Birds of Tasmania

Tasmania has a rich bird fauna, including several species which are confined to the State (i.e endemic). See our pages on our endemic birds for further details.

Tasmania is also home to a number of threatened bird species.

To discover more about some of our bird fauna, choose a species from the following complete Tasmanian bird list:

Tasmanian Bird List

* = endemic
** =listed as rare or threatened

Family Podicipedidae

Hoary-headed grebe Poliocephalus poliocephalus
Australasian grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae
Great-crested grebe Podiceps cristatus ^**

Family Spheniscidae

Little (Fairy) penguin Eudyptula minor

Family Diomedeidae

Black-browed albatross Diomedea melanophris
Grey-headed albatross Diomedea chrysostoma
Shy albatross Diomedea cauta ^**
Wandering albatross Diomedea exulans
Light-mantled albatross Phoebetria palpebrata ^**

Family Procellariidae

Cape petrel Daption capense
Blue petrel Halobaena caerulea
Souhern giant-petrel Macronectes giganteus
Northern giant-petrel Macronectes halli
Antarctic prion Pachyptila desolata
Fairy prion Pachyptila turtur
White-headed petrel Pterodroma lessonii
Soft-plumed petrel Pterodroma mollis
Sooty shearwater Puffinus griseus
Short-tailed shearwater Puffinus tenuirostris

Family Oceanitidae

Black-bellied storm-petrel Fregetta tropica
Grey-backed storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus
White-faced storm-petrel Pelagodroma marina

Family Pelecanoididae

Common diving-petrel Pelecanoides urinatrix

Family Pelecanidae

Australian pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus

Family Sulidae

Australasian gannet Morus serrator

Family Phalacrocoracidae

Black-faced cormorant Phalacrocorax fuscescens
Great cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
Little pied cormorant Phalacrocorax elanoleucos
Little black cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris

Family Ardeidae

White-faced heron Egretta novaehollandiae
Cattle egret Ardea ibis
Australasian bittern Botaurus poiciloptilus
Great egret Ardea alba
Little egret Egretta garzetta
Intermediate egret Egretta intermedia
Nankeen night heron Nycticorax caledonicus

Family Anatidae

Chestnut teal Anas castanea
Grey teal Anas gracilis
Australasian shoveler Anas rhynchotis
Pacific black Anas superciliosa
Musk duck Biziura lobata
Cape Barren goose Cereopsis novaehollandiae
Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata
Black swan Cygnus atratus
Blue-billed duck Oxyura australis
Australian shelduck Tadoma tadornoides

Family Accipitridae

Collared sparrowhawk Accipter cirrhocephalus
Brown goshawk Accipiter fasciatus
Grey goshawk Accipiter novaehollandiae
Swamp harrier Circus approximans
Whistling kite Haliastur sphenurus
White-breasted sea eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster **
Wedge-tailed eagle Aquila audax ^**

Family Falconidae

Brown falcon Falco berigora
Australian kestrel Falco cenchroides
Australian hobby Falco longipennis
Peregrine falcon Falco perigrinus

Family Turnicidae

Painted button-quail Turnix varia

Family Phasianidae

Brown quail Coturnix ypsilophora
Stubble quail Coturnix pectoralis (novaezealandiae)

Family Rallidae

Eurasian coot Fulica atra
Tasmanian native hen Gallinula mortierii^*
Dusky moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa
Purple swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio
Australian crake Porzana fluminea
Baillons crake Porzana pusilla
Spotless crake Porzana tabuensis
Lewins rail Rallus pectoralis
Buff-banded rail Rallus philippensis

Family Haematopodidae

Pied oystercatcher Haematopus longirostris
Sooty oystercatcher Harmatopus fuliginosus

Family Charadriidae

Double-banded plover Charadrius bicinctus
Black-fronted dotterel Elseyornis melanops
Lesser sand plover Charadrius mongolus
Hooded plover Thinornis rubricollis
Red-capped plover Charadrius ruficapillus
Red-kneed dotterel Erythogonys cinctus
Pacific golden plover Pluvialis fulva
Grey plover Pluvialis squatarola
Masked lapwing Vanellus miles
Banded lapwing Vanellus tricolor

Family Scolopacidae

Ruddy turnstone Arenaria interpres
Sharp-tailed sandpiper Calidris acuminata
Sanderling Calidris alba
Dunlin Calidris alpina
Red knot Calidris canutus
Curlew sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
Pectoral sandpiper Calidris melanotos
Little stint Calidris minuta
Red-necked stint Calidris ruficollis
Great knot Calidris tenuirostris
Lathams snipe Gallinago hardwickii
Bar-tailed goodwit Limosa lapponica
Black-tailed goodwit Limosa limosa
Eastern curlew Numenius madagascariensis
Little curlew Numenius minutus
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
Grey-tailed tattler Heteroscelus brevipes
Wood sandpiper Tringa glareola
Common sandpiper Tringa hypoleucos
Common greenshank Tringa nebularia
Marsh sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis
Terek sandpiper Xenus cinereus

Family Stercorariidae

Great skua Catharacta skua
Arctic jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus
Pomarine jaeger Stercorarius pomarinus

Family Laridae

White-winged black tern Chlidonias leucopterus
Caspian tern Sterna caspia
Kelp gull Larus dominicanus
Silver gull Larus novaehollandiae
Pacific gull Larus pacificus
Little tern Sterna albifrons
Crested tern Sterna bergii
Fairy tern Sterna nereis
White-fronted tern Sterna striata
Antarctic tern Sterna vittata

Family Columbidae

Common bronzewing Phaps chalcoptera
Brush bronzewing Phaps elegans

Family Cacatuidae

Sulphur-crested cockatoo Cacatua galerita
Galah Cacatua roseicapilla
Yellow-tailed black cockatoo Calyptorhynchus funereus

Family Loriidae

Musk lorikeet Glossopsitta concinna

Family Platycercidae

Swift parrot Lathamus discolor
Orange-bellied parrot Neophema chrysogaster ^**
Blue-winged parrot Neophema chrysostoma
Ground parrot Pezoporus wallicus ^**
Green rosella Platycercus caledonicus ^*
Eastern Rosella Platycerus eximius

Family Cuculidae

Horsfields bronze-cuckoo Chrysococcyx basalis
Shining bronze-cuckoo Chrysococcyx lucidus
Pallid cuckoo Cuculus pallidus
Fan-tailed cuckoo Cacomantis flabelliformis

Family Strigidae

Southern boobook Ninox novaehollandiae

Family Tytonidae

Masked owl Tyto novaehollandiae

Family Podargidae

Tawny frogmouth Podargus strigoides

Family Aegothelidae

Australian owlet-nightjar Aegotheles cristatus

Family Apodidae

Fork-tailed swift Apus pacificus
White-throated needletail Hirundapus caudacutus

Family Alcedinidae

Azure kingfisher Alcedo azurea

Family Hirundinidae

Fairy martin Hirundo ariel
Tree martin Hirundo nigricans
Welcome swallow Hirundo neoxena

Family Motacillidae

Richards pipit Anthus novaeseelandiae

Family Campephagidae

Black-faced cuckoo-shrike Coracina novaehollandiae

Family Muscicapidae

Grey shrike-thrush Colluricincla harmonica
Dusky robin Melanodryas vittata ^*
Satin flycatcher Myiagra cyanoleuca
Olive whistler Pachycephala olivacea
Golden whistler Pachycephala pectoralis
Pink robin Petroica rodinogaster
Flame robin Petroica phoenicea
Scarlet robin Petroica multicolor
Grey fantail Rhipidura fuliginosa
Bassian thrush Zoothera lunulata

Family Orthonychidae

Spotted quail-thrush Cinclosoma punctatum

Family Sylviidae

Clamorous reed warbler Acrocephalus stentoreus
Golden-headed cisticola Cisticola exilis
Little grassbird Megalurus gramineus

Family Maluridae

Superb Fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus
Southern emu-wren Stipiturus malachurus

Family Acanthizidae

Yellow-rumped thornbill Acanthiza chrysorrhoa
Tasmanian thornbill Acanthiza ewingii ^*
Brown thornbill Acanthiza pusilla
Tasmanian Scrubwren Sericornis humilis ^*
Striated fieldwren Calamanthus fuliginosus
Scrubtit Acanthornis magnus ^*

Family Meliphagidae

Eastern spinebill Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris
Little Wattlebird Anthochaera chrysoptera
Yellow wattlebird Anthochaera paradoxa ^*
Yellow-throated honeyeater Lichenostomus flavicollis ^*
Noisy miner Manorina melancephala
Black-headed honeyeater Melithreptus affinus ^*
Strong-billed honeyeater Melithreptus validirostris ^*
Tawny-crowned honeyeater Phylidonyris melanops
New Holland Honeyeater Phylidonyris novaehollandiae
Crescent honeyeater Phylidonyris pyrrhoptera

Family Ephthianuridae

White-fronted chat Epthianura albifrons

Family Pardalotidae

Spotted pardalote Pardalotus punctatus
Forty-spotted pardalote Pardalotus quadragintus ^* ^**
Striated pardalote Pardalotus striatus

Family Zosteropidae

Silvereye Zosterops lateralis

Family Ploceidae

Beautiful firetail Stagonopleura bella

Family Artamidae

Dusky woodswallow Artamus cyanopterus

Family Cracticidae

Grey butcherbird Cracticus torquatus
Australian magpie Gymnorhina tibicen
Black currawong Strepera fuliginosa ^*
Grey currawong Strepera versicolor

Family Corvidae

Little raven Corvus mellori
Forest raven Corvus tasmanicus

Introduced Species

Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
Mute swan Cygnus olor
California quail Lophortyx californicus
Indian Peafowl Pavo cristatus
Common pheasant Phasianus colchicus
Weka Gallirallus australis
Rock dove Columba livia
Spotted turtle-dove Streptopelia chinensis
Little corella Cacatua sanguinea
Long-billed corella Cacatua tenuirostris
Cockatiel Nymphicus hollandicus
Budgerigar Melopsittacus undulatus
Laughing kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
Superb lyrebird Menura novaehollandiae
Skylark Alauda arvensis
Blackbird Turdus merula
European greenfinch Carduelis chloris
European goldfinch Carduelis carduelis
House sparrow Passer domesticus
Common starling Sturnus vulgaris

Rarely Sighted Species

King penguin Aptenodytes patagonicus rare visitor from subantarctic
Gentoo penguin Pygoscelis papua 2 records
Chinstrap penguin Pygoscelis antarctica 1 record
Adelie penguin Pygoscelis adeliae 1 record
Erect-crested penguin Eudyptes sclateri 1 record
Rockhopper penguin Eudyptula chrysocome
Fiordland penguin Eudyptes pachyrhynchus
Snares penguin Eudyptes robustus 1 record
Royal penguin Eudyptes schlegeli 7 records
Yellow-nosed albatross Diomedea chlororhynchos
Royal albatross Diomedea epomophora
Sooty albatross Phoebetria fusca
Southern fulmar Fulmarus glacialoides
Slender-billed prion Pachyptila belcheri
Salvins prion Pachyptila salvini
Broad-billed prion Pachyptila vittata
White-chinned petrel Procellaria aequinoctialis
Grey petrel Procellaria cinerea
Westland petrel Procellaria westlandica
Kerguelen petrel Pterodroma brevirostris
Mottled petrel Pterodroma inexpectata
Goulds petrel Pterodroma leucoptera
Great-winged petrel Pterodroma macroptera
Black-winged petrel Pterodroma nigripennis
Providence petrel Pterodroma solandri
Little shearwater Puffinus assimilis
Bullers shearwater Puffinus bulleri
Flesh-footed shearwater Puffinus carneipes
Fluttering shearwater Puffinus gavia
Huttons shearwater Puffinus huttoni
Wedge-tailed shearwater Puffinus pacificus
Antarctic petrel Thalassoica antarctica
White-bellied storm-petrel Fregetta grallaria
Wilsons storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus
Red-tailed tropicbird Phaethon rubricauda
Darter Anhinga melanogaster
Pied cormorant Phalacrocorax varius
White-necked heron Ardea pacifica
Eastern reef egret Egretta sacra
Yellow-billed spoonbill Platalea flavipes
Royal spoonbill Platalea regia
Glossy ibis Plegadis falcinellus
Australian white ibis Threskiornis molucca
Straw-necked ibis Threskiornis spinicollis
Magpie goose Anseranus semipalmata
Hardhead Aythya australis
Plumed whistling-duck Dendrocygna eytoni
Pink-eared duck Malacorhynchus membranaceus
Freckled duck Stictonetta naevosa
Little lorikeet Glossopsitta pusilla
Rainbow lorikeet Trichoglossus haemotodus
Spotted harrier Circus assimilis no confirmed records
Black kite Milvus migrans
Black-breasted buzzard Hamirostra melanosternon
Little eagle Hieraeetus morphnoides 1 record on Curtis Is, Bass Strait
Australian black-shouldered kite Elanus notatus
Black falcon Falco subniger
Osprey Pandion haliaetus 3 records
Black-tailed native hen Gallinula ventralis
Bush stone-curlew Burhinus grallarius
Painted snipe Rostratula benghalensis
Little ringed plover Charadrius dubius
Greater sand plover Charadrius leschenaultii
Oriental plover Charadrius veredus
Banded stilt Cladorhynchus leucocephalus
Black-winged stilt Himantopus himantopus
Red-necked avocet Recurvirostra novaehollandiae
Bairds sandpiper Calidris bairdii
Western sandpiper Calidris mauri
Ruff Philomachus pugnax
Buff-breasted sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis
Red-necked phalarope Phalaropus lobatus
South polar skua Catharacta maccormicki
Long-tailed skua Stercorarius longicauda
Whiskered tern Chlidonias hybridus
Gull-billed tern Gelochelidon nilotica
Bridled tern Sterna anaetheetus
Common tern Sterna hirundo
Arctic tern Sterna paradisaea
Topknot pigeon Lopholaimus antarcticus
Rose-crowned fruit-dove Ptilinopus regina
Superb fruit-dove Ptilinopus superbus
Gang-gang cockatoo Callocephalon fimbriatum
Little lorikeet Glossopsitta pusilla
Rainbow lorikeet Trichoglossus haemotodus

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