The regent honeyeater once flew in flocks of thousands in Australia but now there may be less than 400 left.

But the New England region has one known breeding pair near Bundarra which Mrs Cook visited yesterday.

University of New England academic Steve Debus said the main reason for their decline was the same as with many other endangered species: habitat loss and fragmentation.

The birds are a migratory species, so when areas are cleared by humans they become easy targets for prey in the open.

National Bird Week is an initiative by BirdLife Australia, which also monitors the regent honeyeater.

It's aimed at raising the profile of bird conservation nationally.

Shirley Cook is part of two bird watching groups in town and said while some birdwatchers in Armidale were taking part in the week.

One way people participate is by taking part in the Aussie Backyard Bird Count.

During the week Australians have been sitting themselves down in their backyards and counting the birds they see.

Mrs Cook said while it was a simple idea it did cause more people to think about birds.

“It certainly does contribute to the status of the bird in a particular time. You don’t often have an Australia wide event like this,” she said.

Regent honeyeaters measure 20 to 24 centimetres in length and are mostly black and yellow with a dark decurved bill.

Dr Debus encouraged anyone who say a regent honeyeater to contact BirdLife Australia.