These photos were taken during our trip to Australia and New Zealand: January 1 - 21, 2009. The word Australasia is used to imply both countries.

My main reference for identiying the bird species was Birds of Australia by Simpson and Day. If I failed to find a species there then I used Wikipedia's list of Birds of New Zealand. If I failed to identify a bird by using either of those sources then I have included them at the bottom of this page and hope web visitors can help.

If a species was photographed in New Zealand, but not listed in Birds of Australia then it is noted as "Endemic to New Zealand" (found only there) or "Photographed in New Zealand" (found in New Zealand and elsewhere, but not Australia). It is also noted if the bird was photographed in captivity. Of these 106 species photographed, 20 were photographed in captivity.

Bellbird, New Zealand Anthornis melanura
Blackbird Turdus merula
Brogla Grus rubicunda
Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs
1) Endemic to New Zealand 3) Photographed in captivity

Cockatoo, Red-tailed Black- Calyptorhynchus banksii
Cockatoo, Sulpher-crested Cacatua galerita
Coot, Eurasian Fulica atra
Cormorant, Great Phalacrocorax carbo
1) Photographed in captivity


Cormorant, Little Black Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
Cormorant, Little Pied Microcarbo melanoleucos
Cormorant, Pied Phalacrocorax varius
Curlew, Eastern Numenius madagascariensis

Currawong, Grey Strepera versicolor
Darter, Australasian Anhinga novaehollandiae
Dove, Bar Shouldered Geopelia humeralis
Dove, Peaceful Geopelia striata
3) Photographed in captivity

Dove, Spotted aka Spotted Turtle Dove Streptopelia chinensis
Duck, Australian Wood aka Maned Duck Chenonetta jubata
Duck, Blue-billed Oxyura australis
Duck, Pacific Black aka Grey Duck Anas superciliosa

Dunlin Calidris alpina
Eagle, Wedge-tailed Aquila audax
Eagle, White-bellied Sea- Haliaeetus leucogaster
Egret, Cattle Ardea ibis
2, 3) Photographed in captivity

Egret, Great Ardea alba modesta (very similar to the Americas Ardea alba egretta )
Egret, Little Egretta garzetta (similar to the America's Snowy Egret)
Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae
Falcon, New Zealand Falco novaeseelandiae
4) Endemic to New Zealand. Photographed in captivity.

Figbird, Australasian Sphecotheres vieilloti
Frigate, Great Fregata minor
Frogmouth, Tawny Podargus strigoides
Galah Eolophus roseicapilla
1, 3, 4) Photographed in captivity

Gannet, Australasian Morus serrator
Godwit, Bar-tailed Limosa lapponica
Goldfinch, European Carduelis carduelis
Goose, Cape Barren Cereopsis novaehollandiae

Goose, Magpie Anseranas semipalmata
Grebe, Great-crested Podiceps cristatus
Greenshank, Common Tringa guttifer
Guineafowl, Helmet Numida meleagris

Gull, Black-billed Larus bulleri
Gull, Kelp Larus dominicanus
Gull, Pacific Larus pacificus
1 Endemic to New Zealand.  3) Photographed in captivity.

Gull, Red-billed Larus scopulinus
Gull, Silver Larus novaehollandiae
Hardhead Aythya australis
Heron, Striated Butorides striatus
1) Endemic to New Zealand 3) Photographed in captivity.

Heron, White-faced Egretta novaehollandiae
Heron, White-necked Ardea pacifica
Honeyeater, Brown Lichmera indistincta xx
Honeyeater, New Holland Phylidonyris novaehollandiae
2) Photographed in captivity.

Ibis, Australian White Threskiornis molucca
Ibis, Straw-necked Threskiornis spinicollis
Imperial-Pigeon, Pied Ducula concinna
Kea Nestor notabilis

Kite, Brahminy Haliastur indus
Kite, Whistling Haliastur sphenurus
Knot, Great Calidris tenuirostris
Kookaburra, Laughing Dacelo novaeguineae
1) Photographed in captivity.

Lapwing, Masked Vanellus miles
Loriikeet, Rainbow Trichoglossus haematodus
Magpie, Australian Gymnorhina tibicen
Magpie-Lark Grallina cyanoleuca

Miner, Noisy Manorina melanocephala
Moorhen, Dusky Gallinula tenebrosa
Myna, Common Sturnus tristis
Noddy, Common Anous stolidus

Oystercatcher, Pied Haematopus longirostris
Oystercatcher, Variable Haematopus unicolor
Peafowl, Indian Pavo cristatus
Pelican, Australian Pelecanus conspicillatus
2) Endemic to New Zealand  3) Photographed in Captivity

Penguin, Little aka Little Blue Penquin, aka Blue Penguin  Eudyptula minor
Pigeon, Crested Ocyphaps lophotes
Plover, Pacific Golden Pluvialis fulva
Quail, California Callipepla californica
1, 2) Photographed in captivity.  4) Photographed in New Zealand where it is an introduced species.

Rail, Buff-banded Gallirallus philippensis
Raven, Australian Corvus coronoides
Robin, Eastern Yellow Eopsaltria australis
Sandpiper, Sharp-Tailed Calidris acuminata
1) Photographed in captivity

Scaup, New Zealand aka Black Teal) Aythya novaeseelandiae
Shelduck, Australian Tadorna tadornoides
Shelduck, Paradise Tadorna variegata
Shelduck, Radjah Tadorna radjah
1) Photographed in New Zealand, not found in Australia  3) Photographed in New Zealand, rare in Australia. 4) Photographed in captivity.

Silvereye Zosterops lateralis
Spoonbill, Royal Platalea regia
Starling, European Sturnus vulgaris
Starling, Metallic Aplornis metallica

Stilt, Black Himantopus novaezelandiae
Stork, Black-necked Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus
Stone-curlew, Bush Burhinus grallarius
Sunbird, Olive-backed Nectarinia jugularis
1) Endemic to New Zealand. The rarest wading bird in the world. Photographed in captivity.

Swamphen, Purple aka Pukeko Porphyrio porphyrio
Swan, Black Cygnus atratus
Teal, Campbell Island Anas nesiotis
Teal, Chestnut Anas castanea
3) Found in New Zealand, not in Australia. Photographed in captivity.

Tern, Lesser Crested Sterna bengalensis
Tern, Little Sternula albifrons
Tern, Sooty Onychoprion fuscata
Tern, White-fronted Sterna striata

Thrush, Song Turdus philomelos
Tui Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae
Turnstone, Ruddy Arenaria interpres
Wagtail, Willy Rhipidura leucophrys
2) Endemic to New Zealand, photographed in captivity.

Wattlebird, Little Anthochaera chrysoptera
Woodswallow, White-breasted Artamus leucorynchus
Fairy-wren, Superb Malurus cyaneus
3) A poor picture, but what a superb bird.

Also seen but not photographed because they are so common so as to be pests: house sparrow, mallard.

Unidentified Flying Objects

These species were photographed near Melbourne, Australia. We were on a "walkabout" looking for koalas, kangaroos, etc.

UFO 1

UFO 2