Birds & Animals of Australia

Birds & Animals of Australia

A collection of native birds and animals of Australia.

Cover Image: Eastern Water Dragon
Eastern Water Dragons are extremely shy in the wild, but readily adapt to continual human presence in suburban parks and gardens. They are fast runners and strong climbers. When presented with a potential predator, they seek cover in thick vegetation, or drop from an overhanging branch into water. They are able to swim totally submerged, and rest on the bottom of shallow creeks or lakes for up to 90 minutes,to avoid detection.

Great Egret
The Great Egret is a large bird with all-white plumage that can reach one metre in height and weigh up to 950 grams (2.1 lb). It is thus only slightly smaller than the Great Blue or Grey Heron. Apart from size, the Great Egret can be distinguished from other white egrets by its yellow bill and black legs and feet, though the bill may become darker and the lower legs lighter in the breeding season.

Eclectus Parrot

The male Eclectus Parrot is bright green except for red under the wings and a bright orange beak and a black tail. The female Eclectus Parrot is so different it was once thought to be a different species. It is bright scarlet except for a dark blue belly and back and a black beak. Even tiny Eclectus Parrots look different. Male chicks are a grey ball of fluff, female chicks are a black ball of fluff.

They grow up in a hollow high in a rainforest tree where the female lays two eggs. And she almost never leaves them in case another female takes her nest hole. She does not starve because lots of different males come to feed her rainforest seeds and fruits at her nest.

Eastern Grey Kangaroo
The Eastern Grey Kangaroo’s fur is woolly and grey-brown in colour, and they have a small head with big ears. Their tail can grow up to 4 feet long which is very helpful for balancing and standing up straight. An Eastern Grey Kangaroo can live anywhere from 15-20 years of age in the wild. A big male can measure up to 2.8 meters from his nose to the tip of his tail, and can weigh up to 66kg. Females are much smaller only reaching approximately 32kg.

Seagull
The Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae) also known simply as “seagull” in Australia, is the most common gull seen in Australia. It has been found throughout the continent, but particularly coastal areas.

Kookaburra
Kookaburras (genus Dacelo) are large to very large (total length 28–42 cm/11-17 in) terrestrial kingfishers native to Australia and New Guinea, the name a loanword from Wiradjuri guuguubarra, which is onomatopoeic of its call.

Kookaburras are best known for their unmistakable call, which is uncannily like loud, echoing human laughter — good-natured, but rather hysterical, merriment in the case of the well-known Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae); and maniacal cackling in the case of the slightly smaller Blue-winged Kookaburra (D. leachii). They are generally not closely associated with water, and can be found in habitats ranging from humid forest to arid savanna, but also in suburban and residential areas near running water and where food can be searched for easily.

Rainbow Lorrikeet
The Rainbow Lorikeet is very colourful – almost every colour of the rainbow can be found on their feathers. They are not large birds, with a Rainbow Lorikeet’s length ranging from 25-30 cm (9.8-11.8 in) in size, and have a wingspan of about 17 cm (6.7 in). The markings of the best known subspecies T. h. moluccanus are particularly striking. The features distinguishing a Rainbow Lorikeet include a dark blue or violet-blue head and stomach, a bright green back, tail and vent, and an orange breast and beak. Several subspecies have darker scalloped markings across the orange or red breast.

Green Tree Frog
The Green Tree Frog is larger than most Australian frogs, reaching 10 centimetres (4 inches) in length. The average lifespan of the frog in captivity, about sixteen years, is long in comparison with most frogs. Green Tree Frogs are docile and well suited to living near human dwellings. They are often found on windows or inside houses, eating insects drawn by the light.

Due to its physical and behavioural traits, the Green Tree Frog has become one of the most recognisable frogs in its region, and is a popular exotic pet throughout the world. The skin secretions of the frog have antibacterial and antiviral properties that may prove useful in pharmaceutical preparations.

White Faced Heron
The White-faced Heron is mostly light blue-grey in colour, with a characteristic white face. In flight, the dark flight feathers of the wing contrast with the paler grey plumage, making this bird easily identifiable when viewed from below. It has a long, slim neck and a pointed grey-black bill. The legs are long and dull yellow in colour. Sexes are similar. When breeding, the birds have long feathers (nuptial plumes) on the head, neck and back. The White-faced Heron has a slow bouncing flight. Young White-faced Herons are similar in appearance to the non-breeding adults (no nuptial plumes), but are duller, with little or no white on the face. They often have a reddish colour on the underparts.

Available for sale as

Calendars