At the end of an 8-day walk in SW Tasmania in 2019, Lez, Corka, Bez and Friendy found themselves trapped in a tiny Melaleuca hut by relentless bad weather—fortuitously, all they had for entertainment was a regular 52 pack of playing cards which had bird photos on the back of each card.

With nothing but goon and a few treats the situation…. evolved.

As they waited (and waited) for the weather to clear so a small plane could access the runway, someone started spinning the Wedge-tailed Eagle card on a Leatherman like a fidget spinner. Then came attempted bird song, then came the debates: which birds would win in a fight? Which ones were prized by twitchers? What birds had special powers? And just like that, the idea for Birds began to take flight.

In 2023, after four years and hundreds of hours of tweaks and fine-tuning, this accidental, storm-born game finally launched into the world—beginning in Hobart’s pubs and cafés. Now in its second edition, Birds has evolved into a charming board game that celebrates Australian birdlife while inspiring strategy, sabotage, and often fierce rivalries. It has now sold over 5,000 packs and is stocked in more than 100 shops across Australia and New Zealand.

Chris, one of the co-creators, recalls the game seemed to have wings from day one, “The four of were hooked and played it for hours and hours deep into the night over birdy weekends. There’s some strategy, chaos and plenty stirring the pot, so even Corka the most laid back will get fired up when things don’t go his way, which makes for good entertainment”. He also says friends from outside the co-founders helped drive the game forward. “Harry a friend from work is forever tapping on my studio door asking, ‘feeling birdy??’”. The game continues to grow and they are reportedly working on state-based expansions to release later in 2026.