LET’S GO BIRDING
We’ve rounded up some of the birds that you’re likely to see around the city and Yarra Bend Park. All bird photos are courtesy of our guide, Gary Dickson.
YARRA BEND PARK
WURUNDJERI COUNTRY
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Rock dove
Fairly large pigeon with wild and feral populations throughout the world.
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RAINBOW Lorikeet
Familiar, large lorikeet. Very colorful, with a bright red breast, blue belly and head, as well as a red bill.
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Pied Currawong
Large, black, crow-sized bird with large black bill and yellow eyes.
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White-browed Scrubwren
Small scrubwren with dark face featuring a clear white eyebrow and chin stripe.
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Common Myna
A large, black-and-brown myna with white wing patches, yellow bill, and yellow legs.
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Willie Wagtail
Black-and-white songbird with fine bill and long legs; black above, white below, with narrow white eyebrow.
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Little Raven
The default raven in Melbourne (we don’t have crows), they also form large flocks in high-elevation areas like the Australian Alps.
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Crested Pigeon
A common gray pigeon that is easily identified by the long pointed crest on the top of its head and bright iridescence on wings.
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Noisy Miner
A medium-sized gray honeyeater with a pale gray crown, a yellow bill, a yellow eye patch, and a dark cheek patch; aggressive and territorial.
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Chestnut Teal
Male is very distinctively marked with a metallic green head, and rich chestnut flanks, but the female (pictured) is a plain gray duck with a rounded crown.
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Tawny Frogmouth
Nocturnal Australian bird, well-camouflaged with shaggy, bark-like plumage; bright yellow eye and very large ‘frog-like’ bill with whiskers above.
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Red-rumped Parrot
Ground feeding parrot. Male is bright green with blue head and red rump; female is quite different in being much duller-olive green and lacking red rump.