Over 300 of native mammals, birds, reptiles and frogs in Australia use tree hollows, and 114 of these species are birds. Most of these birds use tree hollows for nesting purposes, however a few species including Masked Owls, Sooty Owls, Australian Owlet-Nightjars and White-Throated Tree Creepers also use tree hollows to sleep in year-round.
Some bird species will only nest in tree hollows, while others will choose the best of available preferred options, which includes tree hollows.
Here is a summary of birds that use tree hollows across Australia:
Parrots: All except a small number of Australian native parrots, lorikeets and cockatoos will only nest in tree hollows. The exceptions include the Night Parrot, Ground Parrot, Hooded Parrot, Parrot and Paradise Parrot, these parrots do not use tree hollows for nesting.
Owls: Most of our native owls will only use, or mainly use tree hollows for nesting and some roost in hollows also, including the Powerful Owl, Rufus Owl, Barking Owl, Southern Boobook, Sooty Owl, Lesser Sooty Owl, Masked Owl and Barn Owl. The Australian Owlet-nightjar also uses tree hollows for nesting as well as roosting.
Treecreepers: All of our native Treecreepers will only nest in tree hollows, including White-throated Treecreeper, Black-tailed Treecreeper, Rufus Treecreeper, Red-browed Treecreeper, White-browed Treecreeper, and Brown Treecreeper.
Ducks and geese: A number of native ducks and geese will only nest in tree hollows, including the Rajah Shelduck, Australian Shelduck, Wood Duck (Maned Duck), Australian Grey Teal, Pink-eared Duck, Green Pygmy-goose and Cotton Pygmy-goose. Chestnut Teals, Australian Shovellers and Pacific Black Ducks will sometimes choose to nest in tree hollows.
Dollarbirds will only nest inside tree hollows.
Martins: Tree Martins will only nest in tree hollows, while Fairy Martins on occasion will nest in tree hollows.
Kingfishers: Most of our kingfishers will often use tree hollows, as well as holes made within termite mounds or earth banks, including the Little Kingfisher, Laughing Kookaburra, Blue-winged Kookaburra, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Forest Kingfisher, Red-backed Kingfisher, Sacred Kingfisher and Collared Kingfisher.
Thornbills and Whitefaces: Some species of Thornbill and Whiteface frequently use tree hollows for nesting, including the Buff-rumped Thornbill, Western Thornbill, Southern Whiteface, and Banded Whiteface.
Pardalotes: Some Pardalote species will sometimes nest in tree hollows, or inside tunnels dug into embankments, including Striated Pardalote, Forty-spotted Pardalote.
Finches: Some finch species will sometimes nest inside tree hollows, including Zebra Finch, Crimson Finch, Gouldian Finch, Black-throated Finch.
Woodswallows: Woodswallows will often use tree hollows for nesting, including the Little Woodswallow, Dusky Woodswallow, Masked Woodswallow, White-browed Woodswallow, White-breasted Woodswallow.
Thrushes: Australian Ground Thrush, Russet Ground Thrush, Grey Shrike-thrush will sometimes nest in tree hollows.
Robins: Some robin species will sometimes use tree hollows for nesting, including the Pink Robin, Scarlet Robin, Flame Robin, Hooded Robin, Dusky Robin.
Raptors: Of the raptors, the Australian Kestrel and Peregrine Falcon will sometimes use tree hollows for nesting.
For hollow nesting heigh preferences of the different species, go to this page:
References: Tree Hollows and Wildlife Conservation in Australia (P. Gibbons, D. Lindenmayer, 2002); The Slater Field Guide to Australian Birds (P. Slater, P. Slater & R. Slater, 2003).