climatewatch.org.au BIRD field guide Australian Magpie Cracticus tibicen When to look: Throughout the year Its eyes are red-brown Images courtesy of ClimateWatch users Luca Mav and Nicola Storey 2016 • The back of its neck, upper tail and shoulders are white in males and grey in females Similar species: Pied Butcherbird: has a completely black head and bib that is separated from its black back by a completely white collar. Its underparts are white Magpie-lark: is smaller with a smaller beak Currawong: doesn’t have large areas of white on its body, especially on the back of the neck. Also won’t have the red iris The rest of its body is black Square-tipped tail One toe faces backwards and three face forwards
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BIRD field guide - ClimateWatch · 2019. 9. 14. · BIRD field guide Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa When to look: Throughout the year Black body, white under tail Image by Marj
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Spinifex Pigeon: smaller (20–24 cm) with cinnamon coloured feathers and a bright red patch on its face.
Topknot Pigeon: larger (40–46 cm) with a shaggy, red-brown crest that is droopy rather than erect like the Crested Pigeon’s. Also, it is rarely found on the ground.
Wings have black bars and glossy green and purple patches
Dark grey bill
Grey-brown feathers that become pinker on the underparts
Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) is larger with a bright purple front and all red bill and shield.
Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra) is recognised by its snowy white bill and forehead shield.
Black-tailed Native-hen (Tribonyx ventralis) is mainly brownish-grey, with white spots on the flanks. The bill and frontal shield is green, with an orange-red lower mandible (‘jaw’).
Western Yellow Robin (Eopsaltria griseogularis): occurs in south-western and southern Australia, mainly west of the Eyre Peninsula, so the range of this species does not overlap with that of the Eastern Yellow Robin.
Pale-yellow Robin (Tregellasia capito): smaller than an Eastern Yellow Robin, with olive-coloured upperparts, a pale face and lighter, pale-yellow underparts and lacks pale yellow eyebrow.
When to look:Some migrate north during winter; nests Jul to Jan
Fine white shafts to all but central pair of tail feathers
Images courtesy of Colin Mulvogue
White eyebrow and throat
Similar species:
Willie Wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys): slightly larger, lacks the shades of grey on body and wings; lacks a white patch on throat and white edging and tips to tail feathers.
Northern Fantail (Rhipidura rufiventris): is larger with a larger, broader bill. It seldom fans its tail (which is not tilted upwards) and is generally much less restless. Its breast band is overlain with pale streaks.
When to look:Throughout the year; breeding is opportunistic
Horizontal black line through pale eye; whitish bill
Images courtesy of Angel Oo
Similar species:
Australian Magpie (Cracticus tibicen): is almost twice as large (36 – 44 cm long) with a heavier beak, and wholly black underbody (the Magpie-lark is mostly white below).
Pied Butcherbird (Cracticus nigrogularis): has a completely black head and bib, separated from its black back by a white collar.
Another black-and-white bird: won’t have the thin whitish bill and pale eye.
Males will lack white throat
Call: a ringing ‘pee-o-wit’ or ‘pee-wee’, often sung by two birds together, giving rise to its venacular name of ‘Peewee’
When to look:Throughout the year; breeding is opportunistic
Yellow bill and wattle from forehead to behind its eye hangs beside chin
Image: Earthwatch
Similar species:
Banded Lapwing (Vanellus tricolor): is smaller (25 - 29 cm long) with much more black on the head and lower breast, with a distinct white eye-stripe and white throat and upper breast, forming a white ‘bib’. There is also a distinctive red patch at the base of its bill.
Its forehead, throat, and upper breast are rust in colour
Images courtesy of Alan Collins
Eyes and bill are black
Similar species:
Barn Swallows have a dark blue to black breast-band across its throat, separating its red chin from white chest/underparts.
Other swallows lack the rust-coloured forehead and throat. The White-backed Swallow has a pale-grey head, and the Red-rumped Swallow has a red rump and streaked, chestnut underparts.
Swifts are larger with longer and more-curved wings.
Fairy or Tree Martin have shorter, squarer tails and white coloured rump.
A distinctive deeply forked tail
Light to dark grey on its breast and belly, grey legs and feet
A white band or row of spots on the long tail feathers
When to look:Throughout year; breeds October to December
Light blue-grey colour
Images courtesy of Marj K.
Similar species:
The White-necked Heron (Ardea pacifica) is a large heron with a white head and a long white neck with a double line of black spots running down the front. The Pied Heron (A. picata) is a similar slate-black heron with contrasting white throat and neck, but it is a much smaller (43 cm - 52 cm) bird, with a crested dark cap that extends below the eyes, yellow legs, and a bill that is mostly yellow.
When to look:Throughout year; usually nests Aug to Feb
Dinstinctive white belly. Body mostly black.
Images courtesy of Emily Fosbery
Similar species:
Restless Flycatcher (Myiagra inquieta): has a black head crest which makes it look more angular, and lacks the white eyebrow. Its chin and throat are white, instead of black, and its tail is less rounded and doesn’t wag.
Any other black-and-white fantail or flycatcher generally won’t have the black throat and white eyebrows.
Distinctive white eyebrows
8-22 cm long from head to tail. It is often seen wagging its tail side to side
Black tip on forewing. Up to 5 cm wingspan. Black spot on forewing (one spot for males and two for females)
Image courtesy of ClimateWatch users
Similar species:
Another white butterfly: won’t have the two or three black spots on the upper side of the forewing. Also, the underside of its hindwing won’t be yellow.
From underneath, the forewing is white while the hindwing is yellowish
Mostly orange, with obvious raised vein in middle of forewing. Small eye-spot on each wing.
Image courtesy of ClimateWatch users
Similar species: It is difficult to identify these butterflies when they are resting with their wings closed. Banks Brown Butterfly (Heteronympha banksii banksii): has an eyespot only on its hindwings, not on all wings. Shouldered Brown (Heteronympha penelope): has darker markings near the wing bases giving it a shouldered look, and an extra eyespot on the hindwing Forest Brown or Cyril’s Brown Butterfly (Argynnina cyrila): has more black markings on its upperside.
Underside of wings are paler with faint markings
Males lack pale patches. Females have yellow and dark brown patches near tip of forewings
English Wasp: black marking on each yellow band on its abdomen tapers to a point, while it is a triangle shape on the European wasp. It is also restricted to the eastern parts of Melbourne and Gippsland region.
Paper wasp: has a longer, thinner body, orange-brown antennae, back legs that hang down during flight, and is often seen hovering. Its nest is smaller, usually above ground and looks like honeycomb cells without an outer covering.
Other wasps: most don’t have the vivid yellow and black markings.
Bee: has black legs, dull yellow bands on its abdomen with no black dots.
Bright yellow and black bands across abdomen.
Pair of black spots and black triangle on each yellow band.
Green Scarab Beetle: has a shiny green back with no distinct markings.
Jewel Beetle: has red markings on its back.
Golden Stag Beetle: has a yellow-green shiny back with no distinct markings.
Other Scarab beetles: have brown to black markings on a gold back (rather than gold markings on a dark brown back) and lack the violin-shaped markings on their backs.
Hairy abdomen with black and brown (or yellow or orange) stripes.
Images courtesy of ClimateWatch users Luca Mav and Nicola Storey 2016
Black head, upper body and legsSimilar species:
A wasp: has yellow legs, brighter yellow bands on its abdomen and lacks the hairiness of the Honey Bee.
Native Australian Bees: while it is difficult to see, native bees don’t have hairy eyes like the Honey Bee. Also a Honey Bee usually has obvious “baskets” full of pollen on its legs.
REPTILE field guideAustralian Water DragonIntellagama lesueurii (formerly Physignathus lesueurii)
When to look:September to April
One of two subspecies has a broad black stripe running from behind its eye to its ear
Image courtesy of Ian Sanderson 2015 via FlickrCC
Around 80-90 cm longSimilar species:
Common or Eastern Bearded Dragon (Pogona barbata): its limbs and tail are shorter and it doesn’t have the “crest” of spines running down its back, instead it has scales scattered all over its back, legs and tail. It also has a throat membrane which inflates when it feels threatened, while the Water Dragon has flaps of loose skin under its jaw.
“Crest” of spines from its head down to its tail with black bands across its body and tail
Grey-brown to olive green body and creamy-white or brown-grey belly
Loose folds of skin under its jaw
Larger, breeding males have a red-orange chest and throat
When to look:Throughout year; flowers spring to summer
Flowers stick up above the leaves, consisting of 6 purple petals (7-12mm length) and 6 stamens (pollen-bearing part of the flower) in a ring. These are long, thick and have brown to black tips with yellow stems.
Images courtesy of Loraine Jansen (shrub), Swan Bay Environment Association (fruit) and Neil Blair (flowers)
Long, feathery shrub with flowers sticking up above the leaves. Long green pointy leaves with vibrant blue to purple inflorescences (flower clusters); up to 1.5 m high
Similar species:
Only D. revoluta var. revoluta is currently recognised for Victoria. Nodding Blue Lily Stypandra glauca has similar flowers, later in season; leaves form massive clump
Fruit is blue to purple and 4-10mm in diameter with 3-4 shiny black seeds that persist months after flowering.
Leaves are long, feathery, smooth green. 15-85cm long with 4-15mm width. Pointy ends and long and stiff throughout. Can sometimes appear red towards base but this is rare.
Adult leaves narrow oval shape tapering to a point at each end, usually 8–15 cm long and 1–2 cm wide, clustered and dull green.
Images courtesy of VIC Flora; Geoff Lay and Neil Blair
Medium sized tree 10-25m tall, with long ascending branches, grey fibrous bark on the lower branches and trunk. Upper branches have a smooth grey coloured bark.
Flower buds have cone-like caps, cream to white.
Similar species:
In VIC, may be confused with Yellow Box (E. mellidora) which has scruffy, yellowish to dark brown, fibrous bark, dull, green or grey leaves with distinct intramarginal veins, and fruit with enclosed valves.
Seeds round or oval, 3–7 mm long and 3–5 mm wide, coupled on a small stalk and brown in colour.
Leaves rounded, usually asymmetric 0.4–1.5cm long and 2–8mm wide, hairy or smooth. Leaf midrib is obscure or absent, lateral veins also absent.
Images courtesy of VIC Flora; Goods-Graham & Maree (bush) and FlickrCC; phloemalone (flowers), Russel Cumming (leaves and pods)
Bushy or straggly shrub,commonly 2.5m high, branchlets more or less angled at extremities, smooth or hairy. Bark is smooth, grey to brown.
Similar species:
May be confused with other species of native wattles. Keep an eye out for the Gold-Dust Wattle’s straggly shrub appearance, rounded leaves and twisted pods.
Flowers bright yellow ball-shaped clusters that form in groups of 5
September to May, flowering occurs from September to April
Flowers form a tight, cylindrical closter that is 1-7 cm in length
Image courtesy of Rich Weatherill
Tussock-like, rosette plant
Similar species:
Variable Plantain (Plantago varia): its leaves usually have a toothed, or jagged, edge (not smooth like the Ribwort Plantain) and there is a dense tuft of reddish-brown hairs at the base of each leaf. Also, its flower stem can be shorter, only growing to a height of about 36 cm.
Small and initially cream flowers that turn brown rapidly
Grows up to 30 cm high (tussock) with the flower stalk up to 1 m in height
Long, sword-shaped leaves that form a clump and usually stand upright
When to look:Throughout year; flowers late spring to summer
Bright yellow flower heads, 20-30mm wide
Images courtesy of ANBG (plant and flower), VIC Floral Neil Blair (leaves)
Small stiff herb 20-80cm high with multiple branches and hair covered stems
Similar species:
May be confused with Xerochrysum bracteatum (Strawflower) has broader hairier leaves and larger flower heads
Stems with fine hairs or prickles. 30-100mm long, 2-10mm wide linear leaves with bright green elliptic (oval like shape) that have a sticky and rough surface.
Often sits with legs in pairs, forming cross pattern.
Images courtesy of Volker Fremenau
Similar species:
Painted Orb Weaver (Argiope picta): less common than the St Andrew’s Cross Spider and doesn’t normally produce a complete X pattern on its web.
Banded orb-weaving spider (Argiope trifasciata): has yellow, white and black bands on its abdomen, and dark brown and pale yellow bands along the entire length of its legs.
Females have a silvery head and dark brown legs with 1 or 2 yellowish bands, while males and juveniles will have brown and cream body and brown legs
It weaves zigzag patterns into its web, forming an X
Silver, yellow, red and black bands across abdomen