• 16th – 22nd October is the time for the Great Aussie Bird Count, Australia’s biggest citizen science event. All you do is spend twenty minutes in a favourite place or places, count the birds, and record them on the Aussie Backyard Bird Count app. Use this app if you’re unsure what the bird is. Do as many counts as you like. It’s fun!

• Peregrine Falcons are birds of prey known for their capability to fly at extremely high speeds (in excess of 320km per hour) earning them the title of the fastest animal on earth. Since 1991, a pair of Peregrine Falcons has been observed in a nest on the rooftop of 367 Collins Street. As home to the only known peregrine falcon nesting site within Melbourne’s CBD, the building plays a surprisingly important role to the ongoing breeding success of these rare and fiercely territorial birds.

A campaign conducted by Birdlife Australia and the Guardian Newspaper has revealed the winner of this year’s Bird of the Year competition.   After a nail-biting finish, the Swift Parrot surged ahead to take the crown following a successful online campaign by conservationists to draw attention to its plight.  With a grand total of 11,171 votes, the Critically Endangered Swift Parrot was declared the winner.