Hahns Macaw - The smallest macaw, about the size of a Rainbow Lorikeet, is a recent addition to the zoo collectionOur visits to Melbourne Zoo have given us some enjoyable birding moments. There was the time we went to visit a baby mandrill and was alerted to a Boobook Owl roosting in the 'African Rainforest' canopy by a group of alarmed White-plumed Honeyeaters. And the time we went to visit the tigers and heard the melodious call of the Golden Whistler and found it just off the path in the 'Asian Rainforest'. On another occasion I was waiting outside a marquee in which Jane Goodall was due to give a talk and a flock of Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo descended on the giant pine which resides in the Carousel Park. One summer an Olive-backed Oriole could be heard calling near the rail gate in the mornings, one of the keepers informed us that it was nesting in a Palm Tree nearby. Guinea Fowl acting as a sentry in the Giraffe exhibit

These are unusual sightings for the Melbourne Zoo, however there are also some interesting birds that can be found regularly. A feral species that can usually be found is the Tree Sparrow, they used to frequent the Zoo Bistro but now they can more often be found around the elephant paddock which is situated next to the main barn. A better view of the Tree Sparrows can probably be had from outside the zoo around the south west corner, on our morning walks we are currently seeing the sparrows perched on the wall and flying to the seeding grasses opposite the tram line.

Song Thrush can occasionally be found especially around the African and Asian rainforests. Also in the Asian rainforest is the 'Pelican Lake', the pelicans here belong to the collection but the Great Cormorants and colony of Nankeen Night-Herons are wild birds. In 1916 Dudley Le Souef wrote 'When the gardens were first formed, more than 50 years ago, Nankeen-night Herons used to camp during the day in the the Eucalyptus trees and they and there descendants have continued to do so ever since' and they still do today. During the summer months the adults nest somewhere on the zoo grounds, most often this is in the trees surrounding the great flight aviary.

Juvenile Nankeen Night-Heron

During Autumn and Spring other small birds such as Grey Fantail, Eastern Spinebill and Silvereye can also be seen, while on migration during change of seasons. Rainbow Lorikeets are always present and Musk Lorikeets and Little Lorikeets can often be seen during late Summer to Winter.

For a list of birds seen at the zoo check out the Bird List .

Eastern Koel in the Great Flight Aviary