Hi All.
In a prolonged fit of enthusiasm, and time to devote to “Finding the Night Parrot”, including a trip to the Wolf Creek meteorite crater with a like minded group of experienced birders after a supposed sighting there a few years ago, I looked into the possibility of using dogs. The idea was to spend a month or three driving along the margins of the Percival Lakes and other lake systems, with the dogs quartering the extensive succulent fields and shrubbery that straddle the lakes.
One of the problems with the usual hunting dogs was whether they would be up to the conditions, eg heat and the terrain. Walton did not mention whether his dog actively sought out and flushed the NPs, whether it was just an accidental flush, or what breed of dog it was. Any suggestions as to best breeds for the job anyone?
Otherwise, motion sensitive cameras are now reasonably inexpensive, and and an expedition equipped with a bulk buy of say fifty or a hundred of them, placed next to dams or along lakes across a wide area should eventually turn up a NP or two. That strategy would best wait for the next drought.
When and if I retire, our search for the NP is still on the agenda. Lots of logistical problems though, one of which could be obtaining permits from the traditional owners to search on their land.
Considering the interest and effort put into finding the most-likely-extinct Ivory-billed Woodpecker in the USA, the NP is certainly still out there, and really warrants a serious search. Maybe we need another (or the same) Dick Smith to get really into the idea. The possibility of catching a pair of NPs and establishing a captive breeding and release population in one of our zoos might appeal to the public at large, and could be the basis for an appeal to support a serious expedition.
Cheers
Michael
===============================
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au
http://birding-aus.org ===============================
Comments
7 responses to “Night Parrot.”
Hi Allan.
Re your concerns about dogs getting spinifex prickles in their paws and snouts and legs.
You are right, and this was one reason I asked about suitable dogs. Just as Aboriginals develop leather-like soles which can walk on spinifex, gravel and hot sand, so can dogs. Although universally mangy and thin, dogs hanging around Aboriginal settlements might be amenable to rehabilitation and used as beaters, packs would be better than single hounds, if they could be disciplined!
The dog that flushed the NPs quoted in the Walton article that prompted this discussion would have been a working dog and used to spinifex and I have seen dingoes in spinifex areas, so that except in the areas of thickest spinifex I don’t think that this would be a problem with selected dogs. Humans can usually walk between spinifex clumps without too much trouble in most places.
Having said that, I would concentrate the search on the succulent fields alongside the many salt lakes in the Centre and Southern Kimberley, where the chenopods are soft, the shrubbery otherwise fairly benign, the sand is soft, and have been the site of various NP sightings. Otherwise to concentrate on very limited areas of spinifex with historic or recent sightings.
This is still a along way from being a done deal, and all suggestions and comments are really welcome.
Cheers
Michael
“There’s been a lot of suggestion about the use of dogs to find NP’s – but there’s this thing that keeps coming to mind……
Those of us who have walked through Porcupine Grass (Spinifex to most) without proper protection (I recall my first venture was in Dunlop Volleys – oh dear) have paid dearly for the price of not looking before we leapt into the stuff.
Wouldn’t it be refined torture to send dogs through that stuff to flush birds?? Prickles in the nose, paws and legs. Has someone tried this and the dogs magically avoid the sharp spines”
===============================
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
http://birding-aus.org ===============================
At the risk of sounding pooch unfriendly, making a doggy-cam with a small night-vision camera could be a good way of recording what the dog is flushing, especially on a pointer. You wouldn’t even need to accompany the dog, just turn it loose for the evening (assuming it’s trained not to chow down on wildlife). In fact, a few seconds googling brought this up: http://www.soldsmart.com.au/Car-Rear-Reverse-Camera-Wireless-Camera-289 Night vision camera, wireless with 100 m range with built-in GPS. Use your car as a base station and enjoy a nice cup of tea while fido goes for a walk. Only $42 as well. Now I just need a dog and a car… Cheers,
Tony
===============================
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
http://birding-aus.org ===============================
Hi Philip. Dogs could flush Night Parrots’ thus disclosing their presence, not catch them. Although doubtless generally nomadic, some NP populations or family groups should be found in specific areas where conditions suit or where they they breed. Once located they could be trapped or netted if need be to establish a breeding population, or the area fenced off to exclude predators and encourage a natural population to establish itself.
The dogs don’t have to be able to recognise an actual Night Parrot, trained bird dogs may recognise “bird” smell and react accordingly. Any bird will be flushed, not just Night Parrots. Dogs can pick up other cues, eg sound and movement. The presence of a dog quartering through vegetation will flush birds, whether the dog knows they are there or not, an instinctive reaction by the birds. Not every bird will be flushed but most would if the dog was close enough. “Pointers” pick up the presence of a bird and “point” at the bird. Birds don’t just sit there waiting to be picked up, they fly off, ie they “flush”. NPs can fly. “Retrievers” pick up bird that have been shot and bring them back to the shooter. Retrievers would not be suitable, the NPs would not be shot except on camera. Any smart Cattle-dog might be good enough to sniff out a few birds, persistence over large areas would be the key when searching “blind” Motion activated digital surveillance cameras can be fitted with infra-red for night viewing and have a range of up to a hundred metres, more than necessary . Mark Carter would know more about that than I do, but cameras are a practical proposition.
Hi Jeff,
The NPs are presumably holding their own, but fencing off some peninsulas in WA and excluding cats and foxes has apparently resulted in a huge resurgence of rare mammalian wildlife, and this could happen with NP’s once their niche is known. Finding them in the first place and defining their needs is what an expedition could achieve.
Fencing off a a few hundred hectares in some remote desert location would be a different ballgame. Camels walk through just about anything,
Cheers
Michael
No need for any focus on a captive release programme Michael, the birds are already doing that for themselves. It’s more a case of working out how to both find then interface with the bird in the wild so you can work out what are the current limiting factors and if it’s possible to then make changes that would benefit the bird. This is never going to happen without a funded medium to long term commitment, probably the most difficult hurdle to get over at this stage I would suggest.
Cheers Jeff.
“The amount of harm we have done to inland Australia is immense. We
Hi all,
While we up in the channel country recently, the conversation often turned to Night Parrot and all the issues raised here.
We drove through the areas where NP has (anecdotically and historically) been recorded, and after a great wet season, the conditions look fantastic. There is no reason why NP wouldn’t be having a great breeding season (cite irruptions of Princess Parrot, Scarlet-chested Parrot in other arid zone areas).
The downside was that we unfortunately (and further to Steve’s comment above) observed many feral cats in these areas. They seem out of control I’m not sure whether there are any eradication programs being implemented (I sincerely hope there are), because the impact on NP would be huge I would think,
Cheers, Greg
mine.
===============================
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
http://birding-aus.org ===============================
I agree Steve – given that we know almost nothing about them the chances of setting up a successful captive breeding program would seem to be remote – and if we only had a paid it would not be very genetically diverse either?
===============================
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
http://birding-aus.org ===============================
G’day all
The Night Parrot discussion has been most interesting. A few thoughts of mine.
Several people have mentioned the desirability of catching one or a pair. Apart from a mist-net catch, photograph, DNA sample, measure then release operation I can’t see much merit in this.
Our knowledge of these bird’s habits are really next to zero. Expeditions are not likely to be successful unless they follow rapidly on the heels of a confirmed sighting. Even a short delay would drastically reduce the chances of success.
The idea of using sniffer dogs has merit but we need a scent. The next dead bird that turns up should be treated so that it’s scent can be used.
Remote cameras could be useful but I have no experience with them. The ones I’ve seen on TV and the internet seem to only capture things that pass very close or things that are quite large. I think you would have to be extremely lucky to set up a camera in just the right place to catch an image of a small parrot coming to water. No doubt you would get shots of all sorts of interesting critters though.
The amount of harm we have done to inland Australia is immense. We have changed fire regimes, introduced feral predators, feral herbivores and weed plants. All of these would have had great impact on ground nesters such as Night Parrots as they have on our native mammals. The best way of ensuring the survival of the Night parrot is to reduce some of these pressures. Easier said than done of course. The backlash from some groups when camels are culled is an example of the pressures management authorities are under.
And then there is climate change…
I also think that we need to remind ourselves from time to time that we have no right to see these or any other species. Bloody hell I’d like to see one though!
Cheers Steve ===============================
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
http://birding-aus.org ===============================