The Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) is a large cosmopolitan raptor in the family Falconidae. It is renowned for its speed during its characteristic hunting stoop (high-speed dive), making it the fastest bird in the world, as well as the fastest...
The Tasmanian devil is a carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae. The size of a small dog, the Tasmanian devil became the largest carnivorous marsupial in the world, following the extinction of the thylacine in 1936. It is related to quolls,...
The emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) is the second-largest living bird by height, after its ratite relative, the ostrich. It is endemic to Australia where it is the largest native bird and the only extant member of the genus Dromaius. Emus can travel...
The budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) is a small seed-eating parrot usually nicknamed the budgie ( BUJ-ee), or in American English, the parakeet. It is closely related to lories and fig parrots. The origin of the budgerigar's name is unclear....
The cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus) is a member of its own branch of the cockatoo family endemic to Australia. They are prized as household pets and companion parrots throughout the world and are relatively easy to breed. As a caged bird,...
The Barn owl (Tyto alba) is the most widely distributed species of owl in the world and one of the most widespread of all species of birds. It is found almost everywhere in the world except for the polar and desert regions, Asia north of the...
The Barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) is the most widespread species of swallow in the world. In fact, it has the largest natural distribution of any of the world's passerines, ranging over 251 million square kilometers globally. In Anglophone Europe...
The Australian magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen) is a passerine bird most closely related to the Black butcherbird. It is not, however, closely related to the European magpie, which is a corvid. Described as one of Australia's most accomplished songbirds,...
The Eastern brown snake (Pseudonaja textilis) is a species of highly venomous snake native to Australia and southern New Guinea. It was first described by André Marie Constant Duméril, Gabriel Bibron, and Auguste Duméril in 1854. The Eastern brown...
Described as "The bird which made the breeze to blow" the wingspan of a Wandering albatross (Diomedea exulans) is the longest of any bird. It lives up to its name when it takes fishing trips that last 10-20 days and can cover 10,000 km while using...
The Red kangaroo (Osphranter rufus) is the largest of all kangaroos, the largest terrestrial mammal native to Australia, and the largest extant marsupial. It is an iconic symbol of Australia and like all Australian wildlife, the Red kangaroo is...
The Wedge-tailed eagle (Aquila audax) is the largest bird of prey in the continent of Australia. It is one of 12 species of large, predominantly dark-colored booted eagles in the genus Aquila found worldwide. The Wedge-tailed eagle is highly...
The Black kite (Milvus migrans) is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors. It is thought to be the world's most abundant species of Accipitridae. Unlike others in the group, Black kites...
Tawny frogmouths (Podargus strigoides) are large, big-headed birds native to Australia that are often mistaken for an owl due to their nocturnal habits and similar coloring. They are sometimes incorrectly referred to as "mopoke", a common name for...
The Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea) is a tern in the family Laridae. These amazing birds perform the longest migrations known in the animal world. They have a circumpolar breeding distribution and see two summers each year. Arctic terns nest once...
The galah (Eolophus roseicapilla) is a member of the cockatoo family. It is found throughout Australia and is among the most common cockatoos. With its distinctive pink and grey plumage and its bold and loud behavior, it is a familiar sight in the...
The Gouldian finch (Chloebia gouldiae) is a small colourful passerine bird that is native to Australia. This species was described by British ornithological artist John Gould in 1844 as Amadina gouldiae, in honour of his wife Elizabeth.
The Cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) is a cosmopolitan species of heron named for its association with cattle. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Bubulcus, although some authorities regard its two subspecies as full species, the Western cattle...
The Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) is a penguin species (or possibly a species complex) in the genus Pygoscelis. It is most closely related to the Adélie penguin and the Chinstrap penguin. Gentoo penguins are the fastest underwater swimmers of...
The Sarus crane (Antigone antigone) is the world's tallest extant flying bird, standing at a height of up to 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in). This crane, when standing, is as tall as a man. In India, these birds are considered symbols of marital fidelity,...
The Common death adder (Acanthophis antarcticus) is a species of death adder native to Australia. It is one of the most venomous land snakes in Australia and globally. It is widespread throughout its native range but is facing increased threat from...
The Australian green tree frog (Ranoidea caerulea ), also known as simply green tree frog in Australia, White's tree frog, or dumpy tree frog, is a species of tree frog native to Australia and New Guinea, with introduced populations in the United...
The Australian white ibis (Threskiornis molucca) is a large wading bird widespread across much of Australia. While it is closely related to the African sacred ibis, the Australian white ibis is a native Australian bird - contrary to urban myth, it...
The Eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus) is a marsupial found only in Australia. It is the second largest and heaviest living marsupial and native land mammal in Australia. It is also known as the Great grey kangaroo and the Forester kangaroo.
The White wagtail (Motacilla alba) is a small insectivorous bird of the open country, often near habitation and water. It prefers bare areas for feeding, where it can see and pursue its prey. In urban areas, it has adapted to foraging on paved areas...
The Mulga snake (Pseudechis australis) is a highly venomous snake native to Australia. First described by English zoologist John Edward Gray in 1842, it is variable in appearance. The venom of this snake can cause severe effects if delivered in...
The Little egret (Egretta garzetta) is small elegant heron in the family Ardeidae. As an aquatic bird, it feeds in shallow water and on land, consuming a variety of small creatures. At one time common in Western Europe, the Little heron was hunted...
The noisy miner (Manorina melanocephala ) is a bird in the honeyeater family, Meliphagidae, and is endemic to eastern and southeastern Australia. This miner is a grey bird, with a black head, orange-yellow beak and feet, a distinctive yellow patch...
The Short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) is one of four living species of echidna. It is covered in fur and spines and has a distinctive snout and a specialized tongue, which it uses to catch its insect prey at a great speed. The...
The Black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) is a small and one of the most abundant gulls in much of Europe and Asia, and also in eastern Canada. It displays a variety of compelling behaviors and adaptations. Some of these include removing...
The Red-tailed black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii) is a large black cockatoo native to Australia. These birds like to live in eucalyptus woodlands, or along water courses. They are cavity nesters, and as such depend on trees with fairly large...
The Eurasian coot (Fulica atra), also known as the Common coot, or Australian coot, is a member of the rail and crake bird family, the Rallidae. It is found in Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and parts of North Africa. Similar-looking coot...
The Carpet python (Morelia spilota) is a large snake of the family Pythonidae. It is named for the beautiful markings on its skin, which resemble an oriental carpet pattern. This species is a popular pet among snake enthusiasts.
The Northern shoveler (Spatula clypeata) is a widespread species of duck unmistakable in the northern hemisphere due to its large spatulate bill. In Britain, it is known simply as the shoveler. One part of its scientific name Spatula is the Latin...
The superb fairywren (Malurus cyaneus ) is a passerine bird in the Australasian wren family, Maluridae, and is common and familiar across south-eastern Australia. It is a sedentary and territorial species. Six subspecies groups are recognized: three...
The Willie (or willy) wagtail is the most familiar songbird found in Australia. It is common throughout much of its range, living in most habitats apart from thick forest. This bird spends much time chasing prey in open habitat. Aggressive and...
The magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca) is a passerine bird native to Australia, Timor and southern New Guinea. It was first described by the English ornithologist John Latham in 1801. The magpie-lark has alternate names including the mudlark (more...
The Red-necked wallaby (Notamacropus rufogriseus) is a medium-sized macropod marsupial, common in the more temperate and fertile parts of eastern Australia, including Tasmania. Its name comes from the reddish fur on its shoulders and nape.
The White-throated needletail (Hirundapus caudacutus) is a large swift. Needle-tailed swifts get their name from the spined end of their tail, which is not forked as it is in the typical swifts of the genus Apus. The White-throated needletail was...
The Common tern (Sterna hirundo) is a seabird that has a circumpolar distribution. it has four subspecies breeding in temperate and subarctic regions of Europe, Asia, and North America. Its large population and huge breeding range mean that this...
The European mole (Talpa europaea) is a small fossorial mammal that lives across most of Europe. It is also known as the Common mole and the Northern mole. This mole lives in a tunnel system, which it constantly extends. It uses these tunnels to...
Australian pelicans (Pelecanus conspicillatus) are large waterbirds that have the longest bill of any living bird. They feed by plunge-diving and work in groups to drive fish to shallower water, where they stick their sensitive bills in to snatch...
