What began as a casual hobby decades ago has grown to become an avid fascination with birds of all kinds, but especially Australian native birds. My aviary collection currently includes:
Blue Faced Parrot Finches (Erythrura trichroa)
Budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus)
An Eastern Rosella (Platycercus eximius)
Gouldian Finches (Erythrura gouldiae or Chloebia gouldiae)
King Quail (Coturnix chinensis)
Red Faced Parrot Finches (Erythrura Psittacea)
Varied Lorikeets (Psitteuteles versicolor)
Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia guttata)
Other birds I have kept include:
Australian Wood Duck, Maned Duck or Maned Goose (Chenonetta jubata)
Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes)
Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans)
Diamond Firetails (Stagonopleura guttata)
Double Bar Finches (Poephila bichenovii or Taeniopygia bichenovii)
Galahs (Eolophus roseicapilla)
Little Corella (Cacatua sanguinea)
Pigeons also known as Rock Doves (Columba livia)
Red-Browed Finches (Neochmia temporalis)
Red Rumped Grassparrot (Psephotus haematonotus)
Superb Blue Wrens (Malurus cyaneus)
White Barbary Dove (Streptopelia risoria)
Yellow Rosella (Platycercus elegans flaveolus)
My “wild” collection, that is birds we share our 22 acre property with on a regular or seasonal basis, include but is certainly not limited to the following:
Australian Wood Duck, Maned Duck or Maned Goose (Chenonetta jubata)
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes (Coracina novaehollandiae)
Crested Pigeons (Ocyphaps lophotes)
Crows or Australian Ravens (Corvus coronoides)
Double Bar Finches (Poephila bichenovii or Taeniopygia bichenovii
Eastern Rosellas (Platycercus eximius)
Galahs (Eolophus roseicapilla)
Grey Fantails (Rhipidura fuliginosa)
Laughing Kookaburras (Dacelo novaeguineae)
Magpies (Cracticus tibicen)
Peaceful Doves (Geopelia striata)
Peewee or Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca)
Rainbow Bee Eaters (Merops ornatus)
Red Rumped Grassparrots (Psephotus haematonotus)
Satin Flycatchers (Myiagra cyanoleuca)
Scarlet Robins (Petroica multicolor)
Superb Blue Wrens (Malurus cyaneus)
White-winged Choughs (Corcorax melanorhamphos)
Willie Wagtails (Rhipidura leucophrys)
Yellow-rumped Thornbills (Acanthiza chrysorrhoa)
Plus occasional visitors on a fly-by, looking for take-away meals, a rest, refuge or a drink from the dam. This is an interesting group that includes the occasional escapee from nearby Albury backyards and birdcages. Escapees are marked with an asterisk* as known to be not native, not local to this area, or a mutation that does not normally occur in wild populations. Racing pigeons** are a special case and not considered “escapees”, as we have had a number of rung birds stop for a rest before continuing on their way back to their home loft.
Australian King-Parrot (Alisterus scapularis)
Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus)
Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris or Elanus notatus)
Brown Goshawk (Accipiter fasciatus)
Canary* (Serinus canaria)
Collared Sparrowhawk (Accipiter cirrhocephalus)
Gang-gang Cockatoos (Callocephalon fimbriatum)
Nankeen Kestrels (Falco cenchroides)
Racing Pigeons** also known as Rock Doves (Columba livia)
Sulphur-crested Cockatoos (Cacatua galerita)
and the magnificent Wedge Tailed Eagles (Aquila audax)
Zebra Finch mutations*, black and fawn (Taeniopygia guttata)
These lists are by no means complete, especially our wild residents and visitors. They will be added to as more species are identified and with luck photographed.