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Description:
Large brown hawk.
Food is a mix of live prey - small birds, rabbits and a lot of road killed carrion
(possums, hares, hedgehogs).
Wary birds and avoid humans.
Habitat:
Usually seen soaring singly over farmland, open country or swamps.
Commonly patrols roads and a lot of young birds killed by cars.
Size:
Description:
Large black coastal wader with long straight red beak and red eye.
Many birds display variable degrees of whiteness of underparts.
Territoral, usually seen in pairs but small non-breeding groups occur.
Sharp "kleep kleep kleep" call with musical piping during ritualised courtship.
Habitat:
Typically only seen in estuaries or on the coast.
Description:
Black cap, brown back and wings, white underparts with bright yellow facial wattles
(like a plastic mask).
Strident rattling unmistakable calls.
Slow deliberate wing beats in flight.
Are early nesters from May onwards on open ground.
Defends nest aggressively against the , and humans.
Habitat:
Conspicuous birds of open country and farmland.
Size:
Description:
A starling-sized brown bird with white underparts on which are black throat and
reddish-chestnut bands.
Defends nesting territory vigorously against dotterels of same species.
Habitat:
Inhabits sandy beaches and stony riverbeds.
Size:
Description:
Our largest gull, black and white with yellow beak.
Juveniles have mottled brown plumage and only attain adult plumage by 3-4 years.
Numbers have increased enormously near urban centres which provide more sources of food.
Habitat:
Never far off-shore, but can be seen soaring over all parts of the country
including our mountain ranges.
An opportunistic feeder seen on wet pastures, cultivated land,
rubbish tips, sewer outlets.
Size:
Description:
Our commonest small gull and the one invariably seen on TV during Test Cricket matches.
Grey and white gull with red beak and legs.
Habitat:
Usually coastal but flocks may be seen feeding or roosting on cultivated paddocks or
sports fields within a few miles of the sea.
is the first species to appear when you toss out some food at a beach
picnic.
.
Description:
Our commonest tern. Pearl grey and white with swallow tail and black cap
separated by white forehead from black beak.
This feature gives bird its name.
Habitat:
Rarely observed away from the coast.
Look for flocks just offshore diving for small fish.
In breeding season often seen flying back to chicks with small fish in beak.
Description:
Large silver-grey tern with strong red beak and jet black cap in breeding season,
which becomes smudgy in winter.
Loud harsh call "kaaa". Dives for small fish.
Habitat:
Most commonly seen patrolling inshore coastal waters, flying with head and beak pointed down looking for fish.
Usually single birds seen.
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Australasian Harrier
(Circus approximans)
Variable Oystercatcher
(Haematopus unicolour)
Spur-winged Plover (Vanellus novaehollandiae)
Banded Dotterel (Charardrius bicinctus)
Black-backed Gull (Larus dominicanus)
Red-billed Gull
(Larus scopulinus)
White-Fronted Tern
(Sterna striata)
Caspian Tern
(Sterna caspia)