Rainbow Lorikeets, Australian Magpies and Noisy Miners topped the NSW list and for Lane Cove locals, the results include plenty of familiar backyard, park, Plaza & Canopy regulars.
Last year, we encouraged Lane Cove locals to take part in the 2025 Aussie Bird Count by spending 20 minutes watching and recording the birds around them.
The results are now in and Australians counted a record-breaking number of birds. If you love data or birds, you are gonna love this information!
BirdLife Australia has revealed that more than 5 million birds were counted nationally during the 2025 Aussie Bird Count, with around 64,000 Australians submitting more than 153,000 checklists. Across the country, 621 different bird species were observed.
The Aussie Bird Count is one of Australia’s biggest citizen science events, encouraging people to record the birds they see in backyards, parks, school grounds, balconies, bushland, streets and public spaces.
NSW’s most counted birds
In NSW, the Rainbow Lorikeet topped the list, followed by the Australian Magpie and the Noisy Miner (shhh!).
The NSW Top 20 results show the top five birds remained remarkably stable from 2021 to 2025:
- Rainbow Lorikeet
- Australian Magpie
- Noisy Miner
- Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
- Magpie-lark
For Lane Cove residents, that list will sound very familiar. These are the birds many locals see and hear every day in gardens, school grounds, parks, bushland edges, The Canopy, Lane Cove Plaza and along local streets.
The 2025 NSW results also show Rainbow Lorikeets and Australian Magpies were almost neck and neck. Rainbow Lorikeets had a reporting rate of 49.3%, while Australian Magpies were reported in 49.1% of NSW surveys.
The urban birds doing well
BirdLife Australia noted that around 70% of bird counts were conducted in built-up areas, giving researchers a valuable snapshot of the birds sharing our increasingly urbanised spaces. Some birds are clearly adapting well to city and suburban life.
The Australian White Ibis, often affectionately or not-so-affectionately known as the “bin chicken”, ranked 15th in NSW in 2025. That is a notable rise from 26th place in 2021.
The Common Myna also ranked ninth in NSW in 2025, up from 12th in 2024 and 12th in 2021.
This is particularly relevant for Lane Cove, where ITC reported on local efforts to manage Indian Myna birds and the impact they can have on native wildlife. See here- The War On Indian Myna Birds In Lane Cove
Noisy Miner or Common Myna? They are not the same bird
One point worth noting in the NSW results is that both the Noisy Miner and the Common Myna appear in the Top 20.
They are not the same bird.
The Noisy Miner is a native Australian honeyeater. It is noisy, territorial and very common in urban areas.
The Common Myna, often called the Indian Myna, is an introduced species. In Lane Cove, concerns have been raised about Common Mynas competing with native birds and animals for nesting hollows, particularly in urban and suburban environments.
Here is a Video from Birdlife Australia on the difference between the Noisy Miner and the Common (Indian) Myna.
Please enjoy birds — but do not feed them
The Aussie Bird Count is a great reminder of how much joy birds bring to our daily lives.
However, local wildlife rescuers continue to urge residents not to feed wild birds.
Earlier this year, Sydney Wildlife Rescue reminded Lane Cove locals that feeding wild birds can make them sick, change their natural behaviour and create problems in public places and residential areas.
You can read ITC’s article here:
Sydney Wildlife Rescue Urges Lane Cove Locals Not To Feed Wild Birds
If you want to support local birdlife, one of the best things you can do is plant native species, provide habitat, keep cats contained and avoid feeding wildlife.
BirdLife Australia’s Sean Dooley said the results are a reminder that the changes humans make to the environment 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,” he said.
What birds are you seeing in Lane Cove?
The NSW list includes many birds Lane Cove locals know well — Rainbow Lorikeets, magpies, cockatoos, kookaburras, currawongs, ravens, rosellas, willie wagtails and more.
But every street, garden and park can be different.
Have you noticed more lorikeets? Are cockatoos causing chaos at your place? Have you heard an Eastern Koel calling early in the morning? Are you seeing more Common Mynas or more native birds?
The 2026 Aussie Bird Count will take place during Bird Week, from 19 to 25 October 2026. Bird lovers can sign up for updates and take part via the Aussie Bird Count website.
In the meantime, keep looking up — Lane Cove’s birdlife is all around us.
Related Reading
The War On Indian Myna Birds In Lane Cove
https://inthecove.com.au/2026/04/07/the-war-on-indian-myna-birds-in-lane-cove/
Sydney Wildlife Rescue Urges Lane Cove Locals Not To Feed Wild Birds
https://inthecove.com.au/2025/04/13/sydney-wildlife-rescue-urges-lane-cove-local-not-to-feed-wild-birds/
Lane Cove Council’s Decision To Cull Magpies Divides Residents
https://inthecove.com.au/2021/09/09/lane-cove-councils-decision-to-cull-magpies-divides-residents/
Spooky, Stealthy Night Hunters: Revealing The Wonderful Otherworld Of Owls
https://inthecove.com.au/2023/08/16/spooky-stealthy-night-hunters-revealing-the-wonderful-otherworld-of-owls/
