of the world 🌍🦜mybirdcards@mastodon.world
2025-08-12

New addition! 🌏 Singing Honeyeater (Gavicalis virescens) #AustralianBirds #AustralasianBirds | #SingingHoneyeater #GavicalisVirescens | #Honeyeaters #HoneyeaterFamily #PerchingBirds πŸ“·: Photo by pen_ash🦜 #MyBirdcards | #birdsoftheworld #birds

🌏 Singing Honeyeater (Gavicalis virescens) 

The Singing Honeyeater is a medium-sized bird with a grey-brown body and olive tints to its wings and tail. A distinctive black stripe runs through its eye, with a secondary yellow stripe below. Widespread across most of mainland Australia, they inhabit a variety of environments from arid shrublands to urban parks. They are omnivores, feeding on nectar, insects, and fruit. Known for their loud, melodious song, they are territorial and will aggressively defend their patch, especially during breeding. 2.5 Flash (Edited)

Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)

πŸ“·: Photo by pen_ash via Pixabay 
https://pixabay.com/photos/singing-honeyeater-bird-8909936/

DNRB
Birds of the world 🌍🦜mybirdcards@mastodon.world
2025-08-04
🌏 New Zealand Fantail (Rhipidura fuliginosa) 

The New Zealand Fantail is a small, energetic bird with a variable grey-brown back, a yellowish-orange underside, and a dark band across its chest below a white throat. Distinctive white "eyebrows" adorn its dark grey face. Found throughout New Zealand in forests, gardens, and scrublands, it is highly active and not shy. It uses its fanned tail to make acrobatic flights while catching insects. 

Four subspecies are recognised.

Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)

πŸ“·: Photo by LorryM via Pixabay 
https://pixabay.com/photos/new-zealand-native-bird-fantail-4835197/

YPSN
Birds of the world 🌍🦜mybirdcards@mastodon.world
2025-07-15
🌏 Blue-winged kookaburra (Dacelo leachii)

The blue-winged kookaburra is a large, stocky kingfisher with a white head streaked brown, and lacking the prominent dark mask of it's larger relative, the laughing kookaburra. Its back is dull brown, wings are striking blue, and the underside is a creamy-white, finely barred with brown streaks. Found in northern Australia and southern New Guinea, it inhabits open savanna woodlands and swamps. Typically found in family groups of up to 12 individuals, they perch conspicuously, hunting insects, reptiles, and small mammals with a cackling, squawking call. 2.5 Flash (Edited)

Four subspecies are generally recognised.

Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)

πŸ“·: Photo by Gaz_Chapp via Pixabay 
https://pixabay.com/photos/kingfishers-bird-tree-branch-8270727/

MDYZ
Birds of the world 🌍🦜mybirdcards@mastodon.world
2025-06-28
🌏 Sahul sunbird (Cinnyris frenatus)

The Sahul sunbird is a small bird, 10-11.4 cm long, with males exhibiting iridescent blue-black on the throat and breast, a yellow supercilium, and yellow underparts, while females lack the iridescent patch and are more olive above with yellow below. They have a slender, down-curved bill.

This resident species is found across Sulawesi, the Maluku Islands, New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago, northern Solomon Islands, and northeastern Australia, inhabiting diverse environments including mangroves, forest edges, scrub, parks, and gardens.

Sahul sunbirds are diurnal and typically found in pairs or small groups. They feed primarily on nectar and small insects, using their specialized bills. During breeding, usually in the wet season, males are territorial, displaying to females. The female solely constructs an elongated, hanging nest (30-60 cm) using various plant materials and spiderwebs, and incubates 1-3 eggs. 2.5 Flash (Edited) 

Four subspecies are recognised.

Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)

πŸ“·: Photo by paislie via Pixabay 
https://pixabay.com/photos/olive-backed-sunbird-bird-animal-7529930/

HDXQWhat bird am I?

I am a small, active bird often found flitting among flowers. My head and upperparts are olive-brown in colour, but my male boasts an iridescent green blue-black throat and breast. My underparts are yellow. My beak is long and decurved, perfect for sipping nectar. I am native to the Sahul Shelf, including New Guinea and parts of Australia.
Birds of the world 🌍🦜mybirdcards@mastodon.world
2025-06-24
🌍🌏🌎 Ruddy turnstone (Arenaria interpres) 

The ruddy turnstone is a stocky shorebird, about 21-26 cm long, with bright orange legs and a stout, slightly upturned black bill. Its plumage is a distinctive harlequin-like pattern of chestnut, black, and white in breeding season, becoming duller grey-brown and mottled in winter. In flight, it shows striking white wingbars and a white rump.

Highly migratory, it breeds in Arctic Eurasia and North America, then winters on coastlines almost worldwide, favouring rocky shores, sandy beaches, and mudflats.

Its name comes from its characteristic feeding behaviour: flipping over stones, shells, and seaweed with its bill to uncover insects, crustaceans, and other small invertebrates. They can be seen individually or in small groups, sometimes with other waders. 2.5 Flash (Edited) 

Two subspecies are recognised.

Conservation status: Near Threatened (IUCN 3.1)

πŸ“·: Photo by paulbr75 via Pixabay 
https://pixabay.com/photos/ruddy-turnstone-water-nature-1553360/

IHAT
Birds of the world 🌍🦜mybirdcards@mastodon.world
2025-06-17
🌏 Royal spoonbill (Platalea regia) 

The royal spoonbill, also known as the black-billed spoonbill, is a large, pure white wader with striking black legs, feet, and a distinctive black, spatulate (spoon-shaped) bill. During breeding season, they develop long white head plumes and patches of yellow and red on their face.

They are widely distributed across eastern and northern mainland Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and parts of Indonesia. They inhabit shallow freshwater and saltwater wetlands, estuaries, and mudflats.

Royal spoonbills are known for their unique feeding behavior: they wade through shallow water, sweeping their partly-opened bill from side to side to detect and capture small fish, crustaceans, and insects through vibrations. They often feed in groups and are sensitive to disturbance, especially during nesting.

Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)

πŸ“·: Photo by Manubird via Pixabay 
https://pixabay.com/photos/bird-spoonbill-lake-coast-shore-5785742/

MAKK
Birds of the world 🌍🦜mybirdcards@mastodon.world
2025-06-05

🌏 Crimson rosella (Platycercus elegans) #AustralasianBirds #AustralianBirds | #CrimsonRosella #PlatycercusElegans | #Rosellas #OldWorldParrots #ParrotFamily #Parrots πŸ“·: Photo by pen_ash🦜 #birdsoftheworld #birds

🌏 Crimson rosella (Platycercus elegans)

The Crimson Rosella is a medium-sized parrot native to Australia. Adults are predominantly crimson red with striking blue cheeks, black-scalloped blue wings, and a blue tail. Juveniles are greenish-olive, gradually turning red.
   Found in eastern and southeastern Australia, they inhabit diverse forested areas, including rainforests and woodlands, and are also found in parks and gardens. Introduced populations exist in New Zealand and Norfolk Island.
   These birds are generally sedentary, forming pairs or small groups outside the breeding season. They are monogamous and nest in tree hollows. Known for their noisy chattering while foraging, they primarily eat seeds, fruits, and flowers, often feeding on the ground. 2.5 Flash

At least two subspecies are recognised. 

Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)

πŸ“·: Photo by pen_ash via Pixabay https://pixabay.com/photos/crimson-rosella-parrot-bird-animal-7945644/

TAFU
Birds of the world 🌍🦜mybirdcards@mastodon.world
2025-05-30

🌏 Rainbow bee-eater (Merops ornatus) #AustralasianBirds #AustralianBirds #AsianBirds | #RainbowBeeEater #MeropsOrnatus | #BeeEaters #BeeEaterFamily πŸ“·: Photo by Kanenori🦜 #birdsoftheworld #birds

🌏 Rainbow bee-eater (Merops ornatus) 

The rainbow bee-eater is a strikingly colourful bird, predominantly green with a yellow throat, black eye-stripe, chestnut nape, and a blue rump. Adult males possess elongated central tail feathers. It's widely distributed across Australia, migrating north from southern regions during winter, and also found in eastern Indonesia, New Guinea, and some Pacific islands. These highly social birds are typically seen in small flocks. They hawk insects, especially bees and wasps, on the wing from an exposed perch, and nest colonially in burrows dug into sandy banks or flat ground.

Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)

πŸ“·: Photo by Kanenori via Pixabay https://pixabay.com/photos/bird-bee-dome-merops-ornatus-2224158/

MJBM
Birds of the world 🌍🦜mybirdcards@mastodon.world
2025-05-24

🌏 Rainbow lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus) #AustralianBirds #AustralasianBirds | #RainbowLorikeet #TrichoglossusMoluccanus | #Lorikeets #TrueParrots #Parrots #ParrotFamily | πŸ“·: Photo by Wow_Pho🦜 #birdsoftheworld #birds

🌏 Rainbow lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus)

The rainbow lorikeet is a vibrantly coloured parrot with a blue head and belly, green wings and back, and an orange/yellow breast, complemented by a bright red beak. Both sexes share this striking appearance. Native to eastern Australia, from Queensland to South Australia, it also has introduced populations in Western Australia. They inhabit rainforests, woodlands, and urban areas. Rainbow lorikeets are highly social, typically seen in noisy, fast-moving flocks, and often gather in large communal roosts at dusk. They primarily feed on nectar and pollen, using a specialized brush-tipped tongue, and are known for their acrobatic feeding behaviors, often hanging upside down.

Two subspecies are recognised.

Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)

πŸ“·: Photo by Wow_Pho via Pixabay https://pixabay.com/photos/australia-natural-bird-parrot-1199250/

SLHM
Birds of the world 🌍🦜mybirdcards@mastodon.world
2025-05-18

🌏 Tawny frogmouth (Podargus strigoides) #AustralasianBirds #AustralianBirds | #TawnyFrogmouth #PodargusStrigoides | #Frogmouths #FrogmouthFamily #Nightbirds πŸ“·: Photo by paislie🦜 #birdsoftheworld #birds

🌏 Tawny frogmouth (Podargus strigoides) 

Tawny frogmouths are stocky, medium-sized nocturnal birds with mottled grey, white, black and rufous plumage, providing excellent camouflage as tree branches. They have wide, frog-like mouths and large yellow eyes. Found throughout Australia and Tasmania in diverse habitats, they are often mistaken for owls. During the day, they roost camouflaged on branches, remaining still. At night, they hunt insects, worms, and small vertebrates by pouncing from perches or catching them in flight. They are generally sedentary and often mate for life. When threatened, they may hiss or adopt a stiff, branch-like posture. Three subspecies are recognised.

Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)

πŸ“·: Photo by paislie via Pixabay https://pixabay.com/photos/tawny-frogmouth-bird-animal-7529931/

MQSB
Birds of the world 🌍🦜mybirdcards@mastodon.world
2025-05-14
🌏 Eastern osprey (Pandion haliaetus cristatus)

The Eastern osprey, also known as the Australasian osprey, is a medium-sized bird of prey with dark brown upperparts and pale underparts. A distinctive black stripe runs through its white head. Its long, narrow wings have a noticeable bend. It inhabits coastal and estuarine areas across tropical Australia, extending to New Guinea, Indonesia, the Philippines, and New Caledonia. Though primarily non-migratory, some local movements occur. The Eastern osprey is a skilled hunter, diving feet-first into the water to catch fish, its primary prey.

Conservation status: While the IUCN considers the entire Pandion haliaetus species as "Least Concern" globally, the Eastern osprey is listed as "Endangered" in parts of Australia.

πŸ“·: Photo by itimlin via Pixabay https://pixabay.com/photos/osprey-bird-raptor-3746166/

ZWDV
Birds of the world 🌍🦜mybirdcards@mastodon.world
2025-05-11

🌏 Kea (Nestor notabilis) #AustralasianBirds #NewZealandBirds | #Kea #NestorNotabilis | #NewZealandParrots #Parrots #ParrotFamily πŸ“·: Photo by Barni1🦜 #birdsoftheworld #birds

🌏 Kea (Nestor notabilis) 

The kea is a highly intelligent and endangered species of parrot native to New Zealand. Known for its vibrant plumage, it is a large, olive-green bird with a brilliant orange under its wings. It has a long and narrow, curved, grey-brown beak. Renowned for its playful and inquisitive nature, it is often observed engaging in complex problem-solving behaviors. Keas are primarily found in mountain regions, where they feed on a variety of plant matter, insects, and carrion. Despite their remarkable adaptability and intelligence, keas face threats from habitat loss, introduced predators, and human activities. 

Conservation status: Endangered (IUCN 3.1)

πŸ“·: Photo by Barni1 via Pixabay https://pixabay.com/photos/kea-mountain-parrot-naughty-2138420/

NEUN
Birds of the world 🌍🦜mybirdcards@mastodon.world
2025-05-05
🌏 White-faced heron (Egretta novaehollandiae) 

The white-faced heron (Egretta novaehollandiae), also known as the white-fronted heron, is a medium-sized heron with a distinct white face and pale blue-grey plumage. It has a long, slender neck, a pointed grey-black bill, and yellow legs. In flight, its dark wing feathers contrast with its paler body. This adaptable bird is widespread throughout most of Australasia, including New Guinea, Indonesia, New Caledonia, and New Zealand, favouring any habitat near shallow water, both fresh and saltwater. White-faced herons are often seen foraging solitarily or in small groups, employing methods like stalking or standing still to catch fish, insects, and amphibians. They have a slow, bouncing flight and may roost in trees or on the ground. Their calls include a harsh croak, especially during flight. 

Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)

πŸ“·: Photo by Manubird via Pixabay https://pixabay.com/photos/white-faced-heron-bird-lake-heron-5792855/

VYVY
Birds of the world 🌍🦜mybirdcards@mastodon.world
2025-01-20
🌏 Sulphur-crested cockatoo (Cacatua galerita) 

The Sulphur-crested cockatoo is a large and majestic bird native to Australia, New Guinea, and Indonesia. It is predominantly white, with a prominent yellow crest on its head. The crest is composed of long, lacy feathers that can be raised or lowered depending on the bird's mood. The plumage on the body is white, while the underside of the wings and tail feathers may have a pale yellow tinge. They have powerful black beaks and small, dark, expressive eyes. Sulphur-crested cockatoos are found in tropical and subtropical rainforests, but have adapted to living in urban areas.  

Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)

πŸ“Έ: Photo by pen_ash via Pixabay

FLGU
Birds of the world 🌍🦜mybirdcards@mastodon.world
2025-01-14

🌏 Blue-faced honeyeater (Entomyzon cyanotis) #AustralasianBirds #AustralianBirds #NewGuineanBirds | #BlueFacedHoneyeater #Bananabird | #Honeyeaters #HoneyeaterFamily #PerchingBirds πŸ“·: Photo by sandid🦜 #birdsoftheworld #birds

🌏 Blue-faced honeyeater (Entomyzon cyanotis)

The Blue-faced honeyeater, also known as the Bananabird, is a distinctive bird primarily found in Australia. It is characterized by its vibrant blue facial skin, which contrasts with its black and white head and body. It's wings and tail are olive-green. It feeds on nectar, fruits, insects, and occasionally small vertebrates. The Blue-faced honeyeater is known for its sociable nature and can be found in woodlands, mangroves, and gardens across northern and eastern Australia. Three subspecies are recognised.

Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN 3.1) 

πŸ“·: Photo by sandid via Pixabay

RWMC

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