Melbourne Birds Guide

The Port Phillip and Western Port region covers 1.3 million hectares and has over 900 wetlands, including three internationally significant Ramsar wetlands, and is home to more than 1860 species of native flora and 600 species of native vertebrate fauna.

The booklet below represents the top 100 most commonly recorded birds found in the Port Phillip and Western Port Catchment. It aims to help you identify the most common native and introduced bird species to Melbourne.

The region is critically important to both native and migratory bird species, some of which travel thousands of kilometers to forage on Melbourne’s waters. Sadly, many of these beautiful species and their habitats are subject to increasing threats. The greatest threats include vegetation clearing (leading to the loss of habitat), competition with pest plants and animals, salinity and land use change.

We hope our booklet will inspire you to go and discover the diversity of birdlife that Melbourne has to offer, and join us in monitoring populations and promoting their conservation.