Australian bird names
For all practical purposes the NEW, modern names for birds,
as listed below, should be used.
Alternative (often old) names are given for many bird species
on their respective pages. They are provided for the benefit of those
who have grown up with the old names. Use the search engine to find
the bird under its modern name. Most of the old names are from the book
"What bird is that?" by Nevil Cayley (1955 edition). Note that many
old names are not unique (marked with "*"), some are misnomers and in
some cases new scientific research has led to entirely new names for
birds (including their scientific classifications).
To name an example, there are at least three bird species that used to
be called "Banana-bird" in the past.
Aboriginal bird names
Where available, aboriginal bird names - mostly in the languages of
current-day north-western New South Wales [gamilaraay and yuwaalaraay]
- are listed next to both common and scientific names. They are also
given in the headers of the respective pages describing the bird species.
So far, we have identified the following aboriginal bird names that
are still OFFICIALLY in use as common names:
boobook,
brolga,
budgerigar,
galah,
jabiru,
kookaburra.
Various spellings of these names exist, partly based on different
pronunciations in various aboriginal languages or dialects, partly
due to difficulties in transliterating them, in a phonetically correct
way, into modern English.
There are many aboriginal names for entire families of birds,
such as e.g. "ducks": chippia, kultown, murrara, tharalkoo. Since
these are not specific to one particular bird species, they are not
used here. Only names for individual species are listed, such as,
e.g., "deereeree"
for Willie Wagtail.
Index of Australian birds observed by us
NOTE: Only birds native to Australia seen by us are listed here.
No introduced species are listed or shown. For a
COMPLETE list of all Australian bird species please click
HERE.
Australian bird species are listed by both their common names (e.g., "Apostlebird")
and their scientific
names (e.g.,
"Struthidea cinerea").
To search for a bird with a composite name, such as "Grey-crowned Babbler", go to
"Common names",
then the letter "B"
for "Babbler,
Grey-crowned". Alternatively, use the search engine in the
header above.
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Common and aboriginal names
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A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
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(Sorted by first letter of COMMON name; letters are clickable)
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A
B
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Babbler
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Chestnut-crowned
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Grey-crowned
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"dhadhalurraa" [yuwaalaraay]
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White-browed
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Baza, Pacific
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Bee-eater, Rainbow
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"birrubirruu" [yuwaalaraay]
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Bonnet, Blue
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"bulaybulay" [yuwaalaraay]
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Boobook, Southern
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"boobook"
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Bowerbird
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Regent
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Satin
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Spotted
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"wiidhaa" [gamilaraay, yuwaalaraay]
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Western
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Brolga
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"brolga", "burralga" [gamilaraay, yuwaalaraay]
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Bronzewing
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Common
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"tappak", "dhamarr" [gamilaraay, yuwaalaraay]
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Brush-turkey, Australian
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"woggoon", "wagun"
[gamilaraay, yuwaalaraay]
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Budgerigar
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"budgerigah",
"betcherrygah", "gidjirrigaa" [gamilaraay, yuwaalaraay]
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Bushlark, Singing
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Bustard, Australian
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"mantaba", "murranudda"
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Butcherbird
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Grey
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Pied
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Button-quail (see
also Quail)
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Painted
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Red-chested
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Buzzard, Black-breasted
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C
D
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Darter
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"koorowera", "marbangye"
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Dollarbird
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Dotterel
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Black-fronted
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Red-kneed
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Dove (see also Pigeon)
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Bar-shouldered
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Brown Cuckoo
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Diamond
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Emerald
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Peaceful
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Superb Fruit-
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Wompoo Fruit-
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Duck (see also Teal)
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Australian Wood
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"barrgabarrga"
[yuwaalaraay], "gunambaay" [gamilaraay]
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Blue-billed
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Hardhead
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Musk
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"benalla",
"berallah", "nakkare", "pelde", "tatea", "bagabagaali" [yuwaalaraay],
"biraala" [gamilaraay]
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Pacific Black
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"budhanbaa"
[yuwaalaraay], "garrangay" [gamilaraay]
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Pink-eared
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"wilidhubaay" [yuwaalaraay]
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Plumed Whistling-
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Radjah Shel-
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Wandering Whistling-
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Drongo, Spangled
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E
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Eagle
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Little
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Wedge-tailed
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"bilyana", "mullian",
"nompie", "woorawa", "wulde", "maliyan" [gamilaraay, yuwaalaraay]
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White-bellied Sea-
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"konkon"
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Egret
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Cattle
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Great
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Intermediate
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Little
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Emu
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"dhinawan" [gamilaraay],
"atyimba", "boolongena", "kaltee", "miowera", "pinyali", "punnanumta",
"wakaje", "warritcha"
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F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
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Pardalote
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Spotted
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Striated
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Parrot (see also
Cockatoo, Rosella, Lorikeet, Corella)
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Australian King-
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Australian Ringneck
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"bulla-bulla",
"bulun bulun" [gamilaraay, yuwaalaraay]
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Blue Bonnet
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Bourke's
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Eclectus
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Elegant
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Mallee Ringneck
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Mulga
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Port Lincoln
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Red-rumped
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Red-winged
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"billai"
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Scarlet-chested
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Superb
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Turquoise
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Pelican, Australian
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"bilbungra",
"boolungal", "millemurro", "nangkero", "gulaanbali" [yuwaalaraay],
"guliyali" [yuwaalaraay, yuwaaliyaay], "guliyaali" [gamilaraay]
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Pigeon (see also Dove)
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Crested
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"gulawuliil" [yuwaalaraay]
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Topknot
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White-headed
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Pipit
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Australian (Richard's)
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Pitta
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Noisy
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Plover (see also Lapwing)
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Greater Sand
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Lesser Sand
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Pacific Golden
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Red-capped
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Spur-winged
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Q
R
S
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Sandpiper
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Common
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Green
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Sharp-tailed
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Terek
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Scrubwren
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White-browed
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Yellow-throated
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Shoveler
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Australasian
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Shrike-thrush
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Grey
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"dharruwii" [yuwaalaraay]
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Little
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Shrike-tit
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Eastern
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Silvereye
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Songlark
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Brown
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Rufous
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Sparrowhawk
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Collared
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Spinebill
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Eastern
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Spoonbill
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Royal
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Yellow-billed
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Stilt
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Black-winged
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Stint
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Temminck's
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Stone-curlew
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Beach
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Bush
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Stork, Black-necked
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"jabiru", "korrorook", "monti"
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Sunbird, Olive-backed
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Swallow (see also
Martin)
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Barn
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Welcome
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White-backed
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Swamphen, Purple
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Swan
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Black
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"baiamul", "koolyn",
"mooroocoochin", "barayamal" [gamilaraay], "burunda" [gamilaraay]
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Swift
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Fork-tailed
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Needletail, White-throated
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T
W
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Scientific and aboriginal names
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A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
V
X
Z
(Sorted by first letter of SCIENTIFIC name; letters are clickable)
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A
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Acanthagenys rufogularis
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Acanthiza
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apicalis
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chrysorrhoa
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lineata
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nana
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pusilla
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robustirostris
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uropygialis
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Acanthorhynchus
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tenuirostris
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Accipiter
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cirrhocephalus
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fasciatus
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novaehollandiae
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Acrocephalus
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australis
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Aegotheles cristatus
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Ailuroedus
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crassirostris
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Alcedo
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azurea
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Alectura lathami
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"woggoon", "wagun"
[gamilaraay, yuwaalaraay]
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Alisterus scapularis
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Anas
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castanea
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gracilis
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"buuway" [yuwaalaraay]
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rhynchotis
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superciliosa
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"budhanbaa"
[yuwaalaraay], "garrangay" [gamilaraay]
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Anhinga melanogaster
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"koorowera", "marbangye"
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Anseranas semipalmata
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Anthochaera
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carunculata
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chrysoptera
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Anthus
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novaeseelandiae
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Aprosmictus erythropterus
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"billai"
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Apus
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pacificus
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Aquila
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audax
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"bilyana", "mullian",
"nompie", "woorawa", "wulde", "maliyan" [gamilaraay, yuwaalaraay]
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Ardea
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alba
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(Egretta) garzetta
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ibis
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intermedia
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novaehollandiae
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"budhuulgaa" [yuwaalaraay]
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pacifica
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Ardeotis australis
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"mantaba", "murranudda"
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Artamus
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cinereus
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cyanopterus
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leucorynchus
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superciliosus
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Aviceda subcristata
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Aythya australis
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B
C
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Cacatua
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galerita
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"kaneky", "mooyi"
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leadbeateri
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"gugalarrin" [yuwaalaraay]
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roseicapilla
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"galah", "gilaa" [gamilaraay, yuwaalaraay], "kalemji"
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sanguinea
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tenuirostris
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Cacomantis
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flabelliformis
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variolosus
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Calidris
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acuminata
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alpina
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temminckii
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Calyptorhynchus
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banksii
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"wyralla"
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funereus
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lathami
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Casuarius casuarius
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Cereopsis novaehollandiae
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"toolka"
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Chalcophaps indica
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Charadrius
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leschenaultii
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[Elseyornis] melanops
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mongolus
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ruficapillus
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Cheramoeca leucosternus
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Chenonetta jubata
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"barrgabarrga"
[yuwaalaraay], "gunambaay" [gamilaraay]
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Chlamydera
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guttata
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maculata
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"wiidhaa" [gamilaraay, yuwaalaraay]
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Chlidonias
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hybridus
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Chrysococcyx
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basalis
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minutillus
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osculans
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Chthonicola sagittata
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Cincloramphus
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cruralis
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mathewsi
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Cinclosoma
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punctatum
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Circus
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approximans
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assimilis
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Cisticola
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exilis
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Climacteris
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affinis
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picumnus
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"bibi" [yuwaalaraay]
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Colluricincla
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harmonica
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"dharruwii" [yuwaalaraay]
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megarhyncha
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Columba leucomela
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Corcorax melanorhamphos
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"wuyuu" [gamilaraay, yuwaalaraay]
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Cormobates leucophaeus
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Coracina
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maxima
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novaehollandiae
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"gunidjaa" [yuwaalaraay]
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papuensis
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Corvus
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bennetti
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coronoides
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mellori
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Coturnix
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ypsilophora
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Cracticus
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nigrogularis
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torquatis
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Cuculus
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pallidus
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Cygnus atratus
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"baiamul", "koolyn",
"mooroocoochin", "barayamal" [gamilaraay], "burunda" [gamilaraay]
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D
E
F
G
H
L
M
N
O
P
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Pachycephala
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pectoralis
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rufiventris
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Pandion haliaetus
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Pardalotus
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punctatus
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striatus
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Pelecanus conspicillatus
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"bilbungra",
"boolungal", "millemurro", "nangkero", "gulaanbali" [yuwaalaraay],
"guliyali" [yuwaalaraay, yuwaaliyaay], "guliyaali" [gamilaraay]
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Petroica
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goodenovii
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"awi irta" [Yura
Ngawarla], "wi-oombeen", "guniibuu" [yuwaalaraay]
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multicolor
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rosea
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Phalacrocorax
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carbo
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melanoleucos
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sulcirostris
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varius
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Phaps
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chalcoptera
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"tappak", "dhamarr" [gamilaraay, yuwaalaraay]
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Philemon
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citreogularis
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corniculatus
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"dhaguway" [yuwaalaraay]
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Phylidonyris
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nigra
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novaehollandiae
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Pitta
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versicolor
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Platalea
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flavipes
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regia
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Platycercus
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adscitus
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elegans
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eximius
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icterotis
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Plectorhyncha lanceolata
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Plegadis falcinellus
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Pluvialis
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fulva
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Podargus
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strigoides
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"buluurr" [yuwaalaraay]
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Podiceps cristatus
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Poliocephalus poliocephalus
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Polytelis
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swainsonii
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Pomatostomus
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ruficeps
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superciliosus
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temporalis
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"dhadhalurraa" [yuwaalaraay]
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Porphyrio porphyrio
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Porzana
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fluminea
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Psephotus
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haematonotus
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varius
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Psophodes
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cristatus
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olivaceus
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Ptilinopus
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magnificus
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superbus
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Ptilonorhynchus violaceus
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