Australia is home to many amazing bird species, which is whyBirdlife Australiaorganises National Bird Week each year, with the goal of inspiring Australians to take action and get involved in bird conservation efforts. This year National Bird Week takes place between Monday 20th and Sunday 26th October.
Each year you can celebrate National Bird Week by taking part in the Aussie Bird Count, where you can join thousands of people from across the country who head out into their backyards, local parks or favourite outdoor spaces to take part. To get involved all you need is 20 minutes, your favourite outdoor space, and some keen eyesight. It doesn’t matter if you’re a novice or an expert, all you need to do is simplyregister, record the birds you know and look up those you don’t on the ‘Aussie Bird Count’ app or with the assistance of their website resources.
Not only will you get to know your feathered neighbours, but you’ll be contributing to a vital pool of information from across the nation that will help us see how Australian birds are faring. You’ll see live statistics and information on how many people are taking part near you and the number of birds and species counted in your neighbourhood and the whole of Australia!
To celebrate this incredible diversity of birds we Australians are lucky to have, we have created a list of Handmade designers who celebrate these wonderful birds by incorporating them into their designs.
Self-taught Canberra artistFrances McMahon has been obsessively painting Australia’s beautiful native birds in watercolour since age five. Her astonishingly detailed paintings are created using the tiniest of brushes and finest quality lightfast paints on museum board, with a single painting sometimes taking several weeks to complete.
Kayla Reay is a life-long bird fanatic and brings her enthusiasm to the paper with her unique drawings of ‘Bird Bouquets’. Through purposeful pencil strokes and eye-catching colours, she creates pieces that celebrate the diversity within Australia’s flora and fauna. Each of her products are created with love, designed and printed within Australia, and packaged with personal touches.
Eggpicnic is a Canberra-based illustration studio devoted to wildlife conservation, recognised for their artistic excellence by the Sydney Opera House and featured throughout the City of Sydney. They produce fine art prints and public art to end wildlife extinction through education, capturing the beauty of the natural world with the hope of inspiring others to protect it.
Larissa Cook is an illustrator and graphic designer. Living in the Snowy Mountains of NSW has influenced her work, with the use of native Australian animals and flora in a bright illustration style. Her work is available as prints, pins, earrings, stickers and wall art. Larissa has also published a fully illustrated book featuring the Lunar zodiac animals, reimagined through the lens of Australia’s incredible wildlife.
Meekz Contemporary Jewellery is an environmentally sustainable design label that transforms the everyday into something unique and beautiful. Using traditional silversmithing techniques, Jemica brings her sketches to life to create statement pieces that can be worn every day. All Meekz collections are made using recycled, reclaimed and repurposed material.
Zenti Designs is the creative business of Artist Emma Oliver, who paints whimsical Gouache illustrations, full of colour and fun, with a touch of humour. She produces unique art prints, greeting cards, gift tags, calendars and more paper goodies. You can explore her world of colourful houses, aussie birds and florals, and quirky little “happy cards”, all designed to put a smile on your face and brighten any space.
Brentos is a visual artist and author based in Sydney Australia. Inspired by the Australian bush and long, salty summers, Brentos’ work hums with a signature pastel colour palette and cheeky wildlife characters with an aim to shine a spotlight on how awesome Australia’s wildlife is.
Angela Robertson-Buchanan is The Bird Photographer, an award-winning professional nature photographer specialising in birds. A passionate conservationist, bird advocate, and wildlife carer, Angela combines her interests in wildlife and photography by creating images, projects and exhibitions where she can convey a conservation message.
Marrawuy Journeys creates artwork featuring Australian birds that inspires to effect positive change both within self and within our communities. They also create meaningful artwork that is bespoke to your home or organisation, along with unique gifts that are perfect for any occasion.
If you would like to participate in National Bird Week and learn more about the Aussie Bird Count, head to Birdlife Australia for more information about next year’s count.
