Illustrated Life List

This page documents the bird species I have observed, photographed, or audio recorded across Australia and overseas. Species are organised taxonomically following the eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World v2024. Each entry includes the date and location of my first observation, alongside indicators for whether I have photographed and/or audio recorded the species, and the countries in which I have encountered it.

The list can be filtered by taxonomic family, by country, the year I first saw each species, whether or not I have photographed it and/or the quality of that photograph. Individual species can also be searched for.

The photos aren't all good! There are plenty of species that I've seen only once or only fleetingly, or have simply never had a good opportunity to shoot. Part of the fun of this for me is identifying where I can improve on my best shot for a species. There's a quality indicator against each photo.

My proper life list can be seen here.

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Species details

Observation details

Photography Photographed
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Location abbreviations
BG
Botanic Garden
BR
Bushland Reserve
CP
Conservation Park
CR
Conservation Reserve
NCA
Nature Conservation Area
NCR
Nature Conservation Reserve
NNR
National Nature Reserve
NP
National Park
RP
Regional Park
RSPBR
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Reserve
SF
State Forest
SP
State Park
SSSI
Site of Special Scientific Interest
WR
Wildlife Reserve
379 379 0 7 Elegant Parrot, 23 March 2026

Ostriches 1 species

Cassowaries and Emu 1 species

Screamers 1 species

Horned Screamer

Anhima cornuta

First seen Cocha Machuhuasi 12 December 2010
Photo: Cocha Machuhuasi, 12 December 2010
No trip reports
🇵🇪

Waterfowl 31 species

Mallard

Anas platyrhynchos

First seen London 1 February 2025
Photo: Volkspark Mariendorf, 15 February 2025
3 trip reports
🇧🇦 🇩🇪 🇲🇰 🇬🇧

Megapodes 3 species

Malleefowl

Leipoa ocellata

First seen Patchewollock CR 4 November 2023
Photo: Patchewollock CR, 4 November 2023
No trip reports
🇦🇺

Grouse, Quail, and Allies 1 species

Pigeons and Doves 15 species

Bustards 1 species

Cuckoos 6 species

Smooth-billed Ani

Crotophaga ani

First seen Cocha Machuhuasi 12 December 2010
Photo: Cocha Machuhuasi, 12 December 2010
No trip reports
🇵🇪

Frogmouths 1 species

Owlet-nightjars 1 species

Swifts 2 species

Rails, Gallinules, and Allies 6 species

Cranes 1 species

Shorebirds 29 species

Grey-tailed Tattler

Tringa brevipes

First seen Cape Conran 22 December 2024
Photo: Sailors Grave, Cape Conran, 22 December 2024
No trip reports
🇦🇺

Common Redshank

Tringa totanus

First seen Queenborough Shore 6 February 2025
Photo: Holkham NNR, 10 February 2025
No trip reports
🇬🇧

Great Knot

Calidris tenuirostris

First seen Lake Tyers 25 December 2024
Photo: Lake Tyers, 25 December 2024
No trip reports
🇦🇺

Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers 10 species

Common Gull

Larus canus

First seen Jubilee Gardens 1 February 2025
Photo: Sheringham, 9 February 2025
2 trip reports
🇩🇪 🇬🇧

Little Tern

Sternula albifrons

First seen Bullock Island 23 December 2024
Photo: Lake Tyers, 24 December 2024
1 trip report
🇦🇺

Grebes 4 species

Hoatzin 1 species

Hoatzin

Opisthocomus hoazin

First seen Cocha Machuhuasi 12 December 2010
Photo: Cocha Machuhuasi, 12 December 2010
No trip reports
🇵🇪

Albatrosses 1 species

Storm-petrels 1 species

White-faced Storm-petrel

Pelagodroma marina

First seen Altona Beach 24 February 2024
Photo: Altona Beach, 24 February 2024
No trip reports
🇦🇺

Storks 1 species

Frigatebirds, Boobies, and Gannets 1 species

Cormorants and Anhingas 6 species

Herons, Ibis, and Allies 17 species

Pelicans 1 species

Vultures, Hawks, and Allies 14 species

Square-tailed Kite

Lophoictinia isura

First seen Cabbage Tree Creek 22 December 2024
Photo: Wedderburn, 31 December 2025
No trip reports
🇦🇺

Owls 7 species

Powerful Owl

Ninox strenua

First seen Carlton Gardens 16 August 2024
Photo: Fitzroy North, 6 April 2025
No trip reports
🇦🇺

Barking Owl

Ninox connivens

First seen Darwin 24 August 2025
Photo: Darwin, 24 August 2025
No trip reports
🇦🇺

Bee-eaters 1 species

Kingfishers 8 species

Rollers and Allies 1 species

Woodpeckers 2 species

Falcons and Caracaras 4 species

Cockatoos 9 species

Galah

Eolophus roseicapilla

First seen Brisbane Ranges 1 July 2023
Photo: Bendigo BG, 10 April 2026
33 trip reports
🇦🇺

Parrots, Parakeets, and Allies 24 species

Northern Rosella

Platycercus venustus

First seen Darwin River 25 August 2025
Photo: Darwin River, 25 August 2025
No trip reports
🇦🇺

Mulga Parrot

Psephotellus varius

First seen Patchewollock CR 4 November 2023
Photo: Patchewollock CR, 8 November 2024
No trip reports
🇦🇺

Scaly-breasted Lorikeet

Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus

First seen Cascade Gardens 25 June 2024
Photo: Cascade Park, 30 April 2025
No trip reports
🇦🇺

Blue-and-yellow Macaw

Ara ararauna

First seen Mirador Atalaya 12 December 2010
Photo: Mirador Atalaya, 12 December 2010
No trip reports
🇵🇪

Scarlet Macaw

Ara macao

First seen Mirador Atalaya 12 December 2010
Photo: Mirador Atalaya, 12 December 2010
No trip reports
🇵🇪

Old World Pittas 1 species

Tyrant Flycatchers: Pewees, Kingbirds, and Allies 1 species

Social Flycatcher

Myiozetetes similis

First seen Cocha Machuhuasi 12 December 2010
Photo: Cocha Machuhuasi, 12 December 2010
No trip reports
🇵🇪

Scrub-birds and Bowerbirds 2 species

Australian Treecreepers 2 species

Fairywrens 9 species

Honeyeaters 35 species

White-fronted Honeyeater

Purnella albifrons

First seen Dimboola 3 November 2023
Photo: Mount Monster CP, 28 March 2026
No trip reports
🇦🇺

Pardalotes 2 species

Thornbills and Allies 16 species

Rockwarbler

Origma solitaria

First seen Leets Vale 15 November 2024
Photo: Leets Vale, 15 November 2024
No trip reports
🇦🇺

Pseudo-babblers 3 species

Cuckooshrikes 3 species

Sittellas 1 species

Australo-Papuan Bellbirds 1 species

Shrike-tits 1 species

Whistlers and Allies 5 species

Old World Orioles 3 species

Woodswallows 2 species

Bellmagpies and Allies 5 species

Fantails 5 species

Drongos 1 species

Monarch Flycatchers 5 species

White-winged Chough and Apostlebird 2 species

Jays, Magpies, Crows, and Ravens 6 species

Australasian Robins 9 species

Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice 4 species

Marsh Tit

Poecile palustris

First seen Godmersham 6 February 2025
Photo: Godmersham, 6 February 2025
1 trip report
🇬🇧

Eurasian Blue Tit

Cyanistes caeruleus

First seen Russell Square 1 February 2025
Photo: Godmersham, 6 February 2025
3 trip reports
🇧🇦 🇩🇪 🇬🇧

Larks 1 species

Cisticolas and Allies 1 species

Reed Warblers and Allies 1 species

Grassbirds and Allies 3 species

Martins and Swallows 3 species

Bulbuls 1 species

Bush Warblers and Allies 1 species

Long-tailed Tits and Bushtit 1 species

White-eyes, Yuhinas and Allies 2 species

Kinglets 1 species

Nuthatches 1 species

Treecreepers 2 species

Wrens 1 species

Starlings and Mynas 2 species

Common Starling

Sturnus vulgaris

First seen* Highbury Fields 1 February 2025
Photo: Collingwood Children's Farm, 30 July 2025
25 trip reports
🇦🇺 🇧🇦 🇲🇰 🇬🇧

Thrushes 2 species

Common Blackbird

Turdus merula

First seen* Tavistock Place 1 February 2025
Photo: Emerald Lake, 20 November 2024
27 trip reports
🇦🇺 🇧🇦 🇩🇪 🇲🇰 🇬🇧

Old World Flycatchers 2 species

Flowerpeckers 1 species

Estrildids 9 species

Masked Finch

Poephila personata

First seen Darwin River 25 August 2025
Photo: Darwin River, 25 August 2025
No trip reports
🇦🇺

Gouldian Finch

Chloebia gouldiae

First seen Darwin River 25 August 2025
Photo: Darwin River, 25 August 2025
No trip reports
🇦🇺

Accentors 1 species

Old World Sparrows 1 species

Wagtails and Pipits 1 species

Finches, Euphonias, and Allies 3 species

Redpoll

Acanthis flammea

First seen Godmersham 6 February 2025
Photo: Godmersham, 6 February 2025
No trip reports
🇬🇧

Old World Buntings 1 species