Cowra NSW
Early settlers cleared ninety percent of NSW woodlands to farm crops, meat and wool. Now concerned landowners have initiated the Cowra Woodland Birds Program to replant bush, fence existing bush, and monitor bird numbers. Woodland birds are seen at Conimbla National Park, Koorawatha Nature Reserve and Wyangala Dam and the smaller well-treed bush remnants of the Lachlan river valley.
Link to “Bird Routes of Cowra District” for bird-watching sites.
Photo: The Eastern Rosella (33 cm), shown here at the Japanese Garden and Peace Precinct in Cowra; likes open woodlands and farmlands and feed on seeds, fruit, nectar and insects.
The Red-capped Robin, a small bird (12 cm length), is found across the drier areas of mid and southern Australia. It inhabits scrub and open woodlands feeding on spiders, beetles, ants and other insects. It often feeds on the ground, flying to low branches and fence-posts when disturbed. Here seen close to Conimbla National Park.
Another bird that travels and lives in a family group, the Apostlebird. Often seen in groups of around 12 birds and hence its biblical name. The group will consist of one breeding male, several females plus younger birds.
The charming Grey-crowned Babbler (29 cm) is usually seen in a noisy family group of up to ten or more birds, chatting away in a soft nasal twitter. They feed on insects and occasionally seeds. This bird was seen at Morongla Cemetery near Cowra.
The White-browed Babbler (22 cm) is another of the birds seen in family groups in the Cowra region. Foraging on the ground or among shrubs accompanied by constant chattering.
The Superb Parrot (42 cm) is a charismatic but vulnerable resident of the woodlands. The “Saving our Superb Parrot” conservation program funded by the NSW government aims to plant paddock trees, plant wattles and hopbush - food for Superbs, and create nesting hollows in existing trees. It looks at ways to prevent roadkill of parrots feeding on grain on the road.
Sulphur-crested Cockatoos (50 cm) form large flocks and enjoyed the spoils that grain growers leave around. They make their presence known by their raucous calls, seen in the open fields and often on power lines in town.
Crimson Rosella (37 cm) photographed on the Cowra Common. Often seen in the eucalypts that line roads and fencelines across the Lachlan Valley.
White-winged Chough, a large bird (47cm), found across the south-east states of Australia. Usually seen in family groups of five to ten birds moving across the farm landscape and sheltering and nesting in adjacent trees. Choughs feed on beetles, termites and other insects as well as a variety of grass seeds. They make a mud nest, with all family members helping raise the young.
This Rufous Whistler (17 cm) was seen along the old railway line to the east of Cowra. Rufous Whistlers are found over most of Australia living in forests, woodlands and farmland, known for their distinctive song. They feed on insects, seeds and fruits.
Gilbert’s Whistler (20 cm), a bird of the more open woodlands and only seen in a few more bushy patches around Cowra. A rarely seen bird with its own distinctive whistler call.
A very common parrot around Cowra is the Red-rumped Parrot (28 cm). They are seen across the grassy and lightly timbered areas of the Lachlan Valley, feeding in flowering eucalypts and also often on the ground.
Galahs (38 cm) at a farm south of Cowra, feeding on seeds from the ground. Galahs are found across most of Australia. They have benefited from land clearing and have exploited the new food sources as grain crops expand across the Woodland areas.
Straw-necked Ibis (70 cm) are grassland birds, feeding in large flocks on insects such as grasshoppers. They are seen across most Australian farming regions and fly long distances in response to seasonal conditions. Unlike their city cousin the Australian White Ibis they rarely scavenge for food.
The Brown Treecreeper (18 cm) is one of the vulnerable species followed closely by the Cowra Woodland Bird Program. This Brown Treecreeper was photographed on a TSR (Travelling Stock Reserve) on the Lachlan Highway. Often seen climbing up tree trunks looking for insects or foraging in fallen branches.
The Flame Robin (13 cm), a spectacular sight, feeding on insects and grains in a recently harvested paddock. A winter visitor to the Cowra region, breeding in Victoria and Tasmania.
Brown Falcons, a medium sized raptor ( 50 cm in length), frequent open woodlands and farmland, watching for prey from trees and from power poles. The Brown Falcon swoops on its prey, killing with a bite from its powerful bill. They feed on small mammals, insects and reptiles.
A Black-shouldered Kite (38 cm) “hovers” over grassland watching for its prey, small animals, lizards and mice. While more common on the coast they are often seen in the fields around Cowra.
Patrolling over the Cowra Common, the Brown Goshawk (50 cm) keeps a sharp eye out for its prey. A fast and agile predator it watches the ground below, swooping on rodents and small mammals.
The Barking Owl (45 cm) is rarely seen but their distinctive "little dog" barking call may be heard at night.They frequent where forest meets farmland especially in river side trees. The two owls above are roosting close to a small stream that will provide their fare of small animals, birds, reptiles and insects.
This Rainbow Bee-eater (27 cm) was feeding from a dead tree at the top of Cowra’s observatory hill. A spring and summer visitor to the Cowra area.
This Double-barred Finch (11 cm) was feeding on the seeds of roadside grasses when disturbed. Cowra is towards the south of the range of this east coast and northern Australian bird.
The colourful Spotted Pardalote (10 cm). Often feeding in eucalypts at the very top of the tree. Usually heard rather than seen with a short and clear song the loudness of which belies the small size of the songster.
The Crested Shrike-tit is an insect eating bird but occasionally eats seeds and fruit. It uses its strong short bill to tear bark from trees and find insects. This bird was on a bush regeneration site planted by participants in the Cowra Woodland Birds Program.
White-plumed Honeyeaters (17 cm) are one of the most commonly seen of the honeyeater family seen in the Cowra region. Other very common honeyeaters include the Yellow-faced Honeyeater and in some seasons the White-naped Honeyeater.
Amongst the larger honeyeaters, the Red Wattlebird (36 cm) is one of the most common. Also the Noisy and Little Friarbirds, all dominating other nectar feeding birds by their size.
The White-eared Honeyeater (22 cm) is found in southern and eastern Australia across dry eucalypt woodlands and inland scrub. They feed predominantly on insects. Here seen at Spring Forest east of Cowra.
This Blue-faced Honeyeater (31 cm) was feeding on a flowering gum on the outskirts of Cowra. In addition to nectar Blue-faced Honeyeaters feed on fruit and insects.
This Southern Whiteface (12 cm) feeding on seeds and insects on a golf course near Cowra. Whiteface are dryland birds with a strong short bill that serves well for their diet.
Speckled Warbler (13 cm) at Conimbla National Park. Speckled Warblers forage through leaf litter and grass, feeding on insects and seeds. They are listed as a “vulnerable” species in NSW and Victoria and extend into southern Queensland.
An immigrant from Europe, the Common Starling (21 cm) has thrived across the grasslands and farmlands of southeast Australia. Starlings feed on seeds and insects from the ground in flocks that vary from a few to many hundreds of birds.