The 2020 Aussie Backyard Bird Count results are in

The 2020 Aussie Backyard Bird Count has identified 5,000 birds including 78 different 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.

In total:

• 113 observers participated in the bird count, submitting 192 checklists
• Observers spent 62 hours and 1 minute surveying
• A total of 5,089 individual birds were observed and recorded during bird week 

Eight of the ten most abundant bird species recorded within the City of South Perth boundaries are native to Western Australia, while the Rainbow Lorikeet and Laughing Dove are both locally introduced. Bird abundances ranged from 178 to 692 individual birds. All eight native species are considered to have secure populations in Western Australia.

The most counted species, the Rainbow Lorikeet was the second-most counted species across the state, despite being introduced to Perth, and most counted in the country. The second-most counted species, the Silver Gull, was the eighth-most abundant species nationally and eleventh in the state.

Seven introduced bird species were recorded within the council boundaries during the count. The Laughing Kookaburra, Long-billed Corella, and Rainbow Lorikeet have all been introduced from eastern Australia, where all three species are native.

The least commonly observed bird species recorded within the City of South Perth boundaries all corresponded to one single survey observation and included:

• Australian Spotted Crake
• Banded Stilt
• Black-fronted Dotterel
• Black-shouldered Kite
• Common Sandpiper
• Crested Pigeon
• Crested Tern
• Domestic Duck
• Freckled Duck
• Grey Fantail
• Grey Teal
• Hoary-headed Grebe
• Long-billed Corella
• Pallid Cuckoo
• Rainbow Bee-eater
• Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo (VU)
• Sacred Kingfisher
• Southern Boobook
• Straw-necked Ibis
• Tree Martin
• White-browed Scrubwren.

In total, four species of bird listed as threatened were recorded within the council boundaries. The Blue-billed Duck, Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoo, and Fairy Tern were all recorded in over 1% of total surveys (though this amounted to just two surveys for each of the latter two species).

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 next Aussie Backyard Bird Count will take place from 18-24 October 2021. To view the full 2020 report click here.