Habitats
Most bird species show distinct preferences for certain habitats, and some are found in only one habitat type. However, a few species are found in many habitats.
Click on the habitats below to learn more.
This section is under development. Photo by Peter Woodard [CC BY-SA]
This section is under development. Photo by Sueblimely [CC BY-SA 4.0]
This section is under development. Photo by Thomas Schoch [CC-BY-SA]
This section is under development. Photo by Richard Fisher [CC BY 2.0]
This section is under development. Photo by David Marsh [CC-BY-SA-3.0]
Royal Spoonbill
Many species can only be found in just one habitat type and live their entire lives within a small area of such a habitat
Pink-eared Ducks
Many other Australian birds do not fly as far away as the shorebirds but they take advantage of their ability to fly to move between different places. Ducks do this if a wetland dries up and they need to find another waterhole or creek.
[Pink-eared ducks by Tim Van Leeuwen. CC BY-NC-SA]
Torresian Crow
Other species can live in many different kinds of habitat.
[Torresian Crow by Richard McDonald. CC BY-SA]
Migratory Routes
Many shorebird and seabird species are migratory, flying annually from Australia to the other side of the world, via the East Asian-Australasian Flyway
Mountain species
Other birds nest in the mountains during summer and move down to the lowlands in the autumn and winter to avoid the cold conditions on the mountains.
[Golden Whistler by Harry Charalambous. CC BY-NC-SA]
Migratory
Some forest birds nest in southern states in Australia during summer and migrate up the east coast to spend winter in Queensland where it is much warmer. At the end of winter however, they fly back south to breed.
Some species of honeyeaters, for example, are big movers, able to obtain extra energy from the nectar of flowering trees en route to their next destination
[Yellow-faced Honeyeater by Sandra Gallienne. CC BY-NC-SA]