A little birdie told me

A NEW publication featuring stunning images of the region’s birds has been released this month to help the community get to know local birdlife. The Bird Book showcases 30 woodland bird species and is written by Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority (GBCMA) project officer and local Janice Mentiplay-Smith. Ms Mentiplay-Smith said the 58-page colour booklet was designed to provide a snapshot of some of the local birds in the catchment. Euroa sits in the very middle of the Goulburn Broken catchment. “This booklet will help people identify some of the birds that may visit their homes and properties, and each featured bird includes a ‘feathered fact’ which highlights the more unusual aspects of the species,” Ms Mentiplay-Smith said. “Our catchment’s woodlands are critical for biodiversity and ecological productivity, and private land has an incredibly important role to play in the conservation of our precious birdlife. “Woodland bird species are declining at an alarming rate - of the 30 species in the booklet, eight are members of the threatened Victorian Temperate Woodland Bird Community, two are critically endangered, and four are listed as vulnerable.” The publication has been launched to coincide with the GBCMA’s 2025 Year of the Tree Hollow community awareness campaign that each month features a species of hollow-dependent local native animal, highlighting the importance of tree hollows to their survival. The booklet is separated into the three categories: the ‘gems’ including the golden whistler and turquoise parrot, the ‘greys’ including the grey-crowned babbler and grey fantail, and the ‘black and whites’ such as the hooded robin and willy wagtail. Case studies and information on how to help woodland birds through citizen science are also included. “Visiting local woodlands and observing birds is a great way to get outdoors and connect with nature, and submitting observations and records to various conservation groups or agencies helps plan for future on-ground actions that will contribute towards preserving and protecting species,” Ms Mentiplay-Smith said. The Bird Book is part of the GBCMA’s Connecting Culture and Country Project, supported by the Victorian Government through the Our Catchments Our Communities stewardship program. Hard copies are available from the GBCMA’s Shepparton, Benalla, and Yea offices or it can be viewed online at https://www.gbcma.vic.gov.au/our-region/land_and_biodiversity/resources_publications/the-bird-book

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