Facts

These are things I like to try and remember – you may like to too

Eon > Era > Period > Epoch > Age

Hadean Eon pre 4000

Archaeon Eon 4000 – 2500

Proterozoic Eon 2500 – 541

Cryogenian Period 720 – 635

Edicaran Period 635 – 541

Phanerozoic Eon 541 – now

Paleozoic Era – 541  – 251

Cambrian Period 541 – 485

Ordovician Period 485 – 443

Silurian Period 443 – 419

Devonian Period 419 – 358

Carboniferous Period 358 – 298

Permian Period 298 – 251

Triassic Period 251  – 201

Jurassic Period 201 – 145

Cretaceous Period 145 – 66

Cenozoic Era – 66 to now

Tertiary period 66 to 28

Pliocene Epoch – 53  to 28

Miocene

Oligocene

Eocene

Paleocene

Quaternary Period – 28 to now

Pleistocene Epoch – 28  to 12,000 ya

Holocene Epoch – 12,000 ya to now

Australian Bird Orders and Families

Order	Family	Family Common name
Struthioniformes	Casuariidae	Emus and Cassowaries
Struthioniformes	Struthionidae	Ostriches
Galliformes	Megapodiidae	Megapodes
Galliformes	Numididae	Guineafowl
Galliformes	Odontophoridae	New World Quail
Galliformes	Phasianidae	Pheasants and Quail
Anseriformes	Anatidae	Ducks, Geese and Swans
Anseriformes	Anseranatidae	Magpie Goose
Podicepiformes	Phoenicopteridae	Flamingoes
Podicepiformes	Podicipedidae	Grebes
Columbiformes	Columbidae	Pigeons and Doves
Caprimulgiformes	Aegothelidae	Owlet-nightjars
Caprimulgiformes	Apodidae	Swifts and Swiftlets
Caprimulgiformes	Caprimulgidae	Nightjars
Caprimulgiformes	Eurostopodidae	Eared Nightjars
Caprimulgiformes	Podargidae	Frogmouths
Procellariformes	Diomedeidae	Albatrosses
Procellariformes	Hydrobatidae	Northern Storm-Petrels
Procellariformes	Oceanitidae	Southern Storm-Petrels
Procellariformes	Procellariidae	Petrels and Shearwaters
Sphenisciformes	Spheniscidae	Penguins
Phaetontiformes	Phaethontidae	Tropicbirds
Pelecaniformes	Anhingidae	Darter
Pelecaniformes	Ardeidae	Herons, Egrets and Bitterns
Pelecaniformes	Ciconiidae	Storks
Pelecaniformes	Fregatidae	Frigatebirds
Pelecaniformes	Pelicanidae	Pelican
Pelecaniformes	Phalacrocoracidae	Cormorants and Shags
Pelecaniformes	Sulidae	Gannets and Boobies
Pelecaniformes	Threskiornithidae	Ibis and Spoonbills
Accipitriformes	Accipitridae	Eagles, Kites and Goshawks
Accipitriformes	Pandionidae	Osprey
Falconiformes	Falconidae	Falcons
Gruiformes	Gruidae	Cranes
Gruiformes	Rallidae	Crakes, Rails and Swamphens
Otidiformes	Otididae	Bustards
Charadriiformes	Burhinidae	Stone-curlews
Charadriiformes	Charadriidae	Plovers, Dotterel and Lapwings
Charadriiformes	Chionididae	Sheathbills
Charadriiformes	Glareolidae	Pratincoles
Charadriiformes	Haematopodidae	Oystercatchers
Charadriiformes	Jacanidae	Jacanas
Charadriiformes	Laridae	Gulls, Terns and Noddies
Charadriiformes	Pedionomidae	Plains-wanderer
Charadriiformes	Recurvirostridae	Stilts and Avocets
Charadriiformes	Rostratulidae	Painted Snipe
Charadriiformes	Scolopacidae	Snipe, Sandpipers, Godwits, Curlew, Stints and Phalaropes
Charadriiformes	Stercorariidae	Skuas and Jaegers
Charadriiformes	Turnicidae	Button-quail
Psittaciformes	Cacatuidae	Cockatoos and Corellas
Psittaciformes	Psittaculidae	Parrots, Lorikeets and Rosellas
Psittaciformes	Strigopidae	Kakas and Keas
Cuculiformes	Cuculidae	Cuckoos
Strigiformes	Strigidae	Hawk-Owls
Strigiformes	Tytonidae	Masked Owls
Coraciiformes	Alcedinidae	Kingfishers
Coraciiformes	Coraciidae	Dollarbird
Coraciiformes	Coraciidae	Rollers
Coraciiformes	Meropidae	Bee-eaters
Passeriformes	Pittidae	Pittas
Passeriformes	Menuridae	Lyrebirds
Passeriformes	Atrichornithidae	Scrub-birds
Passeriformes	Climacteridae	Treecreepers
Passeriformes	Ptilonorhynchidae	Bowerbirds and Catbirds
Passeriformes	Maluridae	Fairy-wrens, Emu-wrens and Grasswrens
Passeriformes	Dasyornithidae	Bristlebirds
Passeriformes	Acanthizidae	Thornbills and Gerygones
Passeriformes	Pardalotidae	Pardalotes
Passeriformes	Meliphagidae	Honeyeaters and Chats
Passeriformes	Oreoicidae	Australo-Papuan Bellbirds
Passeriformes	Pomatostomidae	Australian Babblers
Passeriformes	Orthonychidae	Logrunners
Passeriformes	Psophodidae	Whipbirds and Wedgebills
Passeriformes	Neosittidae	Sittellas
Passeriformes	Campephagidae	Cuckoo-shrikes and Trillers
Passeriformes	Pachycephalidae	Whistlers, Shrike-thrushes and allies
Passeriformes	Pycnonotidae	Bulbuls
Passeriformes	Oriolidae	Orioles and Figbirds
Passeriformes	Artamidae	Woodswallows, Currawongs, Butcherbirds and Magpie
Passeriformes	Corvidae	Crows and Ravens
Passeriformes	Rhipiduridae	Fantails
Passeriformes	Monarchidae	Monarch and Flycatchers
Passeriformes	Corcoracidae	Chough and Apostlebird
Passeriformes	Paradisaeidae	Birds of Paradise
Passeriformes	Dicruridae	Drongos
Passeriformes	Petroicidae	Australian Robins
Passeriformes	Alaudidae	Larks
Passeriformes	Cisticolidae	Cisticolas
Passeriformes	Acrocephalidae	Reed-Warblers
Passeriformes	Timaliidae	White eyes
Passeriformes	Hirundinidae	Swallows and Martins
Passeriformes	Turdidae	Thrushes
Passeriformes	Sturnidae	Starlings
Passeriformes	Nectariniidae	Sunbirds
Passeriformes	Estrildidae	Weaver Finches
Passeriformes	Fringillidae	Old World Finches
Passeriformes	Passeridae	Old World Sparrows
Passeriformes	Motacillidae	Pipits and Wagtails
Passeriformes	Cinclosomatidae	Quail thrushes and jewel babblers
Passeriformes	Emberizidae	Buntings
Passeriformes	Falcunculidae	Shrike-tits
Passeriformes	Laniidae	Shrikes
Passeriformes	Locustellidae	Grassbirds
Passeriformes	Machaerirhynchidae	Boatbills
Passeriformes	Muscicapidae	Old world flycatchers
Passeriformes	Phylloscopidae	Leaf Warblers
Passeriformes	Zosteropidae	True Babblers

Australian Bird Numbers

286	Australian species that are also found OS
349	Endemic
21	Endemic breeding only
13	Extinct
28	introduced
83	migratory non breeding visitors
170	vagrants
950	sub total
170	vagrants
780	sub total
13	extinct
28	introduced
739	Extant Australian birds
47.2	% of Australian birds that are endemic
20	orders
100	families

Geological eras Chat GPT summation:

Geological Period	Time Frame	Important Information
Precambrian	4.6 billion – 541 million years ago	Earth formed during this period. No life was present until about 3.5 billion years ago.
Cambrian	541 – 485.4 million years ago	Rapid diversification of life, including the emergence of many modern animal groups.
Ordovician	485.4 – 443.8 million years ago	The first jawed fish appear, and the first land plants and fungi evolve.
Silurian	443.8 – 419.2 million years ago	First land animals and terrestrial ecosystems emerge.
Devonian	419.2 – 358.9 million years ago	Evolution of amphibians and seed-bearing plants, and the first trees appear.
Carboniferous	358.9 – 298.9 million years ago	Vast coal-forming swamps and the diversification of reptiles.
Permian	298.9 – 252.2 million years ago	The largest mass extinction in Earth’s history, marking the end of the Paleozoic Era.
Triassic	252.2 – 201.3 million years ago	The emergence of the first dinosaurs, mammals, and flying reptiles.
Jurassic	201.3 – 145 million years ago	The age of the dinosaurs, including the emergence of the first birds.
Cretaceous	145 – 66 million years ago	The end-Cretaceous mass extinction marks the end of the dinosaurs, and the rise of mammals and flowering plants.
Paleogene	66 – 23.03 million years ago	The diversification of mammals, including the emergence of primates and whales.
Neogene	23.03 – 2.58 million years ago	The emergence of modern ecosystems, and the evolution of humans.
Quaternary	2.58 million years ago – present	The most recent period, marked by repeated glaciations and the evolution of modern humans.

Living Planet report – overview

Download report

Chat GPT summation:

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) releases its Living Planet Report every two years, which provides a comprehensive overview of the health of our planet’s ecosystems and the status of wildlife populations. The most recent report was released in 2020. Here are the five major findings from the report:

1 The average population size of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians has declined by 68% since 1970. This is a staggering decline and indicates that the world’s ecosystems are under significant pressure.

2 Habitat loss and degradation, including deforestation, are the biggest drivers of wildlife decline. The report finds that over 90% of global biodiversity loss can be attributed to these factors, along with agricultural expansion, urbanization, and infrastructure development.

3 Climate change is exacerbating the decline in biodiversity. The report finds that the impacts of climate change, such as rising temperatures, sea-level rise, and extreme weather events, are already being felt by many species and ecosystems, and are likely to have an increasingly severe impact in the future.

4 The decline in biodiversity is also a threat to human well-being. The report notes that the loss of biodiversity can have serious consequences for human health, food security, and economic development.Urgent action is needed to reverse these trends.

5 The report emphasizes that we need to take immediate and ambitious action to halt and reverse the decline in biodiversity, including protecting and restoring habitats, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and promoting more sustainable land use and consumption patterns.

6 Wildlife populations have declined by an average of 68% since 1970. We must prioritize conservation efforts to protect and restore habitats and reduce human-wildlife conflict. This includes enforcing stricter wildlife trade regulations and preventing habitat destruction from agriculture and infrastructure development.

7 The main drivers of biodiversity loss are habitat degradation and loss, climate change, pollution, and overfishing. We need to reduce our carbon footprint, promote sustainable land use and consumption patterns, reduce plastic waste, and promote sustainable fishing practices.

8 Climate change is impacting wildlife and ecosystems, with temperature increases, sea-level rise, and more frequent and intense weather events. We must take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote the use of renewable energy.

9 Our oceans are under threat from overfishing, pollution, and habitat degradation. We should work to protect marine biodiversity and promote sustainable fishing practices, such as implementing marine protected areas.

10 Deforestation is a significant problem, contributing to the decline in wildlife populations and releasing carbon into the atmosphere. We need to promote sustainable forest management and reduce demand for products that drive deforestation, such as palm oil and soy.

11 Land degradation is impacting soil fertility and biodiversity. We must promote sustainable land use practices, such as agroforestry and conservation agriculture, to maintain soil health and improve food security.

12 Freshwater ecosystems are under threat from pollution, overuse, and habitat degradation. We need to promote sustainable water use and reduce pollution to protect freshwater biodiversity.

13 Wildlife crime, including poaching and illegal wildlife trade, threatens the survival of many species. We must strengthen law enforcement efforts, reduce demand for illegal wildlife products, and promote alternative livelihoods for people who rely on wildlife trade.

14 Human well-being is closely linked to biodiversity, and the loss of biodiversity can have significant consequences for human health, food security, and economic development. We must promote the conservation and restoration of ecosystems, and recognize the importance of nature-based solutions for human well-being.

15 Urgent action is needed to reverse the decline in biodiversity, and there is a critical need for stronger political will, policy reform, and public engagement. We need to promote sustainable development, support conservation efforts, and encourage behavior change to reduce our impact on the planet.