Birds Queensland in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia | Sport & recreation

Birds Queensland

Locality: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Address: 52 Merthyr Road, New Farm 4005 Brisbane, QLD, Australia

Website: http://birdsqueensland.org.au/

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• Sport & recreation
• Non-profit organisation
• Environmental conservation organisation

25.01.2022 Everyone will have heard a Pacific Koel even if they have not seen one. In the western suburbs of Brisbane their piercing calls serve as a 5am alarm clock through summer. They are also known as the Common Koel, Eastern Koel, Storm Bird or Rainbird. The latter names are derived from the call that is said to foreshadow rain. Koels are large cuckoos. The female has a black crown and is mottled cream, black and brown. The female colouring, size and shape somewhat resembles a smal...l Coucal but they are easily differentiated. The male has glossy black plumage and a striking red eye. The Pacific Koel is a brood parasite. The eggs are thought to be laid mostly in the nests of Red-wattlebirds, Noisy Friarbirds, Figbirds and Magpie Larks. Some reports suggest that unlike other cuckoos, they are thought not to kill the other chicks in the nest. However, other reports state that they eject/kill the other chicks. Read more about our fascinating Bird of the Month here: https://birdsqueensland.org.au/bird-of-month.php Photo: I & J Brown

24.01.2022 An art exhibition by Migaloo Press Artists Collective titled "Wetlanders: The Overwintering Project Moreton Bay" will open on 25th October at the Redlands Art Gallery. Part of the national Overwintering Project, it aims to promote awareness of the plight of migratory shorebirds and their threatened habitat. http://artgallery.redland.qld.gov.au//wetlanders-the-over/

24.01.2022 Online seminar on "Changing Landscapes impact on birds":

24.01.2022 The White-throated Treecreeper is a resident of the east coast of the Australian mainland and occurs in forests foraging on rough barked trunks and large branches for insects including ants and beetles. The sweet sap from wounds in eucalypt trees is also eaten. It is seldom seen feeding on the ground and is not highly sociable compared to Brown Treecreepers who live in groups and forage together. Like the Brown Treecreeper it spirals up tree trunks and along branches. The a...dult female is more colourful than the male as she has a rufous spot below ear coverts. Read more about our bird of the month here: https://birdsqueensland.org.au/bird-of-month.php Photo: I. & J. Brown

23.01.2022 Get them while they're young! Birdlife is looking to start guided walks for budding birders aged 7-14 years old. The first information session is this Saturday 16th 9am at Minnippi Parkland Lagoon.

19.01.2022 Everyone knows an Australian white ibis, they are the bird at the park on the picnic table. But did you know they are a protected native species that plays an i...mportant role in nature? Help us better understand the ibis and all the great things they do by counting all their friends during national bird week. You can help by looking for ibis during the nationwide count between Monday 19th and Sunday 25th October 2020 and recording your numbers at https://j.mp/312EqRZ The information will assist scientists and decision makers to better conserve and manage this important Aussie icon! #nationalbirdweek #ibiswatch #protectednativespecies

18.01.2022 Much needed rainfall saw a bumper year for our inland birds:

16.01.2022 The Brisbane City Council has been trialling dog off-leash areas on beaches in Moreton Bay, specifically at Manly, Nudgee and Sandgate. The opening up of these beaches to dogs which are off-leash will most likely adversely affect our shorebirds, many of which are already under threat. As far as can be determined, there have been no structured surveys to assess the impact of the trials. The Council is seeking feedback via a survey (link below).... Please help protect our shorebirds by completing the survey before the 24th July. https://yoursay.brisbane.qld.gov.au/FDOLA

16.01.2022 Join us at our November meeting! We are now opening our meetings to visitors, but please book through Eventbrite as there is a limit on attendance in order to adhere to COVID-19 restrictions. https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/birds-queensland-november-m... Our two talks for November are: - Silvester Diggles: Early Queensland Naturalist - Environmental Impact Assessments for Threatened Birds in Queensland

15.01.2022 The Grey-headed Robin is the largest Australian robin, multi-coloured in subdued 'tortoiseshell' shades, and is endemic to upland Wet Tropics rainforest. Their most frequent call is wellknown a thin, piping sequence that goes slightly 'off-key'. Grey-headed Robins occupy notophyll vine forest from the top of Mt Bartle Frere Queensland’s highest mountain at over 1600 m down to about 200 m asl. Although rainforest-dependent, Grey-headed Robins are frequently recorded on a...djacent roadsides and edges, in wattle-dominated regrowth, in previously logged forest and even in gardens and new restoration plantings close to rainforest or remnants. Read more about our bird of the month here: https://birdsqueensland.org.au/bird-of-month.php Photo: J & I Brown

14.01.2022 African American birdwatcher Christian Cooper, who filmed a white woman in Central Park making a false report to the police after she was asked to put a leash o...n her dog, has ignited an important conversation around race and birdwatching. Fellow black birdwatcher Jacqueline L. Scott wrote this compelling article about what we should know about black birders. Does the birdwatching community in Australia face similar issues? Contact us at [email protected] to share your experiences.

13.01.2022 The Cicada Film Festival is a short-film competition that is helping youth to be heard. It is open to anyone under 25 across South-East Queensland to make a film depicting environmental concerns and to suggest solutions. For example, featuring our beautiful birds and the importance of protecting their habitat. There are prizes to be won, more information: https://cicadafilmfestival.com.au/ Entries close on Threatened Species Day, September 7th

12.01.2022 The unique Palm Cockatoo in trouble:

11.01.2022 Photo credit: Ross Monks

10.01.2022 Just dropping the kids off at school! Photographer Paul Thomsen captured this beautiful moment of a male comb-crested jacana with his chicks at Yellow Waters ...Billabong in the Northern Territory. The comb-crested jacana is an Australian native waterbird and can be spotted around Top End wetlands. They're also known as lotus birds or Jesus birds for their ability to seemingly walk on water. Male jacana's are like stay-at-home dads, as the mother disappears after laying the eggs, leaving him to look after the chicks. When the father senses danger he will bundle his chicks up in his wings to carry them to safety. How cute!

10.01.2022 Great news - large flocks of Gouldian finches have been sighted in Queensland for the first time in the last century.

10.01.2022 Our Bustard is the only representative of the Family Otidae, which has about 24 species spread through Africa, Europe and Asia. It is one of our heaviest flying birds and inhabits open grassland and open woodland across much of Australia. Similar to a number of inland species, it has a fairly nomadic lifestyle with loose flocks moving around as conditions on the grasslands suffer during droughts. The healthy vegetation growth after good rain will often see flocks of 20-50 bir...ds in an area of a few hectares. This species is generally polygynous with mature males holding a small display territory which a few females will visit. The male’s display is a quite a spectacle. It includes a hoarse roar which appears to be part of a two-phase process, sucking the air in and then expelling it as the roar comes from its chest sac. Read more about our Bird of the Month here: https://birdsqueensland.org.au/bird-of-month.php Photo: I & J Brown

09.01.2022 Owls, kites and other birds of prey are dying from eating rats and mice that have ingested Second Generation rodent poisons. Australia is reviewing the use of these dangerous chemicals right now and you can make a submission to help get them off supermarket shelves and make sure only licenced operators can use them. https://www.actforbirds.org/ratpoison... Those who wish to write their own submissions can do so here: https://apvma.gov.au/node/65686

09.01.2022 Spring is well and truly here. And for those of us who cycle, this might be better known as magpie swooping season. But what causes magpies to swoop and what can we do to avoid it? https://blog.csiro.au/magpie-swooping-season/

08.01.2022 There has been a ten-fold increase in citizen science bird surveys due to COVID-19! You can continue to help monitor birds in your local area through the Birds in Backyards surveys (https://www.birdsinbackyards.net/), or submit lists through Birdata (https://birdata.birdlife.org.au/) or eBird

08.01.2022 Single-use plastics might be convenient, but it comes at a huge cost to the environment and to our wildlife. It's estimated that globally, one million seabirds die each year due to plastic ingestion or entanglement. Queensland has taken the first steps to banning single-use plastics, and are now looking to expand this to include polystyrene. Consultation closes on 15th January, have your say here: https://www.qld.gov.au//plastic-pollu/expanded-polystyrene

08.01.2022 A special aviary is on display at the Queensland Museum, featuring the Gouldian and Black-throated Finch (southern subspecies), as well as a rare look at John Gould's Birds of Australia volumes. Bookings are essential, more information on the QM website: https://www.qm.qld.gov.au//Events/2020/09/Brisbane+Festival

06.01.2022 The Birds Queensland Twitchathon is on again! There are three categories: Open (24hrs), Champagne (12hrs) and Eco (12hrs). Participants can twitch anytime between 25 September to 6 October. Sponsorship goes into funding the Birds Queensland research grants, which support work on threatened species.... Prizes and certificates will be awarded to the winners of each category and certificates for the sub-categories. Rules and conditions can be found on our website: https://birdsqueensland.org.au/twitches.php Get in quick, registrations close on Wednesday 23 September!

06.01.2022 Entries have now closed for the Queensland’s Natural Wonders Photography Awards, but the People's Choice vote has just opened. Be sure to put in your vote before it closes on 29th May! https://awards.queenslandconservation.org.au/photo_competit

05.01.2022 National parks and other protected areas are one of the best ways to conserve nature and protect cultural values. They provide a legal safeguard for wildlife and connect us with rich, life-giving landscapes essential for our well being. Despite Queensland’s living cultural landscapes being the most diverse of any state or territory in Australia, we have the smallest proportion of land in protected areas such as national parks. ... In 2016 the Queensland Government committed to doubling the area of protected land from around 8% to 17%, but since then, very little has changed. Join Queensland Conservation Council's campaign, and call on the Queensland Government to build a bigger and better system of parks and protected areas across the state.

04.01.2022 BIRD OF THE MONTH The Pied Currawong is a recognisable and familiar black bird, with a distinctive yellow eye and a heavy black beak and distinctive calls. An early name for the Pied Currawong was Bell-Magpie (the original name was crow-shrike), given in 1913 to all members of the genus Strepera, but belonging strictly to the Grey Currawong of Tasmania which has a loud tinkling call 'clink-clink' like an anvil being struck.... For more interesting facts and stories of this suburban bird, read our article at: https://birdsqueensland.org.au/bird-of-month.php Photo: I. Hinrichensen

04.01.2022 Mark your calendars! The Australasian Shorebird Conference will be held in Brisbane on March 2021, hosted by Queensland Wader Study Group (subject to COVID-19 developments). More information regarding registration will be available in October/November. So stay tuned!

04.01.2022 The Australian Wildlife Society has started a new campaign called Snip Rings for Wildlife. The campaign aims to raise awareness and encourage individuals to protect Australia’s wildlife, by cutting through plastic rings, rubber bands and hair ties before disposing of them. Each year, thousands of birds and other wildlife are strangled, obtain significant injuries and often die horrific deaths from discarded litter.... Please remember to cut through plastic rings, rubber bands and hair ties before disposing of them. As individuals and collectively, we can bring about important changes and create real change. More information: https://www.aws.org.au/snip-rings-for-wildlife/ Photo: Australasian grebe caught in a plastic ring at Nathan Rd, taken by P. Marty

04.01.2022 House Sparrows, introduced from Europe during the nineteenth century, were once common in most Australian towns and cities. The Handbook of Australian New Zealand and Antarctic Birds (HANZAB) suggests they are recorded on all continents except Antarctica. In Australia they are shown as common throughout most of eastern and southern Australia but we seldom see any in most cities and larger towns. HANZAB reports large declines during 1980s and 1990s. Why have Sparrows declined... in larger places is a common question. Around 2000 Sparrows were common around most of Brisbane but not today. Read more about our bird of the month here: https://birdsqueensland.org.au/bird-of-month.php Photo: L. Sulakatku

03.01.2022 With the state election looming, where do the parties stand on protecting nature and our climate? Hosted by Queensland Conservation Council and other environmental organisations, the Queensland Election Environment Debate will hopefully be an insightful discussion before casting your vote. Hear directly from the pollies who are making the big decisions for nature and our climate this election. They'll be asked questions on critical issues like climate change, national parks, ...deforestation and a green economic recovery. The debate will feature: -Queensland Environment Minister Hon Leeanne Enoch -LNP Shadow Environment Minister Mr David Crisafulli -Greens MP for Maiwar Michael Berkman https://www.facebook.com/events/653332515368029/

03.01.2022 Bird monitoring project looking for citizen scientists! Keep Sandgate Beautiful Association Inc are looking for volunteers to help monitor bird populations at Dowse Lagoon. This information will be used to learn more about how different bird species use the lagoon and surrounding vegetation for feeding, breeding and roosting throughout the year. ... Orientation will be held on Saturday 1st August at 7.30am. (There will be space for social distancing.) RSVP by emailing [email protected] More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/1147549725622144/

03.01.2022 Happy Holidays everyone! Thank you for following our page - it has been a challenging year indeed. Wishing you all a safe and restful break, with a healthy dose of birding thrown in!

02.01.2022 Great workshop for those who enjoy drawing birds as well as watching them!

02.01.2022 Vote for your favourite threatened species in the Animoz Aussie Wildlife Vote!

02.01.2022 The Aussie Backyard Bird Count is back! Spend 20 minutes counting birds in your local park, nature reserve or home and help build a better understanding of urban bird populations. There are some great prizes to be won, so download the app and get ready to count! ... More information: https://aussiebirdcount.org.au/

01.01.2022 New research reveal birds that play together are smarter than those that don't:

01.01.2022 Kermadec Petrel nests on islands across the subtropical south Pacific from Lord Howe Island (Balls Pyramid) and Norfolk Island (Phillip Island) to Juan Fernandez Island, but also on Round Island near Mauritius in the southwest Indian Ocean. The Australian breeding population is tiny and therefore listed as vulnerable, even though the global IUCN Red List status is 'Least Concern'. Kermadec Petrel belongs to a subset of gadfly petrels that are fairly large and thickset. Its p...lumage is highly variable: its head and body can range from white to café-au-lait-coloured to wholly dark. All morphs show a conspicuous white flash on the base of the underside of the primaries. Read more about our bird of the month here: https://birdsqueensland.org.au/bird-of-month.php Photo: R. Stephenson