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Many
ways to answer that. It depends on context. Some may say it is a rare bird or
vagrant or hard to find species that they got most fun from seeing. It can mean
applied to the species as a whole or one individual bird. In latter case I would
say a had great enjoyment from the local celebrity White-fronted
Honeyeater I had at home for 9 weeks 6 years ago and was so cute and confiding
to watch and the one Tawny-crowned Honeyeater that similarly lived near my
room at college at La Trobe Uni through one winter 35 years ago. Both
individuals that I watched closely for a long time. Both were very unusual
occurrences of the species, at that location, that I have encountered at
other times in their usual places and have been routine. Or the one Australian
Hobby that when I was at school, for about 3 years would regularly perch most
days on same one branch where it could be seen for a great distance (several
hundred metres and notably from several classrooms). A common species but that
individual was important to me at that time. Or special involvements with a
species, like the Regent Honeyeater that I have made special and important study
contributions to. Or having had a family holiday house at Phillip Island when I
was school age and had Fairy Penguins under the bed so often, gives a special
feeling for the species. A species that is always a highlight to watch is
the Peregrine Falcon as for dramatic aura or sense of presence, few others come
close. Slightly behind that, for the same reason, the Black Falcon. Though
locally to me, on what is a modestly common species (enough to find several
times a year but not everywhere) and always so cute in almost all ways and if
that is the criterion, my vote goes to the Double-barred Finch, with several
other native finches coming close.
Philip
Many of you chatliners out there will have a favourite
Australian bird. If so, I would like to know what it is (to see if there
is any consensus, or surprises). Need not be local.
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