Australasia
Birding Australasia
Australasia (or Oceania depending on your choice of names) covers a vast area of the Pacific Ocean including Polynesia, Micronesia, Australia, New Zealand and more. The Fat Birder would welcome introductions contributed by antipodean birders. Any pictures you care to contribute to enhance this site would be welcome as would be any information about your local club or reserve; better still if you have a web-site to signpost please let me know.
Having visited Brisbane, Perth, Sydney, Cairns, Townsville Common, the Atherton Tablelands, Daintree, Darwin and Broome in Australia I found the birdlife to be wonderful in its diversity with many families endemic to Australia or its immediate environs. Non-Australian birders are only just beginning to realise that Oz has some of the very best birding sites in the world not to say some of the most beautiful and interesting birds. I have also visited New Zealand a number of times and even managed to drop into Tahiti – but it was dark and I was gone before first light – so no birds on my French Polynesia list!
In New Zealand Tiritiri Matangi is one of the best kept secrets in the world of birds and Miranda’s wrybills a must, but NZ has very little by way of birding web sites. Time you started selling yourselves a bit harder you blokes!
Many years ago I went to Fiji but managed to coincide my visit with an eye infection and I arrived the day after a hurricane left. So out of one eye all I managed by way of avifauna was one tropicbird, a cormorant and some sort of honey eater! One day I hope to see a little more of the region…
Whilst the area is vast it is not particularly rich in species numbers outside of three main landmasses (Australia, New Guinea and New Zealand). However, there are some massive seabird colonies and Australasian pelagics come highly recommended…
This page is sponsored by Rockjumper Birding Tours
This page is sponsored by Birding Ecotours
This page is sponsored by Australian ornithological Services
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Number of bird species: c. 1800
This represents approximately 18% of the world total.
- Too many to list
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Where to Watch Birds in Australasia & Oceania
| By Nigel Wheatley | Christopher Helm | 1998 | Hardback | 448 pages, 50 line illustrations, 100+ maps | ISBN: 9780713645439 Buy this book from NHBS.com
*Individual Country Bird Apps
See Individual Country pages for apps relating to that CountryOrganisations-
Australasian Raptor Association
WebpageThe Australasian Raptor Association (ARA) was founded in 1979. Our aim is to promote the study, conservation and management of diurnal and nocturnal birds of prey, as well as to foster communication and cooperation concerning such activities within the Australasian Region. -
Oceanic Society
WebsiteThe Oceanic Society has an integrated approach to marine life preservation, combining several initiatives to achieve a single goal -
Pacific Islands Conservation Initiative
WebsiteOur mission is to develop a society that works in the tropical pacific to preserve species, habitats and communities through the provision of sound science, establishment of programmes and advocating for legislative protection. -
Pacific Seabird Group
WebsiteThe Pacific Seabird Group (PSG) is a society of professional seabird researchers and managers dedicated to the study and conservation of seabirds. PSG was formed in 1972 out of a need for increased communication among academic and government seabird researchers. -
Southern Oceans Seabird Study Association
WebsiteSOSSA is a wildlife conservation and research organisation. Its members are dedicated amateurs and professionals who share a common interest and concern for the marine environment and the wildlife of the Southern Oceans. SOSSA organises regular pelagic trips from Wollongong, NSW and Southport, QLD so both members and visitors can view some of the spectacular marine life that occurs off Australia's coast
Guides & Tour Operators-
Birding Ecotours
Destinations
Trip Reports
Click on WAND to see Fatbirder’s Trip Report Repository…-
2016 [07 July] - David Hoddinott & Rich Lindie - Southwest Pacific Islands
ReportThe birds, of course, were as spectacular as always, and our exploits secured us great sightings of no less than 79 of the region's endemics, including such megas as Kagu, Horned Parakeet, Golden Fruit Dove, Cloven-feathered Dove, Crow Honeyeater, Vanuatu Kingfisher, Maroon Shining -
2016 [10 October] - Andrew Walker - Fiji, New Caledonia & Samoa
PDF ReportTrip highlights were numerous and included most endemics, Kagu, New Caledonian Crow, Crow Honeyeater, (Natewa) Silktail, Horned Parakeet, Masked Shining Parrot, Maroon Shining Parrot, Crimson Shining Parrot, Collared Lory, Azure-crested Flycatcher, Samoan Whistler, Mao, and Flat-billed Kingfisher, but the many interesting and beautiful pigeons and doves really stood out as being exceptional, with Cloven-feathered Dove, Goliath Imperial Pigeon, Barking Imperial Pigeon, Golden Fruit Dove, Orange Fruit Dove, Whistling Fruit Dove, Many-colored Fruit Dove, and Crimson-crowned Fruit Dove all seen well.
Other Links-
Pacific Birds
WebsitePacific Birds brings numerous interests together to find common ground for conservation, and creates networks to advance long-term planning and on-the-ground project delivery. Our partners tell us the Joint Venture benefits them by sharing information, providing technical assistance, offering funding opportunities and connecting them with others. Partners also tell us they want to better understand how local conservation projects contribute to the bigger picture and how they can more effectively prioritize conservation actions for birds.
Photographers & Artists-
AustralAvianImages
GalleryPhotographs of Birds, Mammals and Nature from Australia, New Zealand, Madagascar and Thailand by Simon Bennett. To find a species of interest enter its name in Search e.g. black duck or just duck; or you can browse the Species Group galleries.
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