Tuesday, 8 October 2024
With the Aussie Bird Count fast approaching, we’re thrilled to introduce our 2024 ambassadors!
Our all-star line-up of new and returning ambassadors (and fellow bird lovers) includes comedians, animators, scientists, senators, birding celebrities and gardening superstars.
They’ll be joining us in watching, counting and recording birds for next week’s Aussie Bird Count, while helping us spread the bird word across their socials – so make sure to give them a follow!
Without further ado, please join us in welcoming back…
Author, landscape architect, environmental educator, television presenter and friendly face of ABC’s Gardening Australia.
Though he needs no introduction, Costa Georgiadis is an Australian landscape architect, environmental educator and television presenter, and the much-loved host of one of the ABC’s most iconic and Logie award-winning programs, Gardening Australia.
Costa has an all-consuming passion for plants and people, and knows how to bring out the best in each. He’s also a long-time friend and supporter of BirdLife Australia and the Aussie Bird Count.
Count with Costa on Facebook and Instagram.
Bird photographer and stand-up comedian.
Geraldine Hickey is one of Australia’s most beloved stand-up comedians. Winner of Best Show at the Melbourne Comedy Festival, Geraldine consistently sells out shows in theatres across the country. A feel-good, masterful storyteller, she’s also a regular on numerous hit TV shows, including Question Everything and Thank God You’re Here.
Geraldine is also a keen bird photographer, and has been producing a calendar of her bird photos since 2021. When on tour, Geraldine keeps her camera and binoculars at the ready.
Count with Geraldine on Facebook and Instagram.
Actor, animator, writer and Silver Gull fan.
Sam Cotton is an actor, animator and writer, best known for his hugely popular (and uniquely Australian) animations.
He loves music, art and birds, especially Silver Gulls (who also share his love for hot chippies). Sam has been involved with the Aussie Bird Count since 2022, and we’re excited to count with him again in 2024!
Count with Sam on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
Independent Senator for the ACT, former professional rugby union player and Gang-gang Cockatoo enthusiast.
You might know him as an Australian politician or as one of our rugby greats – but David Pocock is also a proud bird lover and conservationist.
Over a stellar rugby career spanning 15 years, David captained the Wallabies and served as Vice-Captain for the Brumbies before retiring. A passionate advocate for climate action and conservation, David was elected as first Independent Senate candidate for the ACT in 2022 – where his favourite bird, the Gang-gang Cockatoo, is the faunal emblem.
Count with David on Facebook and Instagram.
Bird lover, educator and Weekend Birder podcast host.
In 2022, bird lover and educator Kirsty Costa created the Weekend Birder podcast to help people discover the benefits of birdwatching. Inspired by her own love of nature, Kirsty aims to make birding accessible and enjoyable for everyone.
Weekend Birder celebrates the stories and smarts of everyday people and their unique connections to birds, and aims to equip listeners with the knowledge and skills they need to identify birds, understand their behaviours, and enjoy spending time outside.
Listen to Weekend Birder podcast and count with Kirsty on Instagram.
And meet our brand new Aussie Bird Count ambassadors for 2024:
Gardening Australia host, educator, author, landscape designer and birdwatcher.
Based in nipaluna/Hobart, Hannah Moloney is the Tasmanian host of ABC TV’s Gardening Australia. She’s also a permaculture and sustainability educator, landscape designer, best-selling author and keen birdwatcher, and is passionate about urban agriculture, organic gardening, climate activism, community development and her many animals.
Count with Hannah on Facebook and Instagram.
Comedian, actress, author and bird lover.
Before discovering her gift for comedy, Steph Tisdell thought she’d be a lawyer. Today, the proud Ydinji woman is one of the brightest stars in Australian comedy, selling out live shows and taking out awards at Adelaide Fringe and Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Steph has also acted in feature films and TV shows like Bump and Total Control, and released her debut young adult novel The Skin I’m In earlier this year. Importantly, she also loves birds, and has two Amazon Parrots named Michael Parkinson and Eddie McGuire (Parky and Eddie for short).
Count with Steph on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
Conservation biologist and science communicator.
Dr Kylie Soanes is a wildlife scientist on a mission to save nature in our cities and towns. Her research brings together the fields of urban ecology and biodiversity conservation to ask: how can we make cities better places for wildlife?
A leading expert in her field, Kylie collaborates with councils, community groups, engineers and architects to make real change for wildlife in urban environments: like building rope bridges to help Endangered possums cross roads, 3D-printing nest hollows for Powerful Owls and adding floating wetlands to busy city rivers. And she’s keen to share this mission with you!
Count with Kylie on Instagram and TikTok.
Wildlife educators and conservationists.
Soph and Bridge are identical twins with the same passion: Australian wildlife.
Based on NSW’s North Coast, the siblings are dedicated to wildlife conservation and sharing our country’s amazing wildlife with the world.
Count with Soph and Bridge on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok
Wildlife photographer, writer, filmmaker and Death by Birding podcast host.
Cesar Puechmarin is an award-winning wildlife photographer, writer, filmmaker, aspiring veterinarian and, of course, host of the popular Death by Birding podcast. On it, Cesar chats with birders and non-birders to explore the esoteric world of birds, offering a hilarious yet informative journey through the birdwatching movement. Cesar lives in the subtropical rainforests of Queensland’s Mount Glorious, surrounded by Paradise Riflebirds, Regent Bowerbirds, and Sooty Owls.
Listen to the Death by Birding podcast online and count with Cesar on Instagram and TikTok
Birders, conservationists and cyclists.
Meet Leo and Cezary. These adventurous birders are currently bike-packing and birdwatching 15,000 km around Australia for a good cause.
After deferring university, Leo and Cezary decided to combine their passions for birdwatching, conservation and adventure to raise funds to build a school in Timor-Leste, while documenting the unique cultural and ecological importance of birds in Australia. With their journey now nearing its end, Leo and Cezary have raised over $100,000, cycled 12,000 km, and seen over 620 bird species!
Follow their journey and count with Leo and Cezary on Instagram
Meet Spencer Hitchen: a 13-year-old conservationist and environmental educator on a mission to save Glossy Black-Cockatoos from the brink of extinction. Spencer leads the campaign to Save Sunrise Glossies, and has collected 85,000 signatures on his petition to protect their Wallum habitat. He also started World Stand UP 4 Nature Day on September 9 2023 to showcase the amazing people around the world who are making a difference for nature.
A young guardian of nature, Spencer is armed with a camera and unwavering passion – using his photography and keen observations to convey the importance of preserving ecosystems for threatened species and future generations.
Count with Spencer on Instagram
Join the Aussie Bird Count from 14–20 October by registering as a counter today.
Subscribe for the latest conservation news, upcoming events, opportunities, and special offers.
