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.

Filters

Species details

Observation details

Year seen 2024
Clear all
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
304 246 58 7 Song Thrush, 2 February 2025

Cassowaries and Emu 1 species

Waterfowl 16 species

Megapodes 1 species

Grouse, Quail, and Allies 2 species

Pigeons and Doves 10 species

No species photograph available

White-headed Pigeon

Columba leucomela

First seen Cabbage Tree Creek 23 December 2024
Photo: Not yet.
No trip reports
🇦🇺
No species photograph available

Topknot Pigeon

Lopholaimus antarcticus

First seen Cabbage Tree Creek 22 December 2024
Photo: Not yet.
No trip reports
🇦🇺

Cuckoos 7 species

Frogmouths 1 species

Swifts 1 species

Rails, Gallinules, and Allies 9 species

Cranes 1 species

Shorebirds 28 species

Grey-tailed Tattler

Tringa brevipes

First seen Cape Conran 22 December 2024
Photo: Sailors Grave, Cape Conran, 22 December 2024
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 11 species

Little Tern

Sternula albifrons

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

Grebes 3 species

Penguins 1 species

No species photograph available

Little Penguin

Eudyptula minor

First seen The Nobbies 13 October 2024
Photo: Not yet.
No trip reports
🇦🇺

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
🇦🇺

Frigatebirds, Boobies, and Gannets 1 species

Cormorants and Anhingas 6 species

Herons, Ibis, and Allies 13 species

Pelicans 1 species

Vultures, Hawks, and Allies 13 species

No species photograph available

Osprey

Pandion haliaetus

First seen Swan Bay 11 August 2024
Photo: Not yet.
No trip reports
🇦🇺

Square-tailed Kite

Lophoictinia isura

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

Owls 2 species

Powerful Owl

Ninox strenua

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

Bee-eaters 1 species

Kingfishers 4 species

Rollers and Allies 1 species

Falcons and Caracaras 4 species

Cockatoos 8 species

Galah

Eolophus roseicapilla

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

Parrots, Parakeets, and Allies 20 species

No species photograph available

Orange-bellied Parrot

Neophema chrysogaster

First seen Coastal Victoria 9 June 2024
Photo: Not yet.
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
🇦🇺

Lyrebirds 1 species

Scrub-birds and Bowerbirds 1 species

Australian Treecreepers 3 species

Fairywrens 7 species

Honeyeaters 29 species

White-fronted Honeyeater

Purnella albifrons

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

Bristlebirds 1 species

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
🇦🇺
No species photograph available

Inland Thornbill

Acanthiza apicalis

First seen Patchewollock CR 4 November 2023
Photo: Not yet.
No trip reports
🇦🇺

Pseudo-babblers 3 species

Quail-thrushes and Jewel-babblers 1 species

Cuckooshrikes 2 species

Sittellas 1 species

Whipbirds and Wedgebills 1 species

Australo-Papuan Bellbirds 1 species

Shrike-tits 1 species

Whistlers and Allies 5 species

No species photograph available

Olive Whistler

Pachycephala olivacea

First seen Cabbage Tree Creek 22 December 2024
Photo: Not yet.
No trip reports
🇦🇺

Old World Orioles 2 species

Woodswallows 4 species

Bellmagpies and Allies 5 species

Fantails 3 species

Monarch Flycatchers 5 species

White-winged Chough and Apostlebird 2 species

Jays, Magpies, Crows, and Ravens 5 species

Australasian Robins 8 species

Larks 2 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

White-eyes, Yuhinas and Allies 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 3 species

Common Blackbird

Turdus merula

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

Flowerpeckers 1 species

Estrildids 6 species

Old World Sparrows 1 species

Wagtails and Pipits 1 species

Finches, Euphonias, and Allies 2 species