A collaborative search between First Nations rangers and scientists has uncovered a previously unknown population of the endangered night parrot.
The parrots were found in the Ngururrpa Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) in north-eastern Western Australia, following a five-year search.
It’s believed there could be at least 50 night parrots, which would make it the largest known population in the world.
Night parrot
The endangered night parrot is one of the rarest birds in Australia. It’s a medium‑sized, ground-dwelling, nocturnal bird.
No living specimens were seen between 1912 and 2013, when a small group were spotted in Queensland.
The birds are difficult to spot because they hide in grass tunnels during the day, and look for food at night.
The search
Ngururrpa rangers and scientists began searching for night parrots in 2018.
Using the rangers’ cultural knowledge and satellite data, the team set up sound recorders at 31 different sites across the Ngururrpa Indigenous Protected Area in the centre of the Great Sandy Desert.
Night parrots’ calls were recorded at 17 of the 31 sites.
Recommendations
In an article about their research for The Conversation, the team called for the population to be protected so “the night parrot doesn’t go missing a second time, perhaps for good.”
Threats to the birds include feral cats and uncontrolled bushfires. Researchers noted that while cameras spotted dingoes in the night parrots’ habitat, they appear to be eating feral cats, “helping the parrots survive”.
They suggested hazard reduction burns could be more targeted to avoid the birds’ habitat, and limiting the presence of cars and livestock.
