An incredibly rare bird once thought extinct has been caught on a trail camera in Queensland's outback, exhilarating wildlife experts and offering new hope for conservation efforts.
The night parrot, one of "the world's most elusive birds," remained shrouded in mystery for nearly a century. Researchers doubted whether it was surviving in the wild until a 2013 sighting reignited interest. Since then, only a handful of confirmed encounters have occurred.
"Since the species was rediscovered about 12 years ago, this is only the third time we've managed to capture it on a camera trap," Nick Leseberg, an ecologist with Bush Heritage Australia, told McClatchy News in mid-September.
The night parrot is listed as critically endangered. Predation by feral cats and foxes, habitat degradation, and overgrazing from mining activity have devastated its numbers. Its nocturnal habits and secretive behavior make sightings exceptionally rare.
Ecologists from Bush Heritage installed trail cameras months ago across the Pullen Pullen Special Wildlife Reserve in western Queensland to monitor ecosystem changes. They reviewed the footage in early September and spotted the breathtaking bird.
Bush Heritage plans to use the trail camera evidence to deepen its understanding of the parrots' range and behavior. Researchers will pair camera traps with audio recorders to pick up calls and other clues.
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"You can't watch night parrots like you can other diurnal (daytime) birds," Leseberg explained. "It's these little snippets of data we have to interrogate to get information about their behavior."
Trail cameras have become vital to conservation work, allowing ecologists to monitor fragile habitats without disturbing them and to identify which areas need more research or protection.
For conservationists, the footage is not just a rare glimpse of a secretive species, but it is also a sign that ongoing efforts to protect the night parrot's habitat may be working.
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