Still here: Night Parrot rediscovery in WA raises questions for mining

The Night Parrot is unquestionably one of Australia’s most enigmatic, elusive and enthralling species. The final frontier of Australian ornithology, this cryptic parrot eluded dedicated expeditions to find it for nearly half a century.

The picture that confirms the Night Parrot’s
 existence in Western Australia.

Last week, a momentous chapter in the Night Parrot story was written, with the first photograph of a live Night Parrot in Western Australia. The photos come in the wake of several other recent sightings, including the parrot’s rediscovery in Queensland in 2013.

Despite media reports, the parrot has never been officially listed as extinct, with sporadic evidence of its existence throughout the 20th century.

But now we know for sure that the parrots are alive and found across the continent, we can move on to making sure they remain so in the future.

Read the piece on The Conversation by a Senior Lecturer in Vertebrate Biology art the Edith Cowan University, Robert Davis  - “Still here: Night Parrot rediscovery in WA raises questions for mining.”

Night parrots sweating over climate

The night parrot is under threat from rising
 temperatures due to climate change. 

The elusive night parrot has been surrounded by a shroud of mystery since its rediscovery in 2013 after being unsighted for 75 years.

What exactly led to the bird's decline remains the focus of many studies as researchers struggle to rebuild the populations.

Uncontrolled fires, introduced predators and climate change have long been considered the main culprits, but with so few birds to study, concrete conclusions have been hard to reach.

New research has shown that a lack of access to water sources and lack of safety in cooler nesting areas has played part in the decline of the night parrot populations.

Read Drew Creighton’s story in today’s Melbourne Age - “Night parrots sweating over climate.”