BirdLife Southern Queensland

Join BirdLife Southern Queensland and get involved with surveys, outings, and many more ways to celebrate and conserve the beautiful birds in our region.

Photographed by Jill Humphris, Red-backed Fairywren

Activities at BirdLife Southern QLD

Bird Watching and Monitoring Habitat Restoration
Education and Outreach Advocacy and Conservation Campaigns
Citizen Science Programs Community Events and Festivals
Bird surveys Networking and Collaboration

About our group

BirdLife Southern Queensland (BSQ) extends some 400 kms down the east coast of southern Queensland from Maryborough to the NSW border and west for 1700 kms to the NT border past Birdsville.

This is a diverse area, from the white dunes of the World Heritage Fraser Island to the red dunes of the Simpson Desert National Park. In between are beaches, mountains and plains containing wetlands, heaths, rainforests, mulga and brigalow scrubs, grasslands, eucalypt forests and woodlands.

We specialise in bird surveys with an emphasis on threatened species and habitats, especially in a number of Key Biodiversity Areas. We have a strong conservation focus at a local and regional level that aligns with Birdlife Australia’s Bird Conservation Strategy.

There are seven local groups: Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane South & Logan, Brisbane North, Redlands and Brisbane Bayside, Darling Downs and Wide-Bay Burnett. They have a rich program of birdwatching events and surveying activities in designated local areas.

Get involved

Conservation Activities

We are actively involved in campaigns to protect threatened bird species. Activities include, but are not limited to:

Writing submissions and lobbying local, state and federal governments to advocate for the conservation of species and high conservation value land.
We lead and coordinate grassroots campaigns with local community groups to challenge developments that threaten critical bird habitats — from Toondah Harbour and the Channel Country to Queensland State Forests and renewable energy projects along the Great Dividing Range.

Surveys

We undertake conservation-focused seasonal surveys in partnership with our community and corporate partners, with most sites monitored by volunteer teams four times per year. Survey data is uploaded to Birdata, and any fees received go directly toward our conservation initiatives.

Current projects include:

The 20 Million Trees Project (near Texas) — CO2 Australia and TJM Select Investments
Seven Mile Lagoon and Lockyer Waters Woodland Conservation Reserve — Lockyer Valley Regional Council
Habitat for Birds (four sites) — Bulimba Creek Catchment Committee (B4C)
The Whyte Island Revegetation Project — B4C and the Port of Brisbane
Yandina Creek Wetlands — Unitywater
Archerfield Wetlands — Birds Queensland and Brisbane Sustainability Agency
Powerful Owl Project — BirdLife Australia
Eastern Bristlebird Northern Recovery Group

Our survey teams bring together highly skilled bird surveyors and those looking to develop their skills, with experienced surveyors actively mentoring enthusiastic birders. It’s rewarding, fun, and a great way to deepen your knowledge of survey methods, birds, and their habitats.

Outings

Our Local Group Convenors in Brisbane North, Brisbane South, Darling Downs, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Redlands and Wide Bay-Burnett are experts in the birds of their area and regularly host outings to various locations to enjoy the birds. Visitors and beginners are always welcome.

Displays

We put up displays and information booths at environmental events and other functions. We welcome volunteers to assist us to run these displays.

Queensland Ornithological Conference

In partnership with Birds Queensland, we hold a biennial winter conference in Brisbane — bringing together conservationists and researchers to share updates and ideas from bird-related projects across the state.

Education

Our Birdlife Southern Queensland Education sub-committee steers our education program designed to improve the knowledge and experience of our local birds. ‘Learn about Birds ‘ is our group title, in collaboration with Birds Queensland members.

Photo: BirdLife Southern Queensland student birding guides

The Birdlife Southern Queensland committee provides subsidised student birding guide booklets to teachers and students to support one aspect of bio-science science lesson requirements. Binoculars are available for an entire class when school grounds are part of the lessons. Volunteers assist with bird identification and talks. A working with children Blue cards is a requirement for volunteers.