AUSTRALIANS are being asked to join the Aussie Backyard Bird Count which has found the rainbow lorikeet to be the most common backyard bird since the survey began in 2014.
BirdLife Australia runs the survey annually during National Bird Week, from October 22 to 28.
The survey is conducted using an app which can be downloaded at aussiebirdcount.org.au.
The hashtag #AussieBirdCount is also used.
Australians are asked to record the birds they see in their backyards and favourite outdoor spaces.
The specially designed app, helps people identify birds based on size, shape, colour and location.
BirdLife Australia’s Sean Dooley, who has counted birds across the country and seen thousands of rainbow lorikeets over the years, said the count was an important way to connect people with nature and to notice the birds that lived around them.
“Every year thousands of Australians provide important data to see what’s happening with Australian birds living in our backyards, including the colourful rainbow lorikeets,” Mr Dooley said.
“We are extremely interested to see which birds top the count and how the ubiquitous rainbow lorikeet fares across the country in this year’s count.”
In 2017, Australian birdwatchers recorded more than 578 species, with the rainbow lorikeet, noisy miner and Australian magpie remaining Australia’s most counted birds.
The count saw more than 72,000 Australians counting more than 1.9 million birds.
The updated Aussie Bird Count app allows people to take part anywhere – not just in backyards, but parks, botanical gardens, schoolyards or beaches – that you might see birds.
The national total will be updated in real time, and the app allows you to see which species are being seen in your area.
Visit aussiebirdcount.org.au.