2021 Aussie Backyard Bird Count results

News Update 5 April 2022

The 2021 Aussie Backyard Bird Count has identified 5,005 birds including 73 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, show in total:

  • 146 observers participated in the bird count, submitting 199 checklists
  • Observers spent 62 hours and 40 minute surveying
  • A total of 5,005 individual birds were observed and recorded during bird week.

Most Common Species

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. All eight native species are considered to have secure populations in Western Australia.

The most counted species, the Rainbow Lorikeet was also the most counted species across the state, despite being introduced to Perth, and most counted in the country. The second-most counted species, the Australian Magpie, was both the third-most counted in the state and nationally.

The third-most abundant species, the Australian Raven, was the fourth-most counted in the state and 23rd nationally. Most of the species in the City of South Perth Top 10 have relatively similar standings to the state-wide average, reflecting the similarity of the council’s urban/suburban habitat to the other urbanised regions of the south-west (from which the vast majority of WA surveys are submitted).

  1. Rainbow Lorikeet
  2. Australian Magpie

  3. Australian Raven

  4. Red Wattlebird

  5. New Holland Honeyeater

  6. Willie Wagtail

  7. Laughing Dove

  8. Singing Honeyeater

  9. Silver Gull

  10. Galah

Least Common Species

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

  • Brown Goshawk 
  • Caspian Tern 
  • Common Bronzewing 
  • Domestic Duck * 
  • Freckled Duck 
  • Great Crested Grebe 
  • Grey Fantail 
  • Grey Teal 
  • Little Grassbird 
  • Long-billed Corella 
  • Nankeen Kestrel 
  • Rainbow Bee-eater 
  • Rufous Whistler 
  • Spotted Pardalote 
  • Straw-necked Ibis
  • Tree Martin 
  • Weebill 

  • Western Spinebill.

All but one of the 18 bird species reported only once are native to Australia.

About the Aussie Backyard Bird Count

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 17-23 October 2022.

View the full 2021 City of South Perth Bird Count results.

View the National report.

Media contact

For media enquiries, please contact the City’s Communications Officer.