Water for the environment: wetlands

	Wetlands Facts about Wetlands Wetland Plants and Animals Birds   Search:  [ HOME ] [ CONTACT ]		The Birds of NSW Wetlands - Other Birds There are many other birds commonly found in the wetlands of New South Wales. Some of these are described below. Azure Kingfisher Swamp Harrier - also called Marsh Harrier,       Gould’s Harrier, Swamp Hawk Peregrine Falcon Brush Stone-curlew (An endangered species) Little Grassbird Emu References and Further Reading Azure Kingfisher Alcedo azurea Source: MDBC General Characteristics: Head and back rich blue, throat and belly white to gold. Black beak, orange-red feet. Diet: Fish, crustaceans and insects. Habitat: Usually found around water. Distribution in NSW: Found in the eastern half of NSW. [ TOP ] Swamp Harrier - also called Marsh Harrier,      Gould’s Harrier, Swamp Hawk Circus approximans General Characteristics: Male: Mottled streaked dark brown plumage. Bright yellow eye. Female: darker in colour and larger than the male. A whittish band is evident on the lower rump in flight. Nomadic and migratory. Rest, roost and feed on the ground. Diet: Waterbirds, eggs, small mammals, frogs and reptiles. Habitat: Prefer open marshes and flooded reed beds. Distribution in NSW: Found throughout NSW, but uncommon in the dry arid areas of the State. [ TOP ] Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus General Characteristics: One of the deadliest and fastest birds of prey. In countries other than Australia the Peregrine Falcon is not usually associated with wetlands. Due to a lack of suitable cliff top habitat in Australia, these birds are commonly found around wetlands. Numbers have declined over recent years, due particularly to the impact of insecticides on their eggs. Mate for life. Often nests in the hollows of large trees, or in the abandoned nests of other large birds. Diet: Small animals, ducks and other waterbirds. Habitat: Found in lightly timbered open forest, agricultural lands, lagoons and riparian zones around permanent water. Distribution in NSW: Distributed throughout NSW, however, not common anywhere. [ TOP ] Brush Stone-curlew (An endangered species) Burhinus grallarius Source: NPWS General Characteristics: Back is brown and grey, streaked with black. Forehead white, crown and neck are grey. Long thin olive-brown legs. Black bill. Riparian habitat is crucial to the survival of this species. Also very sensitive to changes in flow regime. Listed as endangered under Schedule 2 of the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995. Diet: Insects. Habitat: Found primarily in lightly timbered open forest, agricultural lands and riparian zones around permanent water. Distribution in NSW: Has a patchy distribution throughout most of NSW. [ TOP ] Little Grassbird Megalurus gramineus General Characteristics: Grey-brown to dark brown plumage. Has poor flight but can disperse over vast distances following the breeding season. Nest is made of grasses and feathers. Diet: Insects, spiders and aquatic molluscs. Habitat: Reed beds in and on the edge of freshwater swamps and saltmarsh. Distribution in NSW: Distributed throughout NSW. [ TOP ] Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae Source: DLWC General Characteristics: Australia’s largest bird, flightless, and stands up to 2 m high. Plumage is dusky grey-brown, with black tips. Bill is brown to black. A nomadic wanderer. Omnivorous. Female can lay as many as 20 eggs. Nest is made on the ground with grasses, leaves and bark. Diet: Leaves, grasses, fruit, flowers, seeds and insects. Habitat: Prefer open areas rather than thickly forested areas. Distribution in NSW: Found west of the Great Diving Range in NSW. [ TOP ] References and Further Reading Readers Digest. 1988. Readers Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds. Reader’s Digest, Sydney.
		[ TOP ]
		Copyright © 2000 - NSW Department of Natural Resources www.naturalresources.nsw.gov.au