Aussie Backyard Bird Count results are in

The 2019 Aussie Backyard Bird Count has identified nearly 9,000 birds including 106 different species and six introduced species within the City of South Perth.

Figures just released by Birdlife Australia, following the annual survey which was conducted in October last year, shows that even as the iconic Aussie backyard continues to shrink they still attract a range of birds.

The Silver Gull was the most detected species and the Little Black Cormorant came in second.  All but two of the 15 species are considered to have secure populations in Western Australia and all are native to Australia.

Six introduced species were observed and recorded within the council boundaries including, Laughing Dove, Spotted Dove, Black Duck-Mallard hybrid, Northern Mallard, Rock Dove, Domestic Duck.

Seven species of bird were recorded within the council boundaries that are listed as either threatened, rare or poorly known and require further surveys to understand their correct status. These include, Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo, Carnaby's Black-Cockatoo, Australasian Bittern, Western Rosella, Blue-billed Duck, Brush Bronzewing, Barking Owl.

In total:

• 258 observers participated in the bird count
• Observers spent 57 hours and 21 minutes surveying
• A total of 8,874 individual birds were observed and recorded during bird week

The Aussie Backyard Bird Count is one of the largest citizen science projects of this nature in Australia. The project provides an opportunity for everyone, from school children, senior citizens, families and community groups to become scientists for one week every October.

With over 85% of Australians living in urban environments with often limited opportunities to experience nature, the Aussie Backyard Bird Count is a great way to get outside and connect with nature.

We know more about our threatened birds than we do about our common backyard birds and the Aussie Backyard Bird Count helps to fill this knowledge gap, as well as increasing our understanding of Australian bird species that live where people live.

The complete list of birds identified includes: Silver Gull, Little Black Cormorant, Rainbow Lorikeet, Australian Raven, Red Wattlebird, Australian Magpie, Willie Wagtail, Australian White Ibis, Black Swan, Magpie-lark, New Holland Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, Singing Honeyeater, Western Wattlebird, Black-faced Cormorant, Pacific Black Duck, Dusky Moorhen, Australian Bustard, Australian Wood Duck, Little Crow, Australasian Darter, Galah, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Welcome Swallow, Eurasian Coot, Little Corella, Australian Pelican, Pied Cormorant, Osprey, Diamond Dove, Great Cormorant, Musk Duck, Purple Swamphen, Laughing Kookaburra, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Dusky Woodswallow, Pacific Gull, Red-capped Parrot, Silvereye, White-cheeked Honeyeater, Grey Butcherbird, Australian Ringneck, Glossy Ibis, Zebra Finch, Australasian Shoveler, Brown-headed Honeyeater, Nankeen Night-Heron, Crested Pigeon, Black Falcon, White-faced Heron, Great Crested Grebe, Great Egret, Hardhead, Rainbow Bee-eater, Tawny-crowned Honeyeater, White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Australian Reed-Warbler, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Cockatiel, Grey Teal, Purple-crowned Lorikeet, White-fronted Honeyeater, Australasian Grebe, Black-eared Cuckoo, Jacky Winter, Little Pied Cormorant, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Western Corella, Buff-banded Rail, Fork-tailed Swift, Pied Stilt, Australian Hobby, Australian Shelduck, Blue-breasted Fairy-wren, Emu, Grey Shrike-thrush, Little Egret, Peaceful Dove, Straw-necked Ibis, Australasian Gannet, Australasian Pipit, Australian Painted-snipe, Caspian Tern, Chestnut-breasted Mannikin, Collared Sparrowhawk, Crested Tern, Freckled Duck, Little Grassbird, Mistletoe bird, Southern Boobook, Swamp Harrier, White-necked Heron, Yellow-billed Spoonbill.

The next Aussie Backyard Bird Count will take place from 19-25 October 2020. To view the full 2019 report click here.