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Rainbow Bea-Eater - Merops ornatus
Certainly one of Australia's most beautiful birds. Feeds on flying insects, especially native and introduced bees. Breeds locally in burrows in sand hills. When flying, the black-edged underwings are orange and have a long 'diamond' shape. Two long thin 'racquet' feathers protrude from the centre of the tail of male birds. Usually gives soft trilling calls in flight. A north-south summer migrant.
photo by Dylan O'Donnell
Australian Pelican - Pelecanus conspicillatus
A very big white and black waterbird, with a huge whitish to pinkish bill. Males slightly larger. Widespread across Australia; very common along the rivers and lakes. Swims and fishes in groups. Pelicans have wonderful gliding flight, often soaring to great heights. Breeds in inland or coastal colonies. Often relatively tame and you just could not mistake one for anything else! A popular bird!
photo by Peter Merritt
Blue-faced Honeyeater - Entomyzon cyanotis
Large green and white honeyeater with bright blue bare facial skin (juveniles have pale greenish facial skin. Often in small flocks along red gum watercourses, in gardens and parks. Listen for loud repeated 'quick quick quick quick' calls in the red gums. Breeds locally. Disperses in autumn, winter, becoming nomadic and following nectar flows. May be in noisy dispute with wattlebirds, friarbirds, at blossom.
photo by Russell Woolnough
Australian (Clamorous) Reed-Warbler - Acrocephalus australis
Listen for loud, melodious, and very obvious songs ('tweet tweet tweet, crotchy crotchy crotchy') in tall reed beds and bullrushes (cumbungi) during spring, summer breeding. Watch for occasional glimpses of these slender plain brown birds. Tied to groups of upright stems, nest is a deep cup, so that eggs, young, are not lost in strong winds. Absent in winter, a north-south migrant in Australia.
photo by Peter Merritt
Superb Parrot - Polytelis swainsonii
These bright green, red-billed parrots appear 'long-tailed' in flight. Breeds in Riverina red gum forests in tree hollows. Disperses in central NSW in winter. Considered locally common, but with a restricted breeding distribution, is listed as 'Vulnerable'. Look throughout red gum forests from Gulpa Creek area, to Balranald. Male has yellow cap and throat, with a red bar below it. Female almost all green.
photo by David Webb
Australian White Ibis - Threskiornis molucca
This distinctive, tall, white to 'grubby-white' waterbird was chosen for the Corridor logo. Ibis colonies are widespread through the Tri Avian Corridor and neighbouring districts. Easily recognized, together with the related black and white Straw-necked Ibis T. spinicollis. Both species breed together in reedbeds, swamps, and adjacent low trees. They glide, soar, traveling in great skeins to irrigated pastures, crops, and grazing land. Some gather at public parks for hand-outs.
photo by Dylan O'Donnell
Yellow (Crimson) Rosella - Platycercus elegans flaveolus
This creamy-yellow, blue-winged subspecies of the Crimson Rosella of the lower Murray/Darling Basin is largely confined to red gum forest and its periphery. Breeds locally in hollow trees. Small groups of courting rosellas, or those in territorial disputes, give loud chattering displays, with much tail wagging. Often seen in pairs flying along the watercourses. Feeds on ground, in tree foliage.
photo by Peter Merritt
Red-capped Robin - Petroica goodenovii
Small, colourful, black-backed, red and white males with a strong white wing stripe. Are accompanied by brown females. Some females have a pink blush to the chest; older females get a reddish tinge to their forehead 'cap'. Locally, lives and breeds in black box and lignum woodland areas along watercourses and the edges of mallee. A little cup nest, partly of cobweb, concealed on a branch or in a fork.
photo by David Webb
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper - Calidris acuminata
Perhaps the best-known of the Northern Hemisphere migratory waders arriving annually in Australia. These cryptically-coloured, almost 'Starling-sized' waders are fast fliers. Breed in the Asian high Arctic; then fly within a few weeks to Australia's summer feeding grounds, now including exposed margins of Tullakool evaporation ponds. Feeds, building up fat reserves, for the autumn flight home.
photo by David Webb
White-winged Fairy-wren - Malurus leucopterus leuconotus
Tiny, bright cobalt-blue-bodied male with white wings, accompanied by two or three brown females and juvenile birds. Common; typically of outer fringes of black box forest, saltmarsh, and sandy edges of saline ephemeral lakes with salt bush, dillon bush. Females often the first birds located; glimpses of male may be harder to achieve. Breeds locally; tiny nest hidden in dense vegetation. Thin trilling songs.
photo by Peter Merritt
Spotted Harrier - Circus assimilis
Beautiful reddish raptor, with wide wings tilted up in a shallow 'V' as it flies. They glide low over vegetation and watercourses, twisting and turning, seeking to locate or drive out prey such as small bush birds, ducks, rabbits or reptiles. Pairs breed in trees (unlike the more common, ground-nesting Swamp Harrier C. approximans). Widely distributed, uncommon. Identify by dark bars on a grey tail.
photo by Peter Merritt
Yellow-throated Miner - Manorina flavigula
Common inland, where territorial groups dominate areas of dry bushland, mallee, acacia. Uses widely diverse food sources in addition to nectar, lerps and insects. Lives and breeds locally. Distinguish Yellow-throated (grey crown; side of neck soft yellow; white rump in flight) from equally common, and more southerly distributed Noisy Miner M. melanocephala (black crown; grey rump in flight).
photo by David Webb
Major Mitchell's Cockatoo - Cacatua leadbeateri
Lovely white and pink cockatoo, larger than Galah. Pink on the entire underside of body and the white-edged wings. Red and yellow bands in the white crest. Small flocks may be seen flying to water in the late afternoons. Typically feed on Murray Pine cones. Look for them in sand dune country with she-oak, acacia and on mallee fringes. Breeds locally in hollow trees. Widespread but not very common.
photo by Peter Merritt
Malleefowl - Leipoa ocellata
This large, spotted and disruptively camouflaged ground-dwelling bird builds huge mounds of sand in which to incubate its eggs. Males do most digging and maintain temperature control in the mound. After hatching, juveniles dig out and are immediately 'on their own'. Due to its fascinating breeding method, it is one of Australia's best-known birds. Fox predation, excessive burning, and clearing of mallee threaten it.
photo by Malleefowl Preservation Group Inc
Bush Stone-curlew - Burhinus grallarius
Well-known for its spectacular disruptive camouflage and motionless behaviour by day, and its active movement and wailing, whistling calls at night. This is 'one of the best sounds of the Australian bush'. Tall and 'leggy', this is a woodland species of the riverine plains and related to the 'plover-like' group of Australian birds. Breeds locally on the ground amongst red gum and black box tree litter. Also threatened by foxes and clearing. Listed as 'Vulnerable'.
photo by Dylan O'Donnell
Purple Swamphen - Porphyrio porphyrio
Spectacular large deep-purple gallinule (name for the water-hen group) of lake edges and reed beds. Presses down rushes, reeds, to make roosting and nesting platforms. Walks along flicking a white triangle under the tail. Breeds locally. Look around margins of swamps, ornamental pools in parks. Very noisy in territorial disputes. Chicks are black, downy, remaining with parents for several weeks.
photo by Dylan O'Donnell
Complete Central Murray Species List
The following species found in the central murray region, however there may be others not listed here. The data is from Birding Australia's website. If you are unsure, query their database with the following postcodes for the latest lists : 2732, 2715 & 2710
| Emu | - | Dromaius novaehollandiae |
| Stubble Quail | - | Coturnix pectoralis |
| Brown Quail | - | Coturnix ypsilophora |
| Plumed Whistling-Duck | - | Dendrocygna eytoni |
| Blue-billed Duck | - | Oxyura australis |
| Musk Duck | - | Biziura lobata |
| Freckled Duck | - | Stictonetta naevosa |
| Black Swan | - | Cygnus atratus |
| Australian Shelduck | - | Tadorna tadornoides |
| Australian Wood Duck | - | Chenonetta jubata |
| Mallard | - | Anas platyrhynchos |
| Pacific Black Duck | - | Anas superciliosa |
| Australasian Shoveler | - | Anas rhynchotis |
| Grey Teal | - | Anas gracilis |
| Chestnut Teal | - | Anas castanea |
| Pink-eared Duck | - | Malacorhynchus membranaceus |
| Hardhead | - | Aythya australis |
| Australasian Grebe | - | Tachybaptus novaehollandiae |
| Hoary-headed Grebe | - | Poliocephalus poliocephalus |
| Great Crested Grebe | - | Podiceps cristatus |
| Darter | - | Anhinga melanogaster |
| Little Pied Cormorant | - | Phalacrocorax melanoleucos |
| Pied Cormorant | - | Phalacrocorax varius |
| Little Black Cormorant | - | Phalacrocorax sulcirostris |
| Great Cormorant | - | Phalacrocorax carbo |
| Australian Pelican | - | Pelecanus conspicillatus |
| White-faced Heron | - | Egretta novaehollandiae |
| Little Egret | - | Egretta garzetta |
| White-necked Heron | - | Ardea pacifica |
| Great Egret | - | Ardea alba |
| Intermediate Egret | - | Ardea intermedia |
| Cattle Egret | - | Ardea ibis |
| Nankeen Night Heron | - | Nycticorax caledonicus |
| Little Bittern | - | Ixobrychus minutus |
| Australasian Bittern | - | Botaurus poiciloptilus |
| Glossy Ibis | - | Plegadis falcinellus |
| Australian White Ibis | - | Threskiornis molucca |
| Straw-necked Ibis | - | Threskiornis spinicollis |
| Royal Spoonbill | - | Platalea regia |
| Yellow-billed Spoonbill | - | Platalea flavipes |
| Black-shouldered Kite | - | Elanus axillaris |
| Black-breasted Buzzard | - | Hamirostra melanosternon |
| Black Kite | - | Milvus migrans |
| Whistling Kite | - | Haliastur sphenurus |
| White-bellied Sea-Eagle | - | Haliaeetus leucogaster |
| Spotted Harrier | - | Circus assimilis |
| Swamp Harrier | - | Circus approximans |
| Brown Goshawk | - | Accipiter fasciatus |
| Collared Sparrowhawk | - | Accipiter cirrhocephalus |
| Wedge-tailed Eagle | - | Aquila audax |
| Little Eagle | - | Hieraaetus morphnoides |
| Brown Falcon | - | Falco berigora |
| Australian Hobby | - | Falco longipennis |
| Grey Falcon | - | Falco hypoleucos |
| Black Falcon | - | Falco subniger |
| Peregrine Falcon | - | Falco peregrinus |
| Nankeen Kestrel | - | Falco cenchroides |
| Brolga | - | Grus rubicunda |
| Buff-banded Rail | - | Gallirallus philippensis |
| Lewin's Rail | - | Rallus pectoralis |
| Baillon's Crake | - | Porzana pusilla |
| Australian Spotted Crake | - | Porzana fluminea |
| Spotless Crake | - | Porzana tabuensis |
| Purple Swamphen | - | Porphyrio porphyrio |
| Dusky Moorhen | - | Gallinula tenebrosa |
| Black-tailed Native-hen | - | Gallinula ventralis |
| Eurasian Coot | - | Fulica atra |
| Australian Bustard | - | Ardeotis australis |
| Little Button-quail | - | Turnix velox |
| Red-chested Button-quail | - | Turnix pyrrhothorax |
| Painted Button-quail | - | Turnix varia |
| Plains-wanderer | - | Pedionomus torquatus |
| Latham's Snipe | - | Gallinago hardwickii |
| Marsh Sandpiper | - | Tringa stagnatilis |
| Common Greenshank | - | Tringa nebularia |
| Wood Sandpiper | - | Tringa glareola |
| Red-necked Stint | - | Calidris ruficollis |
| Long-toed Stint | - | Calidris subminuta |
| Pectoral Sandpiper | - | Calidris melanotos |
| Sharp-tailed Sandpiper | - | Calidris acuminata |
| Curlew Sandpiper | - | Calidris ferruginea |
| Painted Snipe | - | Rostratula benghalensis |
| Bush Stone-curlew | - | Burhinus grallarius |
| Black-winged Stilt | - | Himantopus himantopus |
| Banded Stilt | - | Cladorhynchus leucocephalus |
| Red-necked Avocet | - | Recurvirostra novaehollandiae |
| Pacific Golden Plover | - | Pluvialis fulva |
| Red-capped Plover | - | Charadrius ruficapillus |
| Double-banded Plover | - | Charadrius bicinctus |
| Inland Dotterel | - | Charadrius australis |
| Black-fronted Dotterel | - | Elseyornis melanops |
| Red-kneed Dotterel | - | Erythrogonys cinctus |
| Banded Lapwing | - | Vanellus tricolor |
| Masked Lapwing | - | Vanellus miles |
| Australian Pratincole | - | Stiltia isabella |
| Silver Gull | - | Larus novaehollandiae |
| Gull-billed Tern | - | Sterna nilotica |
| Caspian Tern | - | Sterna caspia |
| Whiskered Tern | - | Chlidonias hybridus |
| White-winged Black Tern | - | Chlidonias leucopterus |
| Rock Dove | - | Columba livia |
| Common Bronzewing | - | Phaps chalcoptera |
| Crested Pigeon | - | Ocyphaps lophotes |
| Diamond Dove | - | Geopelia cuneata |
| Peaceful Dove | - | Geopelia striata |
| Galah | - | Cacatua roseicapilla |
| Long-billed Corella | - | Cacatua tenuirostris |
| Little Corella | - | Cacatua sanguinea |
| Major Mitchell's Cockatoo | - | Cacatua leadbeateri |
| Sulphur-crested Cockatoo | - | Cacatua galerita |
| Cockatiel | - | Nymphicus hollandicus |
| Musk Lorikeet | - | Glossopsitta concinna |
| Little Lorikeet | - | Glossopsitta pusilla |
| Purple-crowned Lorikeet | - | Glossopsitta porphyrocephala |
| Superb Parrot | - | Polytelis swainsonii |
| Swift Parrot | - | Lathamus discolor |
| Crimson Rosella | - | Platycerus elegans |
| Eastern Rosella | - | Platycercus eximius |
| Australian Ringneck | - | Barnardius zonarius |
| Blue Bonnet | - | Northiella haematogaster |
| Red-rumped Parrot | - | Psephotus haematonotus |
| Budgerigar | - | Melopsittacus undulatus |
| Blue-winged Parrot | - | Neophema chrysostoma |
| Elegant Parrot | - | Neophema elegans |
| Pallid Cuckoo | - | Cuculus pallidus |
| Fan-tailed Cuckoo | - | Cacomantis flabelliformis |
| Black-eared Cuckoo | - | Chrysococcyx osculans |
| Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo | - | Chrysococcyx basalis |
| Shining Bronze-Cuckoo | - | Chrysococcyx lucidus |
| Barking Owl | - | Ninox connivens |
| Southern Boobook | - | Ninox novaeseelandiae |
| Barn Owl | - | Tyto alba |
| Grass Owl | - | Tyto capensis |
| Tawny Frogmouth | - | Podargus strigoides |
| Australian Owlet-nightjar | - | Aegotheles cristatus |
| White-throated Needletail | - | Hirundapus caudacutus |
| Fork-tailed Swift | - | Apus pacificus |
| Azure Kingfisher | - | Alcedo azurea |
| Laughing Kookaburra | - | Dacelo novaeguineae |
| Red-backed Kingfisher | - | Todirhamphus pyrrhopygia |
| Sacred Kingfisher | - | Todirhamphus sanctus |
| Rainbow Bee-eater | - | Merops ornatus |
| Dollarbird | - | Eurystomus orientalis |
| White-throated Treecreeper | - | Cormobates leucophaeus |
| Brown Treecreeper | - | Climacteris picumnus |
| Superb Fairy-wren | - | Malurus cyaneus |
| Splendid Fairy-wren | - | Malurus splendens |
| Variegated Fairy-wren | - | Malurus lamberti |
| White-winged Fairy-wren | - | Malurus leucopterus |
| Spotted Pardalote | - | Pardalotus punctatus |
| Striated Pardalote | - | Pardalotus striatus |
| White-browed Scrubwren | - | Sericornis frontalis |
| Weebill | - | Smicrornis brevirostris |
| Western Gerygone | - | Gerygone fusca |
| White-throated Gerygone | - | Gerygone olivacea |
| Brown Thornbill | - | Acanthiza pusilla |
| Chestnut-rumped Thornbill | - | Acanthiza uropygialis |
| Buff-rumped Thornbill | - | Acanthiza reguloides |
| Yellow-rumped Thornbill | - | Acanthiza chrysorrhoa |
| Yellow Thornbill | - | Acanthiza nana |
| Striated Thornbill | - | Acanthiza lineata |
| Southern Whiteface | - | Aphelocephala leucopsis |
| Red Wattlebird | - | Anthochaera carunculata |
| Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater | - | Acanthagenys rufogularis |
| Striped Honeyeater | - | Plectorhyncha lanceolata |
| Noisy Friarbird | - | Philemon corniculatus |
| Little Friarbird | - | Philemon citreogularis |
| Blue-faced Honeyeater | - | Entomyzon cyanotis |
| Noisy Miner | - | Manorina melanocephala |
| Yellow-throated Miner | - | Manorina flavigula |
| Singing Honeyeater | - | Lichenostomus virescens |
| Yellow-tufted Honeyeater | - | Lichenostomus melanops |
| Yellow-plumed Honeyeater | - | Lichenostomus ornatus |
| Fuscous Honeyeater | - | Lichenostomus fuscus |
| White-plumed Honeyeater | - | Lichenostomus penicillatus |
| Black-chinned Honeyeater | - | Melithreptus gularis |
| Brown-headed Honeyeater | - | Melithreptus brevirostris |
| White-naped Honeyeater | - | Melithreptus lunatus |
| Painted Honeyeater | - | Grantiella picta |
| White-fronted Honeyeater | - | Phylidonyris albifrons |
| Crimson Chat | - | Ephthianura tricolor |
| Orange Chat | - | Ephthianura aurifrons |
| White-fronted Chat | - | Ephthianura albifrons |
| Jacky Winter | - | Microeca fascinans |
| Scarlet Robin | - | Petroica boodang |
| Red-capped Robin | - | Petroica goodenovii |
| Flame Robin | - | Petroica phoenicea |
| Pink Robin | - | Petroica rodinogaster |
| Hooded Robin | - | Melanodryas cucullata |
| Eastern Yellow Robin | - | Eopsaltria australis |
| Grey-crowned Babbler | - | Pomatostomus temporalis |
| White-browed Babbler | - | Pomatostomus superciliosus |
| Chestnut-crowned Babbler | - | Pomatostomus ruficeps |
| Varied Sittella | - | Daphoenositta chrysoptera |
| Crested Shrike-tit | - | Falcunculus frontatus |
| Gilbert's Whistler | - | Pachycephala inornata |
| Golden Whistler | - | Pachycephala pectoralis |
| Rufous Whistler | - | Pachycephala rufiventris |
| Grey Shrike-thrush | - | Colluricincla harmonica |
| Leaden Flycatcher | - | Myiagra rubecula |
| Restless Flycatcher | - | Myiagra inquieta |
| Magpie-lark | - | Grallina cyanoleuca |
| Rufous Fantail | - | Rhipidura rufifrons |
| Grey Fantail | - | Rhipidura albiscapa |
| Willie Wagtail | - | Rhipidura leucophrys |
| Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike | - | Coracina novaehollandiae |
| White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike | - | Coracina papuensis |
| Ground Cuckoo-shrike | - | Coracina maxima |
| White-winged Triller | - | Lalage sueurii |
| Olive-backed Oriole | - | Oriolus sagittatus |
| White-breasted Woodswallow | - | Artamus leucorhynchus |
| Masked Woodswallow | - | Artamus personatus |
| White-browed Woodswallow | - | Artamus superciliosus |
| Black-faced Woodswallow | - | Artamus cinereus |
| Dusky Woodswallow | - | Artamus cyanopterus |
| Grey Butcherbird | - | Cracticus torquatus |
| Pied Butcherbird | - | Cracticus nigrogularis |
| Australian Magpie | - | Gymnorhina tibicen |
| Pied Currawong | - | Strepera graculina |
| Grey Currawong | - | Strepera versicolor |
| Australian Raven | - | Corvus coronoides |
| Little Raven | - | Corvus mellori |
| White-winged Chough | - | Corcorax melanorhamphos |
| Apostlebird | - | Struthidea cinerea |
| Singing Bushlark | - | Mirafra javanica |
| Skylark | - | Alauda arvensis |
| Richard's Pipit | - | Anthus novaeseelandiae |
| House Sparrow | - | Passer domesticus |
| Eurasian Tree Sparrow | - | Passer montanus |
| Zebra Finch | - | Taeniopygia guttata |
| Red-browed Finch | - | Neochmia temporalis |
| Diamond Firetail | - | Stagonopleura guttata |
| European Goldfinch | - | Carduelis carduelis |
| Mistletoebird | - | Dicaeum hirundinaceum |
| White-backed Swallow | - | Cheramoeca leucosternus |
| Welcome Swallow | - | Hirundo neoxena |
| Tree Martin | - | Hirundo nigricans |
| Fairy Martin | - | Hirundo ariel |
| Clamorous Reed-Warbler | - | Acrocephalus stentoreus |
| Little Grassbird | - | Megalurus gramineus |
| Rufous Songlark | - | Cinclorhamphus mathewsi |
| Brown Songlark | - | Cinclorhamphus cruralis |
| Golden-headed Cisticola | - | Cisticola exilis |
| Silvereye | - | Zosterops lateralis |
| Common Blackbird | - | Turdus merula |
| Common Starling | - | Sturnus vulgaris |
| Common Myna | - | Acridotheres tristis |