2025 results
The results of BirdLife Australia’s Aussie Bird Count are in, with a record-breaking 5 million birds counted during the week-long national bird counting frenzy!
Birds counted
5,014,889
Participants
63,990
Surveys submitted
153,855
Australia’s most commonly spotted bird
Across the week, 621 different bird species were observed, with the Australian Magpie swooping into top spot as the bird Australia sees the most.
One in every two surveys completed in 2025 included a sighting of the iconic black-and-white bird, revealing its ubiquitous presence in Australian life.
The Rainbow Lorikeet claimed second position on the list of our most commonly spotted species, ahead of the native Noisy Miner, the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, and the Magpie-lark.
As in previous years, the Rainbow Lorikeet was the most numerous bird counted, with regular sightings of colourful flocks resulting in more than 535,000 individual birds added to the Count.
“Because rainbow lorikeets are more social, hanging out in flocks, when we see them, we see more of them,” said BirdLife Australia’s National Public Affairs advisor (and chief bird-nerd) Sean Dooley.
“But the magpie is the bird we encounter most often. Every second person who did the Count last year added a magpie to their list.”
What the results tell us
Sightings were recorded in all corners of the country, even in far-flung territories including Christmas Island and Cocos Islands and sub-Antarctic Heard Island.
Most bird counts (around 70%) were conducted in built-up areas, adding to a national snapshot of the birds sharing our increasingly urbanised world.
Notable shifts in the overall results from previous years include some birds outside of the top ten climbing the ranks of those we see most often. The Australian White Ibis has climbed from 23rd place in 2021, to 14th last year. In NSW and Queensland the Australian Brush-turkey is also scratching its way up the ladder.
“Birds respond to the changes we make to our environment. Everybody knows the bin-chicken, especially in Sydney and Brisbane where they’re doing well in the city. Birds like these have found ways to take advantage of urban growth, and it’s encouraging to see native species adapting like this.
“Sadly, the flipside to that story is the birds in need of other kinds of habitat, like smaller bush birds, get pushed into decline as their habitats are destroyed,” said Sean. “It’s a reminder that the changes we make have an impact. Adding native plants to your garden can offer a lifeline to those other Australian native birds that we’re more worried about.”
A growing community of bird lovers
Sean says the growing popularity of the Aussie Bird Count reflects renewed interest in a classic hobby.
“BirdLife Australia turns 125 this year, and it all started when a passionate community of people observed the birds around them and shared their sightings with others. That’s still the backbone of everything we do. The Aussie Bird Count is an open invitation to have a go yourself, or with friends. For many people, that can be the start of a rewarding hobby that helps the scientists protecting birds from extinction.”
“The popularity of bird watching is really taking off around the world, so if you tried it and you loved it, we strongly encourage you to keep looking out for birds, taking notes, and sharing what you see on our Birdata website.”
How we got involved
Across backyards, parks, schools, balconies, workplaces and community spaces, Australians spent 20 minutes looking and listening to the birds around them, helping create a national snapshot of the birds sharing our increasingly urbanised world.
Why your count matters
The Aussie Bird Count is a fun, easy way to spend time with nature — but it also helps BirdLife Australia understand which birds Australians are seeing in the places we live, work and learn.
Each 20-minute count contributes to a national picture of our birds. The Aussie Bird Count is open to everyone to take part, whether you’re a lifelong birdwatcher or just starting to notice the birds around you.
Explore the full results
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2026 Aussie Bird Count
19-25 October 2026
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