Hi Dion An interesting idea! But I don’t rate your chances getting that one up and running! But before we go down that route (even hypothetically) – has anyone (e.g. the National Nigh Parrot Network) actually really tried to coordinate a large number of birders on a roster to systematically survey likely areas? For the last 3 years for example – Western Qld has had a lot of rain. Conditions must be as good now as they ever have been (ignoring the pest issues). But is anyone actually looking? A few minutes of research on habitats, rainfall and historic records and likely areas could be identified. I think a lot of people would respond and assist. I genuinely believe that areas will currently exist under the recent wet conditions (and I mean the last 3-4 years of above average rainfalls) where there are night parrots breeding. We just do not interact with them geographically and temporally. It would be good if someone would respond and let us know about the National Night Parrot Network, their remit, plans etc. Could birdwatcher power be captured to actually help rediscovered Night Parrots at a time they may be on the up? Are we about to miss this opportunity? All I hear is silence – perhaps birders have to organise this themselves? Rob Morris
Brisbane, Australia
> From: dionhobcroft@bigpond.com > To: birding-aus@vicnet.net.au > Date: Wed, 6 Jun 2012 15:59:18 +1000 > Subject: [Birding-Aus] Using a dog for Night Parrots > > I have often wondered why no-one has trained a dog to search for Night > Parrot. Get them tracking Ground Parrots and then move to the desert with a > muzzle (to avoid eating 1080 baits and Night Parrots). Our Kiwi friends use > this strategy successfully for finding Kakapo. > > =============================== > > 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 > ===============================
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G’day Steve,
My comment on two decades is in reference only to the two dead birds from relatively close proximity, nothing else. There is a possibility that the birds were there in 1990 leaving one dead before departing then returned in 2007 to do the same, but I feel it’s fair to assume they were probably there for the duration. The other sight records are local reports being collected by Bob Forsythe a local bird enthusiast from Mnt Isa with a long held interest in this species, but these records played no part in my assumption that the species are definitely there. There is always some doubt with any sight records and these have been made right across the interior of Australia, but you can’t argue with a dead bird in the hand as evidence of the species presence. If the species is nomadic wandering freely across the country the probability that two birds finish up dead in such close proximity after 17 years makes the odds that they were both found in the first place even higher again. Both birds were found in reasonably remote situations of which Australia is well endowed but these two remote situations are very close together, that says something to me.
Cheers Jeff.
I’m curious as to who runs the National Night Parrot Network? I’m sure it would be interesting to hear what they have been doing for the last few years, and (as the newspaper report was a bit vague) exactly how follow up surveys in NW Victoria were attempted? I’m enjoying reading this discussion, I’d love to help out with Night Parrot surveys if they were coordinated like Dion has suggested, and I’m sure a lot of other people would agree!
.Regards, Joshua Bergmark
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I feel Jeff and Rob have made some good recommendations here. The next specimen of Night Parrot should not be preserved chemically (or some feathers should be preserved naturally). As Jeff points out both recent specimens come from the Diamantina-this is the clearest lead. As Rob points out the flood seasons two years in a row are a unique opportunity for some well organized community birding based follow up surveys using all the techniques at the disposal of a scientific birding community-camera traps-sound recorders-observers both human and canine and give the mystery the support it deserves. Why not draw a 300 km radius within both recent specimens-hit it with a GIS analysis-martial a team of observers when the dry returns and give it a good go. There is everything to gain. Putting the parrot on the map.
Add hock reports by locals? I think the locals would tell you anything if you add enough hock.
Cheers,
Carl Clifford
Sent from my iPad
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Jeff. I’m sorry but I’m having a bit of trouble with: ” We know they have been in the region of Boulia and Diamantina for a couple of decades” How do we know this? Are you saying there have been enough confirmed sightings from this region to indicate they have been consistently present for that period of time? If that’s so, then there must be an awful lot of suppressed sightings I don’t know about. Steve Murray
Dion has made a good suggestion and it has already been discussed between myself and friends as being something we think would be worth investigating, not that I have any power or authority over any of this actually happening. Probably a good reason why the next dead Night Parrot should be just freeze dried rather than boraxed. All of the literature leaves me with a strong impression that Night Parrot is almost impossible to flush when secreted away during daylight hours, unless fire is an option. I also can find no evidence Night parrot is genuinely nomadic, it would certainly be dispersive after good times and possibly shift around locally within a region. We know they have been in the region of Boulia and Diamantina for a couple of decades and add hock possible reports by locals would suggest they have always been there. Is scarlet-chested Parrot really nomadic?
Cheers Jeff.