Birds - Identification of Australian Birds - Sydney and Blue Mountains Bird Species

Birds - Identification of Australian Birds - Sydney and Blue Mountains Bird Species

Bird identification can be quite difficult when you are starting out with learning birds. This page shows some birds from the Sydney and Blue Mountains and other regions of Australia. Click on the pictures to show more information about each of the different bird species.

Australian Birds - Identification

The bird identification section of the site should be added to (hopefully) soon, and I will add more bird species, and add more information about the birds that are there already.

HOT:Click here to view Australian bird identification field guide books.

NEW — AUSTRALIAN BIRD QUIZ: Click here to try your skill at the new Australian Bird Quiz.

NOTE: The birds are listed in order of size, from smallest to largest. This ordering is more useful for bird identification than having them in alphabetical order of their names, or the order they are usually found in bird identification books. Sizes are measured from bill (beak) tip to the tip of the bird's tail.


Spotted Pardalote Pardalotus punctatus Birds Size: 8-10 cm High-Resolution Images
Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla Birds Size: 10 cm High-Resolution Images
Red-browed Firetail (Finch) New Photo Neochmia temporalis Birds Size: 11-12 cm High-Resolution Images
Silvereye Zosterops lateralis Birds Size: 12 cm
White-browed Scrubwren New Photos Sericornis frontalis Birds Size: 11-14 cm
Superb Fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus Birds Size: 14 cm High-Resolution Images
Gouldian Finch Erythrura gouldiae Birds Size: 14 cm Not in Sydney or the Blue Mountains
White-throated Treecreeper NEW Cormobates leucophaeus Birds Size: 13-15 cm
Eastern Spinebill Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris Birds Size: 13-16 cm
House Sparrow Passer domesticus Birds Size: 15 cm Introduced High-Resolution Images
Eastern Yellow Robin Eopsaltria australia Birds Size: 15 cm High-Resolution Images
Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris Birds Size: 17 cm
Golden Whistler NEW Pachycephala pectoralis Birds Size: 17 cm
New Holland Honeyeater NEW Phylidonyris novaehollandiae Birds Size: 16-19 cm
Bell Miner (Bellbird) NEW Manorina melanophrys Birds Size: 17-20 cm
Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys Birds Size: 19-22 cm
Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus Birds Size: 20 cm Introduced
Sacred Kingfisher Todiramphus sanctus Birds Size: 19-24 cm
Grey Shrike-thrush Colluricincla harmonica Birds Size: 24 cm
Common ("Indian") Myna NEW Acridotheres tristis Birds Size: 23-25 cm Introduced High-Resolution Images
Common Blackbird Turdus merula Birds Size: 25 cm Introduced
Noisy Miner NEW Manorina melanocephala Birds Size: 24-28 cm
Magpie-lark (Peewee) NEW Grallina cyanoleuca Birds Size: 27 cm High-Resolution Images
Grey Butcherbird NEW Cracticus torquatus Birds Size: 24-30 cm
Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus rubritorquatus Birds Size: 28 cm
Eastern Whipbird Psophodes olivaceus Birds Size: 25-30 cm
Little Wattlebird Anthochaera chrysoptera Birds Size: 26-33 cm
Spotted Turtle-Dove Streptopelia chinensis Birds Size: 32 cm Introduced
Rock Dove (Feral Pigeon) Columba livia Birds Size: 33 cm Introduced High-Resolution Images
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike NEW Coracina novaehollandiae Birds Size: 33 cm
Gang-gang Cockatoo Callocephalon fimbriatum Birds Size: 34 cm High-Resolution Images
Red Wattlebird NEW Anthochaera carunculata Birds Size: 31-39 cm High-Resolution Images
Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps (Geophaps) lophotes Birds Size: 31-35 cm High-Resolution Images
Crimson Rosella New Photo Platycercus elegans Birds Size: 35 cm High-Resolution Images
Masked Lapwing (Spurwing Plover) Vanellus miles Birds Size: 35 cm High-Resolution Images
Eurasian Coot Fulica atra Birds Size: 32-39 cm
Wonga Pigeon New Photo Leucosarcia melanoleuca Birds Size: 36-39 cm High-Resolution Images
Long-billed Corella Cacatua tenuirostris Birds Size: 38-41 cm
Australian Magpie NEW Gymnorhina tibicen Birds Size: 36-44 cm High-Resolution Images
Barking Owl Ninox connivens Birds Size: 40 cm High-Resolution Images
Silver Gull (Seagull) Larus novaehollandiae Birds Size: 41 cm High-Resolution Images
Australian King-Parrot New Photos Alisterus scapularis Birds Size: 42 cm High-Resolution Images
Blue-winged Kookaburra Dacelo leachii Birds Size: 40-45 cm Not in Sydney or the Blue Mountains
Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae Birds Size: 45 cm High-Resolution Images
Tawny Frogmouth Podargus strigoides Birds Size: M 48cm, F 34 cm High-Resolution Images
Masked Owl Tyto novaehollandiae Birds Size: M 48cm, F 34 cm High-Resolution Images
Peregrine Falcon Falco Peregrinus Birds Size: F 45-50 cm, M 35-42 cm High-Resolution Images
Pied Currawong Strepera graculina Birds Size: 41-51 cm
Australian Wood Duck Also Called Maned Duck Chenonetta jubata Birds Size: 44-50 cm
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo NEW Cacatua galerita Birds Size:45-52 cm
Little Pied Cormorant New Photos Phalacrocorax melanoleucos Birds Size: 50-55 cm High-Resolution Images
Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa Birds Size: 47-60 cm
Channel-billed Cuckoo NEW Scythrops novaehollandiae Birds Size: 60 cm High-Resolution Images
Yellow-Tailed Black-Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus lathami Birds Size: 56-66 cm High-Resolution Images
Red-Tailed Black-Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus banksii Birds Size: 63 cm High-Resolution Images
Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Birds Size: 60-65 cm
Powerful Owl Ninox strenua Birds Size:M 67cm, F 58 cm High-Resolution Images
White-Bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster Birds Size: F 80-85 cm, M 75-77 cm, wingspan 190 cm approx High-Resolution Images
Superb Lyrebird Menura alberti Birds Size: M 80-90 cm, F 74-84 cm
Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax Birds Size: F 89-104 cm, M 87-91 cm, wingspan 210 cm approx High-Resolution Images
Black Necked Stork (Jabiru) Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus Birds Size: 112-115 cm, stands to 120 cm, wingspan to 200 cm High-Resolution Images Not in Sydney or the Blue Mountains

The Best Australian Bird Field Guides

Field Guide to the Birds of Australia, Nicolas Day, Ken Simpson, Peter Trusler.This is known to birdwatchers as "Simpson and Day". I like the pictures in this one the best out of all the major field guides. The information is still very highly regarded compared to most of the other guides. Many serious birdwatchers think "Pizzey and Knight" (listed here) is the best though. I bought this one since I liked the pictures so much I figured (correctly) that I would spend more time looking through it. I feel that I made the right choice since I love the pictures in this one so much. I have the 6th edition, the current one is the updated version of the 8th edition, which has a different colour cover to the original 8th edition with a black cover. I'm not sure why they haven't called this the 9th edition.

Purchase or read reviews on Amazon.com.au

Click here to purchase 8th ed. updated version from Australia (The Nile)

Click here to purchase from Australia (Fishpond)

Click here to purchase 8th ed. original version from Amazon

The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia, Graham Pizzey and Frank Knight. This is the other of the two best bird field guides for Australia. It is the one preferred by many serious birdwatchers. However I find the pictures a bit dull looking for my taste — the birds all kind of look the same to me, making it harder to remember them in my mind. The illustrations are meant to be the most anatomically correct, though. The text descriptions are better than in Simpson and Day. If you want the most serious bird field guide get this one otherwise get Simpson and Day.

Purchase 9th ed. from Australia (Booktopia)

Purchase 9th ed. from Australia (Angus & Robertson)

Click here to purchase 9th ed. from Australia (The Nile)

Click here to purchase from Australia (Fishpond)

Click here to preorder the 9th ed. from Amazon

More Australian Bird Books

Australian Mammals
Australian Reptiles
Australian Frogs
Australian Fishes
Australian Spiders
Return to Site Map

Share This Page

australia australian bird birds black blue field high identification images resolution

Content is copyright © Survival.ark.au 2005-2025 All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use. Definitely read the disclaimer before trying anything from this website, especially including the practices and skills. This website uses affiliate links – this doesn't cost you any more, but I get a commission on purchases made through the website. As an Amazon Associate I earn similarly from qualifying purchases.