Impact of Litter on Birds with Hannah Faraone

Posted on 10 September, 2026 by Hadley Cole

We are a week into Feathery Festival events and so far it’s been incredible to see the local enthusiasm for celebrating out local birds. The Guided Bird Walk and Plant Sale on Saturday 5th September was very popular with keen bird watches, from beginners through to experienced joining the walk around Campbells Creek. Many participants took home at least a handful of plants to add to their gardens for the birds who frequent their neighbourhood.

The Nature Journaling and Sticky Beak Property tour session on Sunday the 6th of September was also well attended. Curious participants spent time contemplating nature through drawing and others enjoyed a walk through a Moonlight Creek property that is being restored for bird habitat.

On Thursday 10th September Connecting Country and Birdlife Castlemaine host the Feathery Festival headline event, In the Company of Birds, which is sold out!

The final event to close the festival is hosted by Castlemaine Field Naturalist Club on Friday 11 September. Hannah Farone, researcher with Federation University, will present her project which focuses on gaining a stronger understanding of bird–litter interactions through a citizen-science based image collection study. Anthropogenic litter poses a significant global threat to birds by ingestion and entanglement. Hannah found some unexpected results, revealing a broader range of interactions than previously anticipated. The observed patterns between interactions, bird species, and litter characteristics provide management organisations with the first step to developing targeted strategies to mitigate the risks of anthropogenic litter to birdlife.

When: Friday 11 September, 7.30pm

Where: Castlemaine Uniting Church, 24 Lyttleton St. Castlemaine VIC

Cost: Free

Hosted by the Castlemaine Fields Naturalist Club and Birdlife Castlemaine District

The Feathery Festival is a collaboration involving partnerships between Connecting Country, Birdlife Castlemaine District, Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club and representatives from Landcare Groups in the Mount Alexander Region. It would not be possible without the valuable support from sponsors Brian D Newman Foundation and The Good Op Shop.

Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club