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Birds to look out for in May

Thursday, 2 May 2024

  • Estimated reading time 2 min
Photographed by David Stowe

Birds to look out for in May

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

  • The last of the Metallic Starlings leaving north-eastern Queensland
  • Blue-winged Parrots in inland NSW  
  • Fairy Martins visiting northern Australia from the southern states  
  • Powerful Owls breeding in south-eastern Australia  
  • The formation of large ‘winter flocks’ of ravens  
  • Seabirds from Southern Ocean visible from southern coasts
  • Swift Parrots on the move across mainland south-eastern Australia in search of lerp and blossom
  • Robins moving into more open habitats throughout south-eastern Australia
  • Double-banded Plovers arriving in southern Australia
  • Migrating Arctic Jaegers visiting Victorian waters
  • Shy Albatross venturing closer to shore along the coasts of Tasmania and southern Australia
  • Thousands of Yellow-faced and White-naped Honeyeaters migrating north
  • Increasing numbers of Fluttering Shearwaters migrating to Australian coastal waters from New Zealand breeding grounds
  • Mature waterbirds flaunting their breeding plumage in the Top End
  • The last adult migratory shorebirds departing Roebuck Bay for their northern breeding grounds, thousands of kilometres away.
Four Swift Parrots in flight against a bright blue sky.
Critically Endangered Swift Parrots migrate from their Tasmanian breeding grounds to mainland south-eastern Australia, where they cover great distances in search of food. Photo by Rebecca Citroni

Interesting historical records:

6/4/2011  House Swift  |  Broome, WA  |  4th record for Broome  

3/5/2009   Dusky Warbler  |  Christmas Island 1st  |  record for Australia  

4/5/2013   Forest Wagtail   |  Alice Springs, NT |  2nd record for Australia  

4/5/1930   Superb Fruit-Dove  |  Raglan, Vic.  |  1st record for Victoria  

5/5/2009   Citrine Wagtail  |  Christmas Island  |  3rd record for Australia  

17/5/2009   Forest Wagtail  |  Christmas Island  |  1st record for Australia  

21/5/1981   Superb Fruit-Dove  |  Flinders Island, Tas.  |  3rd record for Tasmania  

22/5/2010   Semipalmated Plover  |  Tuross Head, NSW  |  1st record for Australia  

29/5/2007   Red-legged Crake  |  Whim Creek, WA  |  2nd record for Australia  

What birds have you seen?

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

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.

Related information

Program
Birdata

To save birds, we need reliable data. Birdata is where we collect, keep and share this information. Compiled almost entirely by citizen scientists, Birdata is Australia's largest and longest running database for birds, with more than 22 million records (and counting).

Event
Swift Parrot Search

Join in the Swift Parrot Search and help to collect crucial data across the mainland range of this critically endangered migratory species.