Students at Cedars Christian College in Wollongong are using BirdLife Australia's Aussie bird count to bring birdwatching into their lessons this week. Teacher Karen Jooste has woven the count into maths, writing and lessons on biodiversity and conservation, drawing on a tree-lined creek that draws many species to the school grounds. Activities include a tally sheet with identification pictures and reading outdoors among the birds. Sean Dooley of BirdLife Australia says more than 3.7 million birds have been counted so far, putting 2026 on track to beat 2025.
Australians are being asked to spend 20 minutes outside counting and identifying the birds they see before the Aussie Bird Count closes on 25 October. The annual survey, run by conservation charity BirdLife during National Bird Week, has already recorded more than 3 million birds this year. Last year, more than 66,000 people recorded over 5 million birds, with the magpie the most commonly spotted species. A 2020 study found nearly one in six Australian bird species faced extinction.
Australians are being invited to spend 20 minutes observing and recording birds in their backyards, parks and neighbourhoods. The 2026 Aussie Bird Count, organised by BirdLife Australia, runs from Monday 19 October to Sunday 25 October. Last year, nearly 64,000 people counted more than five million birds across 621 species. The Australian Magpie was the most frequently spotted species, while the Rainbow Lorikeet recorded the highest total count. Participation is free through the Aussie Bird Count app or an online form, and requires no specialist knowledge.
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A rainbow lorikeet that could not fly was seen huddled in an Ocean Grove garden. The garden owner, Marianne, kept her whippet inside while the bird rested. Its parents visited and fed it, then encouraged it to fly. The juvenile lorikeet flapped its wings and flew away on a Sunday afternoon. Elsewhere, four stilt sandpipers were reported in South Australia and two sanderlings were seen at Blue Rocks.
Darwin calls itself the city of birds, with about 200 bush bird species and dozens of waterfowl, seabirds and shorebirds across the Top End. Charles Darwin University ornithology researcher John Woinarski says the seasonal climate and small local population make the region a safe haven for many species wiped out elsewhere. He says the region's birds are almost all native, unlike much of the rest of Australia. Photographs from across the Top End feature crimson finches, rainbow bee-eaters and an all-black blue-winged kookaburra, which Professor Woinarski describes as a genetic fluke.
Quizmaster John James Maloney has put together a trivia quiz built around bells. The questions range from a campground run by the Kyogle Fishing Club to the 1940 novel For Whom the Bell Tolls. Other questions cover the 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life, ship's bells, the honeyeater known as the bellbird, and the whistling kite. The quiz also explains the origin of the phrase pipe down, which came from a bosun's whistle used to dismiss crew members from a watch.
BirdLife Australia's annual Aussie Bird Count is scheduled to commence next week, inviting participants across the country to contribute. In Victoria, magpies were the most frequently recorded species during last year's event. Residents in the Colac region are particularly encouraged to take part in this year's count. The initiative aims to gather data on local bird populations and promote community engagement with wildlife. This nationwide effort highlights the importance of citizen science in monitoring avian biodiversity.
Port Stephens residents are being urged to take part in this year's Aussie Bird Count, running from 19 to 25 October. Participants spend 20 minutes recording birds in their backyard, a local park, bushland or along the waterfront. Last year, 680 surveys across the area recorded 188 bird species. Rainbow Lorikeets, Noisy Miners and Australian Magpies were the most frequently seen birds. BirdLife Australia says smaller garden birds are declining nationally, while larger, more adaptable species are increasing. Residents can register free at aussiebirdcount.org.au.
