Birdsong for the ages: delight in Australia's five rarest birds this spring

Here are five rare birds to identify around Australia - from Dubbo and Mudgee and Bendigo to Newcastle - to add to the Aussie Bird Count so we can protect them for future generations.

A small and elusive bird that feeds primarily on eucalyptus nectar, the Regent Honeyeater is known for its striking black and yellow feathers.

Although the species once inhabited woodlands stretching from South Australia to Queensland, there are now only about 300 left in the wild.

Those who live around Dubbo and Mudgee in NSW might have the bird show up in their backyard because of its breeding grounds in the Capertree Valley.

Aussie Bird Count ambassador Sean Dooley said they were endangered.

"The critically endangered Woodland Regent Honeyeater, while there's probably fewer than 300 of them left, every now and then will come into somebody's garden in a place like Dubbo and feed on their flowering native plants," Mr Dooley said.

"You might get lucky and actually get one of these birds, which is one of the rarest to see on the planet, actually."

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One of the only three migratory parrots on earth, the colourful Swift Parrot spends its winters on the mainland and its summers in Tasmania.

The species could show up in flowering street trees in Melbourne and Bendigo.

"They can show up all throughout Victoria," Mr Dooley said.

"By the time we do the Aussie Bird Count, they will most likely have returned to Tasmania, but they can definitely stay longer."

The Swift Parrot is coveted among bird watchers, but you don't have to be an expert to see rare birds. You only need to follow some expert tips.

"They tend to be more active in the mornings," Mr Dooley said.

"If you look at 2:30 in the afternoon, a lot of birds, especially if it's a hot day, are just going to be sitting there, and not very active."

"Apart from that, if you think about what birds need, you know they're going to be where there is lots of shelter, food, and water.

"So, certainly the biggest bang for your buck is going down to the local wetland or pond. Just add water and you're instantly going to have a bigger bird list. Creeks, bushland corridors and rivers - they're all great for bird watching."

If you live along the NSW north and south coasts, be sure to keep an eye out for these magnificent birds.

The Australasian Bittern is an incredibly elusive brown heron and spotting one is considered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

They could be seen in places like the coastal wetlands of Ash Island and Hexham Swamp near Newcastle and some suggest their call generated tales of the mythical Bunyip.

Although common in other parts of the world, there are fewer than 500 Little Tern breeding pairs that return to Australia every year, primarily to mud flats in the NSW Northern Rivers area.

"It's really quite amazing the variety of birds that sweep past our coasts," Mr Dooley said.

"Eagle Hawk Neck off Hobart, the coast at Wollongong and Newcastle ... they're all internationally renowned for the variety of seabirds that congregate there at the right time of year."

Not only rare, but unique. The Malleefowl can be found in sporadic pockets on the edge of the desert stretching from Perth to Condobolin, Griffith and Dubbo.

The species is an example of a megapode, a stocky ground dweller that lays eggs in massive mounds.

Australian Wildlife Conservancy spokesperson Joey Clarke said they were vulnerable to human intervention..

"They're a really cool, unique bird that is closely related to the Brush Turkey. Strange in that they make a nest by creating huge mounds made out of leaves and sand that they then use to incubate their eggs when the ground heats up," Mr Clarke said.

"Because those nests are so huge, they are vulnerable to interference from humans and even goats as well as predation from cats and foxes."

To find out more visit aussiebirdcount.org.au.