Here is a list of Birds of Woowookarung and the Canadian Corridor, a work in progress by Joel Ellis and Rob Loveband. All photos by Rob unless otherwise acknowledged. Click on the small photo for an enlarged version. Click on the name for more information from Bird Life Australia and eBird Australia
Native Birds / Status / Notes
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![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP. Photographed in Mount Clear area of Park. Otherwise uncommon in Ballarat (with the exception of some semi-regular records at Midlands Golf Course). Distinct pale face sets it apart from any other bird of prey with reddish tones. Glides gracefully, low to the treetops, picking off unsuspecting birds and raiding nests. |
Black Kite |
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Collared Sparrowhawk ![]() |
![]() Confirmed at Woowookarung RP. Observed on numerous occasions soaring over cleared ex-plantations. One of the smallest birds of prey; a falcon with slender build, often soaring on scythe-like wings. One of two Aussie birds on prey that can hover on the spot (the other is the white and silver Black-shouldered Kite which can be found at Mt Xavier and Midlands Golf Courses, but otherwise is mostly associated with pastureland either side of the Corridor), with rapid shallow wing beats. Ginger upperparts and beige underparts. |
Powerful Owl![]() Confirmed at Woowookarung RP. Sightings in the south of Woowookarung RP, and also south of Mt Buninyong. Anecdotal trace evidence and vocal records by Grant at Union Jack Reserve and Mt Buninyong. At their size (65cm) and as a hollow-nester, very old and large Eucalyptus are vitally important and warrant preservation. Also not averse to roosting in pines. ‘Threatened’ in Victoria. Precise locations and landholder details are to be a closely guarded secret, to protect our Powerful Owls from wildlife crime. |
![]() Confirmed within Woowookarung RP. Anecdotal report of frogmouths using a Fussell St backyard as a day roost, ditto Timbertop Dr (Mt Helen), Lake Esmond, and suburban Buninyong. Sighted in central Woowookarung forest off Katy Ryans Rd in 2019. This photo from 8/1/22 in Greenhaven estate, spotted by Paul in his back yard. Not to be mistaken as owls, as frogmouths are in a family of their own; frogmouths differ from owls in their weaker feet which means that they seize prey with their mouth rather their feet like owls, their camouflage and no need for nest-hollows, and their lack of facial disk/mask seen in owls. |
![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP. Flyover flocks likely to be observed during flyovers, potentially with some stopovers in pines. Photographed in the Park by Rob. Population not suffering as much as other Black-Cockatoos species interstate, but needs to be monitored, as food trees decline. |
![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP. Common and widespread throughout the Corridor. |
![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP. Common and widespread throughout the Corridor. The predominate corella species in the Ballarat area, with the other being Little Corella which is less common and widespread, despite occasional visitation by large nomadic flocks. The way to distinguish between the two (when detail in the bill cannot be discerned) is that Long-billed Corella has a smattering of salmon/scarlet around the throat and between the eyes and base of the bill, while Little Corella often shows a raised conical crest (which Long-billed lacks). |
![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP. Common and widespread throughout the Corridor. Seen daily in park near East Ballarat. |
![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP. Common and widespread throughout the Corridor. |
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![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP. Common and widespread throughout the Corridor. |
![]() Confirmed at Woowookarung RP. Potential visitor to the Park’s eucalypts when in flower. Sighted in Mt Clear by Rob. Nomadic bird that wanders (as opposed to migrates) to wherever the Eucalypts are in flower. |
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![]() King Parrot: New to the region but seen with increasing frequency, this large parrot seems to be naturalising in Ballarat |
![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP. Common and widespread throughout the Corridor. |
![]() Possibly at Woowookarung RP. Recorded by Joel in Union Jack Reserve, and it would not be a stretch of the imagination to suggest they could occur in Woowookarung RP. Spring-summer breeding migrant. Pretty iridescent green/bronze on upperparts and finely barred brown and white underparts, with barring that extends well up the face. Compared to Horsfield’s, Shining Bronze-cuckoo is more inclined towards woodlands and forests. |
![]() Confirmed at Woowookarung RP. Sighted along the 10,000 Step Nature Trail, and heard near the Scenic Lookout. Also occurs at Union Jack Reserve. Spring-summer breeding migrant that spends winters in northern Australia and PNG. |
![]() Confirmed at Woowookarung RP (as per photograph by Rob). Spring-summer breeding migrant that spends winters in northern Australia and PNG. |
![]() Confirmed at Woowookarung RP. Consensus that Kookaburras are in decline in urban areas, but otherwise faring well in bushland and rural areas. |
![]() Likely. Spring-summer breeding migrant that has been observed to both the north and south of Woowookarung RP, including Union Jack Reserve, Buninyong Bushland Reserve, and Ditchfield Reserve (north of Woowookarung RP). Not necessarily associated with water and fish, despite its name. |
![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung. In decline, but relatively common locally, provided an understorey is present. |
![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP. Common and widespread throughout the Corridor. |
![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP. Common and widespread throughout the Corridor. |
![]() Confirmed at Woowookarung RP. Pardalote, observed by FoCC Committee, retreating into hole in earth embankment out the front of 55 Recreation Rd. |
![]() ![]() Confirmed at Woowookarung RP. Surprisingly no records from Woowookarung on eBird, but confirmed present by Rob. |
![]() ![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP. Common and widespread throughout the Corridor. Left: male in breeding plumage. Right: female. |
![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP. Common and widespread throughout the Corridor. |
![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP. Somewhat uncommon in most other Ballarat localities, but regularly sighted here, including a bird recently photographed here by Rob. Also Union Jack Reserve (Buninyong) and Mt Buninyong. A cheeky bird with the habit of plucking the fur off live wallabies and kangaroos, to use as nest material. |
![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP, also relatively common and widespread throughout the Corridor. Part-migratory, whereby some of the local population remain all year round, while influxes of the species arrive over spring-summer. |
![]() ![]() Confirmed at Woowookarung RP. To date, eluded Joel’s detection, but sighted here with regularity by Rob. Second photo 3/3/20 in garden Mt Clear. Among the smallest honeyeaters. |
![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP, also somewhat common and widespread throughout the Corridor. Similar migration habit as Yellow-faced Honeyeater, with the two species often intermingling. Seen 16/9/20 behind the rifle range. |
![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP. Common and widespread throughout the Corridor. Seemingly a more conspicuous presence throughout Ballarat than in years past. Local population must be thriving. |
![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP. Common and widespread throughout the Corridor. Associated with mid-storey flowering shrubs, but also a presence in eucalypt forests when gums are in flower. Daily visitor to gardens adjacent to park. |
![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP. Similar in behaviour to the White-throated Treecreeper, but where the treecreeper creeps up trees, the sittella scurries down them. |
![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP, and other eucalypt forest reserves. The species by nature, needs uninterrupted tree cover, as it is averse to ‘running (or flying) the gauntlet’ when trees are distanced too far apart. |
![]() Confirmed at Woowookarung RP. Observed by the FoCC committee flying over the Wooowookarung RP Scenic Lookout. Voice distinctive. Another species for which some or all of the local population may migrate to northern Australia and PNG over autumn/winter, and back again over spring-summer to breed down south. |
![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP. Common and widespread throughout the Corridor. |
![]() Likely in Woowookarung RP. Common and widespread throughout the Corridor. Surprisingly, as yet no confirmed records in Woowookarung RP (eBird checklists pertaining to Woowookarung infrequently submitted), but it is common and abundant in Buninyong and southern Ballarat. Call sounds like its name (‘currawong-currawong-curr’) |
![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP. Common and widespread throughout the Corridor. Older record on eBird, but photographed recently by Rob, and heard by Joel. |
![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP. Common and widespread throughout the Corridor. |
![]() Confirmed at Woowookarung RP, and also occurs at Union Jack Reserve and Buninyong Bushland. In the forests, forage on the ground in gregarious family units. White of wings often not apparent when wings are folded. Note the red eye and curved bill to distinguish it from the slightly larger Little Raven. |
Little Raven![]() ![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP. Common and widespread throughout the Corridor. |
Satin Flycatcher![]() ![]() Summer breeding migrant that has been observed to both the north and south of Woowookarung, including Union Jack Reserve (Buninyong). Species in decline that favours intact wet forests. Pictured is a male (left) with glossy blue-black upperparts, while the female has the orange throat. |
![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP, and also abounds at Union Jack Reserve and Buninyong Bushland Reserve. They’ll find you – very inquisitive, chirpy, flittering birds! Most or all of the local population may migrate north over winter, however. |
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![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung, and other eucalypt forest reserves in the Corridor. Thriving throughout Ballarat more than other Robin species. Males and females are visually indistinguishable, which is breaking tradition for robins. |
![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP. In decline and not reported from many other Ballarat localities (notable exceptions include Union Jack Reserve, Mt Buninyong, and occasionally Buninyong Bushland Reserve). Many winter sightings in Woowookarung, and a visitor to Rob’s adjacent backyard. Pictured is a male, while the female has light brownish grey where the male is black, and the bright scarlet breast is a smaller patch coloured peach. If the red extends beyond the collar to the chin, it is the similar-looking but locally rarer Flame Robin (male). |
![]() Flame Robin |
![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP. Spring-summer breeding migrant that spends winters in northern Australia and PNG. Pictured is an immature male moulting into adult plumage (adult males lose the breast streaks and have a more vibrant ginger colour). Females have a duller grey plumage. |
![]() ![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP. Local migration between highland and lowland forest, with breeding in spring-summer. A photo of a male in Mount Clear in 2019, and female in April 2020 |
![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP. Common and widespread throughout the Corridor. |
![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP. Also seen by Joel at Fed Uni campus. Diet highly specialised to mistletoe fruit, which sees bird and plant closely tied together in a mutual symbiotic relationship; the birds rely on mistletoe for food, and the mistletoe relies on Mistletoebird to spread the seed through its faeces. Mistletoebirds will be wherever there is mistletoe. |
![]() Confirmed at Woowookarung RP. Also Buninyong. |
![]() Confirmed at Woowookarung RP. Photographed here recently by Rob. Associated with understorey, often streamside. Only native finch in the Corridor (although Diamond Firetail may be found in outer north-west Ballarat). |
![]() Confirmed at Woowookarung RP, also somewhat common and widespread throughout our the Corridor. Frequents the water holes, garden ponds, and flooded roadside drainage lines around the Park. |
![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP. Common and widespread throughout the Corridor. Can be seen in wetlands edging the park. As a hollow-nester and grazer of lawns, it can be observed surprisingly far from wetlands, whether perched in Eucalypts or coming and going from the nest hollow. The Eucalypt forest at Woowookarung is not old enough for hollows to have formed, but large old trees are dotted throughout surrounding areas (Union Jack Reserve, Main Rd). |
![]() Confirmed in Woowookarung RP. Common and widespread throughout the Corridor. In wetlands such as near Fed Uni. |
![]() Confirmed in the south of Woowookarung RP, as per recently reported by Grant. Otherwise very uncommon and infrequently recorded in Ballarat. One older record at Mt Buninyong. |
![]() Confirmed at Woowookarung RP. Photographed on the Dementia Trail 22/3/20. Otherwise uncommon in Ballarat, with the exception of Ditchfield Reserve (north of Woowookarung RP). Spring-summer breeding migrant that spends winters in northern Australia and PNG. Belongs to the same family as butcherbirds (including Australian Magpie) and currawongs, only much smaller; hence, not related to swallows, though their aerobatics to rival them. |
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![]() Australian (Southern) Boobook: Common and widespread smallish owl. Another nocturnal birds whose sighting report frequency does not reflect its commonness. Vocal ID by Joel on Mt Xavier Golf Course, which given this location’s close proximity to Woowookarung RP, it could quite plausibly turn up in the Park. Closely related to Powerful Owl, but roughly half the size, has visibly weaker feet, splotches instead of the streaks, and a distinct white ‘X’ forming goggles. Unlike the rarer Powerful Owl, Australian Boobook has been known to roost in sheds/garages as well as a shady tree. One of many predatory species that needs to be protected from secondhand rodenticide poisoning. Need more data on the often-forgotten nocturnal species. |
Australian Hobby: Confirmed in the Corridor. Specifically, a probable breeding pair suspected to be resident at the Buninyong Golf Course in recent years. Joel’s research found it to be (surprisingly) the most commonly recorded bird of prey at local golf courses (including those within the Corridor), but otherwise widely believed to be uncommon. Suspect that, among falcons, it has the greatest affinity with wooded habitats that are not strictly open and almost-treeless. Therefore, sightings at Woowookarung are considered plausible. Partial to the exposed perch of dead, leafless trees from which they survey the landscape for bird prey. Formerly known as Little Falcon, it has slate-grey upperparts, rufous orange streaked underparts, and black cheek patches. |
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![]() Eurasian Coot: Waterfowl common in permanent bodies of water of sufficient size, hence not a Woowookarung RP inhabitant, but able to be observed throughout the Corridor (Lake Esmond, Buninyong Botanic Gardens). Despite its name, it is native to Australia (widespread internationally, and long ago colonised Australia unassisted by humans). |
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Freckled Duck: Observed on rare occasions at The Gong Reserve (Buninyong Botanic Gardens). Very shy duck that is considered ‘Threatened’, and not often observed outside of Lake Wendouree. Has suffered from recreational duck-shooting. Scoop-like upturned bill (red at the base for the male), and a Donald Duck-esque tuft of sorts at the back of the head. |
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White-winged Triller |