Anthochaera carunculata
Silhouette: James Klarevas · PhyloPic
In 3 days >90%
The red wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata) is a passerine bird native to southern Australia. At 33–37 cm (13–14+1⁄2 in) in length, it is the second largest species of Australian honeyeater, after the yellow wattlebird. It has mainly grey-brown plumage, with red eyes, distinctive pinkish-red wattles on either side of the neck, white streaks on the chest and a large bright yellow patch on the lower belly. The sexes are similar in plumage. Juveniles have less prominent wattles and browner eyes. John White described the red wattlebird in 1790. Three subspecies are recognized.
The species is found in southeast Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and southwest Western Australia in open forest and woodland, and is a common visitor to urban gardens and parks. Loud and conspicuous, the red wattlebird is generally found in trees, where it gets most of its food; occasionally it forages on the ground. It is one of the largest nectarivorous birds in the world, feeding from a wide variety of flowering plants. Insects also comprise part of its diet. It is territorial and at times aggressive towards birds of other species, often defending rich sources of nectar. Breeding throughout its range, the red wattlebird builds a cup-shaped nest in a tree and raises one or two broods a year. Although it has declined in places from land-clearing, it is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grampians National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Great Otway National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Wilsons Promontory National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Phillip Island Nature Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Flinders Chase | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 7 | Kosciuszko National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 8 | Booderee National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 9 | Royal National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 10 | Hattah-Kulkyne National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 11 | Flinders Ranges National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 12 | Rottnest Island | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Very likely
About 70% of wildlife watchers report a Red Wattlebird sighting in Phillip Island Nature Park on a given day, based on 1,382 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 9th most-seen of the 149 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January and March–June
In those months about 70% of wildlife watchers report a Red Wattlebird in Phillip Island Nature Park on a given day, against about 60% in February and July–December, the lowest months.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Red Wattlebird sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 12 parks where we can rate Red Wattlebird sightings, Phillip Island Nature Park ranks 4th at about 70%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Grampians National Park (Australia, about 70%), Great Otway National Park (Australia, about 70%) and Wilsons Promontory National Park (Australia, about 70%). All parks ranked.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Red Wattlebird is recorded against all the birds logged in Phillip Island Nature Park (1,382 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
