Search for the Night Parrot

[BJohn]

I came across the following project article recently.Its approx 1.4Mb size. A reasonable paper, good references.
Found by typing the title into google search engine.....

"Report on December 2009 search for the Night Parrot"
A Fortescue Metals Group Project
M.J. Bamford and J. Turpin
Published 2010

Prepared by: *M.J. & A.R. Bamford,
CONSULTING ECOLOGISTS.
23 Plover Way,
Kingsley, WA, 6026.
7th July 2010

[elferoz777]

Sounds like an interesting read....

They apparently had these parrots near Robertson up the nsw southern highlands about 20 yrs ago

[mattymeischke]

They apparently had these parrots near Robertson up the nsw southern highlands about 20 yrs ago

I think that may have been the ground parrot (Pezoporus wallicus), the closest relative of the night parrot (Pezoporus occidentalis).
They can still be found around dusk and dawn near the northern end of the Barren Grounds plateau, quite near Robertson, and on other similar plateaux in the southern Illawarra/Shoalhaven (but I'm not telling which!).

Twenty two years ago the night parrot was believed to be extinct. In the version of the story which I have heard, Australian Museum researchers travelling near Boulia in NW Qld stopped by the side of a road in 1990 to take a leak, and found a dead green parrot by the side of the road. I another version I have seen published (on Crikey!) Wally Boles scraped it off the fromt of a road train. The next specimen found was a headless deadie in Diamantina National Park, presumably decapitated on fencing wire. Since then there have been several sightings, including one in Vic in 2009 which has only just been made public (a cause of some consternation to the twitchers, who are themselves a cause of some consternation to those who would protect the night parrot).

Interesting report, unbelievable to see the feral Moggie in the middle of NW WA spinifex country: fat chance for the night parrot in this sort of company...

[desertbirds]

They apparently had these parrots near Robertson up the nsw southern highlands about 20 yrs ago

Interesting report, unbelievable to see the feral Moggie in the middle of NW WA spinifex country: fat chance for the night parrot in this sort of company...

The cats do extremely well in spinifex country as its full of lizards and small mammals. Friends of mine did some research in WA and found that the cats had become a steady food source for Dingoes . Go the Dingoes.

[mattymeischke]

Go, dingo, go you good thing.

[Mortisha]

GO dingos!!

I love setting up wildlife cameras - fascinating results most of the time.
Does make you realise how many bloody ferals are out there are though.

[spanna]

I heard an interesting idea the other day: introduce more dingoes around Australia. The basis of this is that dingoes establish and protect hunting territories against other predatory animals, such as foxes and cats, and will actively seek out and kill these direct competitors. But why would replacing one predator with another be a good idea you may ask??? Because dingoes don't kill simply for the sake of it, they hunt to survive, whereas cats and foxes will also kill just for the hell of it. So, the hoped for outcome would be reduced deaths of our poor native animals, and increased numbers and range of dingoes. Interesting idea, but actually sounds like it may work to some extent as well. The only negative repercussions I can think of is that farmers everywhere would spit chips!!

[Buzzard-1]

I heard an interesting idea the other day: introduce more dingoes around Australia. The basis of this is that dingoes establish and protect hunting territories against other predatory animals, such as foxes and cats, and will actively seek out and kill these direct competitors. But why would replacing one predator with another be a good idea you may ask??? Because dingoes don't kill simply for the sake of it, they hunt to survive, whereas cats and foxes will also kill just for the hell of it. So, the hoped for outcome would be reduced deaths of our poor native animals, and increased numbers and range of dingoes. Interesting idea, but actually sounds like it may work to some extent as well. The only negative repercussions I can think of is that farmers everywhere would spit chips!!

I understand what your saying spanna BUT until we can get all dog owners to restrain there dogs and mongrel ignorant idiots to stop dumping dogs in bushland they will cross with Dingos and the progeny will kill for fun and pack.

[jusdeb]

Yep in theory it works well but sadly many dog owners carry the idiot gene and dont do the right thing , all we will end up with is a pack of wild dogs with some dingo blood in them doing more harm than good .....

proof ...Mountain Lagoon up from Bilpin had the most beautiful pure dingoes that had very little impact on domestic stock until ....yep mixed breeding .

[spanna]

Yeah I know there would be a lot of extra steps that need to be taken first, but an interesting idea nevertheless.