Australian

Antique Australian Bird Prints

This category features original antique prints depicting the remarkable diversity of Australian birds, presented through the lens of historic natural history illustration. Australia’s unique avifauna captivated early scientists, artists and collectors, inspiring detailed studies that combined scientific observation with artistic skill.

Included here are prints from significant artists and ornithological illustrators whose work recorded species not found elsewhere on Earth. Among the most influential figures represented are John Gould and his collaborators, whose landmark publications on Australian ornithology set enduring standards for accuracy and beauty. Other contributors to the visual record of Australian birds include Gracius J. Broinowski and Silvester Diggles, each bringing their own perspective to the documentation of native species.

These prints may depict iconic birds such as parrots, cockatoos, honeyeaters, lyrebirds, bowerbirds and waterfowl, often rendered with careful attention to plumage, posture and habitat. Originally published as engraved or lithographed plates in natural history works and illustrated compendia, the prints preserve both scientific detail and aesthetic charm.

Antique Australian bird prints are valued for their combination of documentary importance, artistic quality and the insight they provide into the early study of Australia’s natural world. As original period works on paper, they hold appeal for collectors, historians and enthusiasts of ornithology and natural history art.