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Australian bird habitats:
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Aboriginal names: "pillyi", "bindaree" = River; "bagay" = Rivers/Creeks [gamilaraay]
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Description of habitat |
Habitats around rivers and creeks in Australia are very diverse. Vegetation along the courses of near-coastal rivers is often lush and dense, whereas - often dry - river beds in the interior tend to be lined mostly with a double row of River Red Gums (and little else). Accordingly, the bird life along rivers and creeks is also diverse, depending on the nature of the habitat. This is the reason why we separate two general types of areas here: near-coastal and inland rivers. At the end of this page there are also a few examples of (semi-)permanent waterholes in inland rivers.
Note that there is a separate page on billabongs, i.e. often reed-lined and waterlily-covered (semi-)permanent waterholes of tropical Australian rivers and creeks. Rivers can also be lined with reeds, which are described briefly on the page about lakes.
Near-coastal rivers and creeks
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Bird species found in this type of habitat or plant |
This is not necessarily a complete list. We display here some examples of bird species found by us in this kind of habitat or plant. Hover your cursor on thumbnails to see names of species; click on thumbnail to go to the page describing the species.
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Photos |
Example of a near-coastal creek with a very shallow gradient,
lined with lush vegetation: Baffle Creek, QLD
River emerging from the Great Dividing Range towards the
coastline, with a median gradient - Gloucester River, NSW
Inland rivers and creeks
Information on (semi-)permanent waterholes can be found here.
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Bird species found in this type of habitat or plant |
This is not necessarily a complete list. We display here some examples of bird species found by us in this kind of habitat or plant. Hover your cursor on thumbnails to see names of species; click on thumbnail to go to the page describing the species.
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Photos |
A bend of the Darling River at Paroo-Darling National Park, NSW, as an
example of a major inland river; at times even the Darling River falls
entirely dry at the surface
In this shot one can see how the Darling River is lined on both
sides by massive trees, mostly River Red Gums; the trees' root
systems stabilise the river banks
Rocky Creek, between Narrabri and Bingara, NSW, is an example
of a creek in the Great Dividing Range, which usually has at
least a trickle of water at the surface - this is a typical
habitat for, e.g., Sacred
Kingfishers
This pool of Rocky Creek is the territory of an Azure Kingfisher
Here an extreme example of a dry creek lined with River Red Gums in the Flinders
Ranges, SA
Example of a dry creek bed in an agricultural area (formerly natural
grassland), overgrown
with grass, reeds and weeds; a bird species found by us in this area is
the Eastern Grass Owl
Such an eroded creek bank is not a pretty sight for landholders, but
it offers several bird species an opportunity to drill nesting tunnels
into the ground
Australian Wood Ducks
on a (semi-)permanent water surface at Bullawa Creek, in inland NSW
[Near Narrabri, NSW, October 2014]
(Semi-)permanent waterholes/rockpools
"calgai", "gilgai" [gamilaraay], "gilghi" ("gilgie") = waterhole; "nullamanna" = Large waterhole [Aboriginal]
On a continent with a dry interior in which many rivers are dry over long periods, waterholes are important sources of drinking water for local wildlife. Consequently, they also attract many species of birds. Which birds will go to a waterhole or rockpool will depend on the habitat(s) surrounding the water.
Note that in common language use such inland water pools are often called "lagoons". This term is a misnomer. There is a separate page on (saltwater!) lagoons.
Example of a (semi-)permanent waterhole: Salisbury Waterholes
in the Pilliga
Nature Reserve, in inland NSW
Waterholes are particularly important in semi-arid and arid
evironments; here an example of a rockpool in Wirreanda Creek
near Hawker, SA, which crosses country with very poor soil
Rock pools along Wottamolla Creek in Royal NP, NSW
Rock pools of Wottamolla Creek - the habitat in which a pair of
Rockwarblers was
found by us near dusk
[Wottamolla, Royal NP,
NSW, June 2015]
Example of bird species making use of a rockpool: White-browed Scrubwren hunting
for insects
[Mt. Kaputar NP,
NSW, April 2013]
Another hunter around a rockpool is the Superb Fairy-wren
[Mt. Kaputar NP,
NSW, April 2013]
Eastern Yellow Robins
hunt in underbrush along rivers and creeks, but venture out into the
open too
[Mt. Kaputar NP,
NSW, April 2013]
Although hunting mostly in the trees lining rivers and creeks, such
as e.g. casuarinas,
Olive-backed Orioles
are also seen by us regularly around rockpools
[Mt. Kaputar NP,
NSW, April 2013]
Red-browed Finches
like to drink from shallow waters, such as e.g. rockpools or puddles; this
one used a casuarina
to approach a rockpool below
[Mt. Kaputar NP,
NSW, April 2013]
