Checklist of birds in the Pumicestone Region

Below is a preliminary checklist of the birds of the Pumicestone Region, the total currently standing at 378.

This list has been constructed by assessing the records presented in current literature, accepting the majority of these records but rejecting those that are unconfirmed. Recent acceptable records have also been included. The list is intended as a usable field checklist and it is, of course, an ongoing task to maintain such a list. It carries no seal of approval from any authority or committee.

Notes follow this list that justify the inclusion of some of the more eccentric species and also justify the inclusion of some records not accepted by an appropriate rarities committee.

The checklist follows the taxonomy outlined in the Christidis and Boles (2008) checklist of Australian birds, with two exceptions. No hyphen precedes a capital letter within the list and the sequence of the species is in a more familiar order. Sorting the list by the data in the right-hand column (C&B) would re-sequence the species into the order outlined by Christidis and Boles.

An attempt is made, in the second and third columns, to give the probability of seeing a given species during the austral summer (S) and winter (W). Note that this is also very much dependent on the habitat visited. Birders on Mt. Mee will not see shearwaters flying past, whilst visitors to Bribie Island will not find logrunners or bowerbirds.

The following status codes give an idea of what to expect, dependent on season and habitat. Although these are just guidelines, they will be reviewed regularly and updated if necessary.

1 = Very common. Should be seen with minimum effort.

2 = Common. Likely to be seen but could be missed.

3 = Uncommon. Tricky to find but a distinct possibility.

4 = Rare. Luck would be required to see this species.

5 = Very rare. Do not expect to see this species.

Three of the above species are included in the list on the basis of historical records. These species are Ground Parrot, Southern Emu-wren and White-eared Honeyeater. 

A few rarities should be mentioned. 

The Radjah Shelduck was not accepted by the Queensland Rarities Committee due to the possibility of it being an escapee but, in light of subsequent records in NSW and southern QLD, it is included in this list.

The Laughing Gull was accepted by the Birds Australia Rarities Committee.

The Antarctic Tern was not accepted by the Birds Australia Rarities Committee, a vote of 5-3 in favour being insufficient. As it had previously been accepted by the Buckley's Hole Rarities Committee, it is included in this list.

The Fairy Tern was accepted by the Queensland Rarities Committee.

There are, no doubt, other species contained in this list that should have had submissions presented to the relevant rarities committee.

There is always lively debate as to whether some species should be admitted to a checklist and, in particular, whether a species is an escapee, such as is often the case with some parrots, or whether a feral species has indeed established a viable population. It is not intended to enter the debate here but a few species are worthy of comment.

Northern Mallard, Indian Peafowl and Barbary Dove are all included in the Christidis and Boles (2008) checklist, but whether these species have viable populations in this region is debatable. Several other introduced species certainly do have viable populations. All are included in this checklist to give the user freedom of choice.

Escapees of the nominate race of Australian Ringneck (Port Lincoln Ringneck) bred on Bribie Island for several years but they have recently become very scarce and the species may now even be absent from the region. As this species is noted in local literature, it is included in this checklist.

Finally, House Swift does not appear in this list as no submission of any claimed sighting has been made to any rarities committee.

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