Donate
Cancel
To the right of the frame, a grey, black and rufous Black-faced Monarch peers directly at the camera from behind some green foliage.
Photographed by Carolyn Clark
General

Birds to look out for in February

Saturday, 1 February 2025

  • Estimated reading time 2 min

Birds to look out for in February

What birds might you see this month? Here are a few to look out for…

In the centre of the frame, a small brown and cream Double-banded Plover is wading in pale blue and pink water, looking towards the camera.
The Double-banded Plover is the only Australian wader that migrates east to west. Photo by Raz Brewer

 

  • Double-banded Plovers returning to south-eastern Australia
  • Black-faced Monarchs on passage through eastern NSW and south-eastern Qld
  • Departure of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers from Tasmania
  • Subantarctic penguins moulting on Australia’s southern coastline
  • Flocks of Hooded Plovers forming at coastal lakes in south-western Australia
  • Arrival of the first Swift Parrots on the Australian mainland

Interesting historical records from February:

2/2/1985  Grey Petrel  |  Ballina, NSW  |  1st record for NSW

6/2/2011  Eyebrowed Thrush |  Malanda, Qld  |  1st record for Australia

15/2/1987  Barau’s Petrel  |  off Portland, Vic.  |  1st record for Australia

17/2/2009  Yellow Bittern  |  Christmas Island   |   3rd record for Australia

20/2/1977  Asian Dowitcher   |   Shoalhaven, NSW  |  1st record for NSW

22/2/1976  Grey Phalarope   |   Lake Woorinen, Vic.   |   1st record for Australia

22/2/2009  Papuan Spine-tailed Swift  |  Saibai Island, Qld   |   2nd record for Australia

22/2/2009  Yellow White-eye  |   Sawtell, NSW  |   1st record for NSW

28/2/1987  Audubon’s Shearwater   |   off Wollongong, NSW  |   1st record for Australia

 

Want to contribute valuable data to help Australia’s birds? Log your bird sightings on Birdata, our national bird monitoring program!

Head to birdata.birdlife.org.au to get started today, or watch our handy video tutorial below to find out how to submit a 2ha 20 min survey of your own.