Australia's birds: Wetlands

Once wetlands covered a third of Australia, but that was a million years ago, and now the continent is very much drier. Australia’s remaining extensive wetlands are more or less restricted to the southeast, southwest, and the tropical north. Nevertheless, Australia has an extremely rich and varied aquatic avifauna, and its lakes, swamps and rivers are thronged with many species of birds. This video explores the fascinating relationship between 28 Australian aquatic birds and the wetlands, temporary or permanent, in which they spend their lives. Birds discussed are: Black Swan; Pied Stilt; Red-necked Avocet; Whiskered Tern; Grey Teal; Pink-eared Duck; Australasian Shoveler; Freckled Duck; Clamorous Reed-Warbler; Little Grassbird; Baillons Crake; Australian Crake; Spotless Crake; Buff-banded Rail; Eurasian Coot; Dusky Moorhen; Blue-billed Duck; Hardhead; Musk Duck; Australasian Grebe; Hoary-headed Grebe; Red-kneed Dotterel; Black-fronted Plover; Royal Spoonbill; Yellow-billed Spoonbill; White-faced Heron; Pacific Heron; Straw-necked Ibis.