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Largest Known Population of Endangered Night Parrot Discovered in Australia
27 Oct
Summary
- Elusive night parrot spotted in Australia for first time in over 100 years
- Dedicated team deployed advanced technology to track and monitor the rare birds
- At least 50 night parrots found, a significant increase from previous sightings
In a remarkable conservation breakthrough, a team of dedicated bird enthusiasts has discovered the largest known population of the elusive night parrot in Australia. This small, green-and-yellow nocturnal bird, officially known as Pezoporus occidentalis, has not been spotted in its native habitat for over a century.
From 2020 to 2023, the determined team deployed an array of specialized equipment across numerous sites in the Ngururrpa Country region, using 'songmeters' to record the birds' vocal communications. Their efforts have now paid off, as they have not just found one night parrot, but what is believed to be the largest population of this species in the world.
The team has identified at least 50 of these rare birds living in the area, a significant increase from the occasional detections in the past. The night parrot is listed as a high-risk species on the IUCN Red List, with an estimated 40 to 500 individuals remaining in the wild globally. This discovery of a thriving population offers new hope for the conservation of this enigmatic species.
