Birds fact sheet | Field of Mars EEC

What are birds?

Birds are vertebrate animals, which means they have a backbone. They belong to a group of animals called Aves and are related to other vertebrates such as mammals, reptiles, amphibians and fish.

Birds are the only living animals with feathers. They also have wings, two legs, beaks and hard-shelled eggs. Most birds can fly, although some species glide, swim or spend much of their time on the ground.

Birds can be found in many places around Sydney, including bushland, wetlands, parks, gardens, beaches and school grounds. Around Field of Mars Reserve, students may see birds such as rainbow lorikeets, laughing kookaburras, superb fairy-wrens, Australian magpies, sulphur-crested cockatoos, honeyeaters, ducks, herons and owls.

Rainbow lorikeets are colourful Sydney birds often seen feeding, flying or calling in pairs or groups.

Superb fairy-wrens are small insect-eating birds often seen in shrubs, grasses and low vegetation.

How do you know it is a bird?

Birds are the only living animals with feathers. Feathers help birds fly, stay warm, stay dry, hide from predators or attract a mate.

Most birds have wings, but wings do not always mean an animal is a bird. Bats have wings but are mammals. Many insects have wings but are invertebrates. Birds also have beaks, two legs, warm blood and hard-shelled eggs.

Different birds have different beaks and feet. Lorikeets have brush-tipped tongues for feeding on nectar. Ducks have webbed feet for swimming. Kookaburras have strong beaks for catching prey. Powerful owls have sharp talons for hunting.

Kookaburras have strong beaks that help them catch and eat prey.

Bird groups

Nectar feeders and pollinators

Many birds visit flowers to feed on nectar. Honeyeaters, rainbow lorikeets and eastern spinebills are nectar-feeding birds that may be seen in Sydney.

As they feed, pollen can stick to their head, beak or feathers. When they visit another flower, they may move pollen between flowers. This helps some native plants produce seeds.

Honeyeaters feed on nectar and can help move pollen between flowers.

Seed and fruit eaters

Some birds feed on seeds, fruit, berries or nuts. Crimson rosellas, sulphur-crested cockatoos, figbirds and silvereyes are examples of birds that eat plant material.

Fruit-eating birds can spread seeds in their droppings. This helps plants grow in new places. Strong-beaked birds such as cockatoos and rosellas can crack seeds and nuts.

Strong-beaked birds such as cockatoos can crack seeds, nuts and fruits.

Insect eaters

Many birds eat insects and other invertebrates. Superb fairy-wrens, willie wagtails, Australian magpies, kookaburras, thornbills and robins search for food on bark, leaves, soil, grass and in the air.

Insect-eating birds help keep invertebrate populations in balance. They are an important part of healthy bushland, wetland and garden food webs.

Many small birds hunt insects among shrubs, grasses, leaves and bark.

Waterbirds

Some birds live in or near water. Ducks, herons, darters, cormorants, swamp hens and moorhens can be found around creeks, rivers, ponds and wetlands.

Waterbirds may swim, wade, dive or stalk prey in shallow water. They feed on plants, algae, insects, fish, tadpoles, frogs or other small animals.

Waterbirds such as ducks and herons rely on healthy creeks, ponds and wetlands.

Birds of prey

Birds of prey hunt other animals. Powerful owls, brown goshawks, whistling kites and falcons may be seen in the Sydney region.

These birds have excellent eyesight, strong feet, sharp talons and hooked beaks. They help control populations of other animals and are important predators in food webs.

Powerful owls are large birds of prey that hunt at night.

What is the life cycle of birds?

Birds hatch from eggs. Most birds build or use a nest to protect their eggs and chicks.

Nests may be built in trees, shrubs, reeds, grass, tree hollows, cliffs, banks or on the ground. Some birds use sticks, grass, bark, mud, feathers, spider webs or leaves to build their nests.

After chicks hatch, parent birds usually keep them warm, protect them and bring them food. Young birds grow feathers, learn to move, call and feed, then leave the nest when they are ready.

Many young birds are fed and protected by their parents after hatching.

What adaptations do birds have to help them survive?

Birds have many adaptations. Feathers help with flight, warmth, waterproofing, display and camouflage. Lightweight bones help many birds fly. Beaks help birds collect, tear, crack, scoop or sip food.

Different birds have different feet. Ducks have webbed feet for swimming. Perching birds have toes that grip branches. Birds of prey have sharp talons for catching animals. Herons have long legs for wading through shallow water.

Many birds use calls, colours, nests, flocking behaviour or camouflage to survive. Some birds move between habitats or migrate when food, weather or breeding conditions change.

Different beaks, feathers, wings and feet help birds survive in different habitats.

Why are birds important?

Birds help ecosystems by pollinating flowers, spreading seeds and controlling animal populations.

They are also food for other animals, including reptiles, mammals and larger birds. Without birds, many food webs would not work properly.

Birds can also tell us about the health of an environment. Changes in bird numbers or diversity may show that a habitat is changing.

Birds help ecosystems by pollinating plants, spreading seeds and moving energy through food webs.

How can you help birds?

You can help birds by protecting habitat. Leave trees, shrubs, grasses, leaf litter, logs and hollows where it is safe to do so. These places provide food, shelter and nesting sites for many species. Protect old trees with hollows where safe to do so, as many birds depend on hollows for nesting and shelter.

Plant local native plants to provide nectar, seeds, fruit, insects and shelter across the year. A mix of trees, shrubs, grasses and groundcovers supports more birds than a simple lawn.

Provide clean, shallow water where it can be safely maintained, especially during dry weather.

Keep cats contained, place rubbish in bins and avoid unnecessary pesticide use. Pesticides can reduce the insects that many birds need for food.

Clean bird baths and native plants can help support birds in gardens and reserves.

Explore more

Use the fact sheet links on this page to learn more about birds and other animals found in bushland, gardens, wetlands and school grounds.

You can also compare birds with other vertebrate groups such as mammals, reptiles and amphibians.

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