Birds

Introduction

The ELZ (Environmental Living Zone) has a variety of habitats and a correspondingly wide variety of birds, some resident, some annual migrants and others varying from occasional visitors to rare vagrants. These include the threatened Powerful Owl and other species that are rarely found so close to Melbourne such as the White-throated Nightjar, Lewin’s Rail, Spotless Crake, Olive Whistler, Red-browed Treecreeper and Fuscous, Spiny-Cheeked, and Yellow-Tufted Honeyeaters.

By observing and recording the birds in the ELZ over the last 37+ years, BICA has built a reliable database which gives a clear indication of the status of each of the birds recorded.

There are a number of keen birders in the ELZ who regularly attend the monthly Bird Survey Walk. This activity is open to all, caters for all levels of experience and is a great way to improve one's birding skills. See BICA Bird Survey Walks below for information on these bird walks. See BICA Bird Survey Record‍ ‍for the cumulative record of our surveys over the last 37+ years.

Please pass on any observation records to the BICA Committee: bicacomm@gmail.com

Quicklinks

BICA Bird Survey Record– A long-term summary of results for the BICA Bird Survey Walks
Spring Arrivals - Records from the Co-op from 1995-2025, to help keep track of our summer migrants
ELZ Annual Bird Recorder‍ ‍- A checklist, formatted for recording monthly sightings throughout the year
Superb Lyrebird Records - Records of the Superb Lyrebird in the ELZ 2000-2022
Predation of Eastern Rosella Nests 2016-2025 - by Sugar Gliders and Ringtail Possums

Local Bird Life in the Bend of Islands

Eastern Rosella Chick Fledging in the Bend

Wedge Tail Eagle Gliding in the Bend

BICA Bird Survey

The BICA bird survey is carried out on a monthly basis. Members meet on the morning of the second Sunday of each month.

The Bend of Islands area has been divided into three sections, corresponding roughly to different habitat types. Over a period of a few years each section is visited over a range of months.

The survey has been running monthly since May 1989. Continuous records have been kept during this time. Over 180 species have been recorded so-far. The complete BICA Bird Survey Record for the Environmental living Zone is a summary of the records of the monthly BICA Bird Survey but also includes a few species that have been recorded on other occasions. The list is in alphabetical order using common names.

Records are submitted to the Birds Australia Atlas on an annual basis.

All are welcome to take part in the survey. Meet at the corner of Catani Boulevard and Henley Road, near the south station of the Christmas Hills Fire Brigade, on the second Sunday of each month.

Check the BICA Calendar for start times for each month.

BICA members at the 100th monthly bird survey.

Identification Assistance

To help get you started or to hone your skills on a few of our common bird groups, here are some articles from previous BICA Newsletters.

Getting Familiar - Is a general information article to birding in the Bend of Islands. The table in this article shows a list from the most commonly observed to the less common species
Spring Arrivals - This list will help you keep track of some of our migratory species i.e., those that only visit during the warmer months
The Thornbill Species - Thornbills are small brownish bush birds and for the beginner, it is often hard to determine which species of Thornbill you are looking at. This article gives a simple key to identification of the Thornbills that have been recorded in the Bend of Islands
Red Breasted Robins- This article helps sort out the five species of red breasted robins that occur in the Bend of Islands
Cuckoos - This is a guide to Cuckoos in the Bend of Islands
Brown Hawks - The Brown Goshawk and Collared Sparrowhawk are similar birds that can be hard to identify. This article gives a number of ways in which these two brown hawks can be distinguished from each other
Superb Lyrebird- A relatively recent arrival in the Bend of Islands after a 40 year absence
ELZ Annual Bird Recorder - The monthly checklist for recording birds on a monthly basis so annual patterns can be recorded.

Return of the Superb Lyrebird

The return of the Superb Lyrebird to the ELZ in 2000, after a 38 year absence, is indeed exciting. It has been established that breeding events have occurred since 2015. Successful breeding has been in monitored 2023, 2024, and 2025.

Head to our Superb Lyrebird page for more information on the species and our community monitoring work.

Details of the community’s monitoring of this can be found here: Superb Lyrebird Records.

Please pass on any observation records to the BICA Committee: bicacomm@gmail.com

Superb Lyrebird Information and Monitoring