General News
26 June, 2026
Magpie takes top spot in bird count
THE results of the 2025 Aussie Bird Count have finally been revealed, with the Australian Magpie named as the most common seen bird across the nation.
The annual exercise was conducted in October last year, with more than five million birds counted by 64,000 participants who observed 621 different species during a one-week period.
The Australian Magpie swooped into top spot, with one in every two surveys completed including a sighting of the iconic black-and-white bird,
The Rainbow Lorikeet claimed second position on the list, ahead of the native Noisy Miner, the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, the Magpie-lark, the Galah, Red Wattlebird, Crested Pigeon, Welcome Swallow, and the Common Myna which rounded out the top 10.
“Because rainbow lorikeets are more social, hanging out in flocks, when we see them, we see more of them,” BirdLife Australia’s Sean Dooley said.
“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.”
Sightings were recorded in all corners of the country, even in far-flung territories of the Christmas and Cocos Islands and sub-Antarctic Heard Island. Most bird counts though (around 70%) were conducted in built-up areas.
The 2026 Aussie Bird Count will take place in bird week, from 19-25 October. Bird lovers are encouraged to visit the Aussie Bird Count website (www.aussiebirdcount.org.au) to sign up for updates and join the fun in October.
