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The night parrot (Pezoporus occidentalis) is a nocturnal bird native to Australia. It is one of the world's rarest and most elusive birds, with a population of between 40 and 500 individuals. They are found in remote areas of Queensland and Western Australia, particularly in the Great Sandy Desert and the Pullen Pullen Reserve on Maiawali country in Western Queensland.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of rediscovery | 2013 |
| Location of rediscovery | Pullen Pullen Reserve, Maiawali Country, Western Queensland |
| Population size | 40-50 |
| Population distribution | Remote southwest Queensland, central and northern Western Australia |
| Conservation status | Critically endangered |
| Habitat | Spinifex bushes, sandplains, dunefields, floodplains |
| Threats | Feral cats, bushfires, mining activities |
| Conservation efforts | Pullen Pullen Reserve, Ngururrpa Indigenous Protected Area, strategic burning, camera traps, 'Felixer' devices |
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What You'll Learn
Night parrots are found in the Great Sandy Desert
Night parrots are notoriously elusive birds. They are ground-dwelling, nocturnal birds that build tunnels in dense spinifex and hide there by day, emerging at night to forage for food. They are well-camouflaged, with green and gold feathers that blend with their surroundings. They are also extremely rare, with fewer than 20 recorded in Queensland as of 2024.
In 2024, a team of Ngururrpa rangers and scientists announced the discovery of a stronghold of up to 50 night parrots living on the Ngururrpa Indigenous Protected Area in the Great Sandy Desert in Western Australia. This was the largest known population of the species, which was once feared extinct. The discovery was made using songmeters (a type of sound recorder) and camera traps, with which researchers surveyed 31 sites within the protected area between 2020 and 2023, finding night parrots at 17 locations.
The Great Sandy Desert comprises vast areas of sandplains and dunefields, with smaller areas of floodplain and spinifex, which are key night parrot habitats. The discovery of night parrots in this region adds to the growing list of locations where the birds are known to survive. The parrots are particularly vulnerable to bushfires sparked by lightning, which pose a greater threat in the Great Sandy Desert than in Queensland. Dingoes are also a key predator of night parrots in the region, although they may help control feral cat populations, which are another major threat to the birds.
The Ngururrpa Indigenous Protected Area is managed by the Indigenous Desert Alliance, which combines Indigenous knowledge and science in its conservation efforts. The discovery of night parrots in the Great Sandy Desert highlights the importance of having people on the ground managing fire and feral animals to protect vulnerable species.
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They are also found in the Diamantina National Park
The night parrot is a critically endangered bird species native to Australia. It is one of the world's most elusive birds, with only a handful of sightings since its discovery in 1845. The night parrot is also one of just two fully nocturnal bird species in the world, the other being New Zealand's kakapo.
In 2016, a team of researchers from the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) and the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, led by Young, announced the discovery of a population of night parrots in an area of the Diamantina National Park bordered by the Diamantina and Mayne rivers. This discovery was significant as it indicated the presence of a larger population of these birds than previously thought. The researchers recorded seven sightings, including four visual sightings and three recorded calls, as well as three nests with eggs.
The Diamantina National Park is located in the Channel Country of South West Queensland, Australia, 1,278 km (794 mi) west of Brisbane. The park was established in 1993 and covers an area of 507,000 hectares (1,250,000 acres). It is named after the Diamantina River that flows through it and Lady Diamantina Bowen, the wife of the first Governor of Queensland.
The rediscovery of night parrots in the Diamantina National Park has led to increased conservation efforts to protect this elusive species. The Queensland Government has set up a Restricted Access Area over part of the park to protect the night parrots. Additionally, organisations like Bush Heritage Australia are working to establish conservation land management and fire management plans to ensure the survival of this endangered species.
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They are a critically endangered species
Night parrots (Pezoporus occidentalis) are a critically endangered species. They are small, nocturnal, ground-dwelling parrots that are endemic to Australia. The species was presumed extinct for around 100 years until a population was rediscovered in 2013 in the Pullen Pullen Reserve on Maiawali country in Western Queensland. The Pullen Pullen Reserve has since become Australia's first Special Wildlife Reserve, protecting the endangered night parrot.
The population size of night parrots is estimated to be between 40 and 500, or possibly larger. They are incredibly elusive and mysterious, with very few reliable records of sightings. Their elusiveness is due in part to their ability to hide in dense spinifex during the day, emerging at night to forage for food. They are well-adapted to life in the outback, requiring little water. Their green and gold feathers also help them blend seamlessly into their surroundings.
The primary threats to the night parrot population include predation by feral cats and foxes, habitat degradation by introduced herbivores, and inappropriate fire regimes. As ground-dwelling birds, they are ideal prey for feral cats, and their preferred spinifex habitat is susceptible to unmanaged wildfires. Conservation efforts are focused on implementing targeted fire management plans and controlling cat and fox populations in night parrot habitats.
The discovery of a stronghold of up to 50 night parrots in the Ngururrpa Indigenous Protected Area in Western Australia in 2024 has provided new hope for the species' survival. This protected area, located in the Great Sandy Desert, is characterized by vast sandplains, dunefields, and smaller areas of floodplain and spinifex, which are key night parrot habitats. The remote and wild nature of this landscape is crucial for the night parrots, and efforts are being made to minimize human disturbance and exclude livestock and weeds.
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They are nocturnal and ground-dwelling
Night parrots are nocturnal birds that hide in clumps of spinifex during the day and emerge after sunset to forage for food. They are ground-dwelling birds that build tunnels in dense spinifex and nest in the prickly and spikey Triodia spinifex. They are found in the arid inland regions of Australia, particularly in the remote areas of southwest Queensland and central and northern Western Australia.
The night parrot is a brilliantly coloured, nocturnal bird that once thrived in Australia's outback. The arrival of colonists and feral predators caused a decline in their population in the late 19th century, and they were believed to be extinct for about a century. In 1990, a dead night parrot was found in western Queensland, and another was identified 16 years later. It was not until 2013 that a small, living population was rediscovered in southwestern Queensland.
The night parrot is a cryptic species, meaning it is hard to see and well camouflaged. They are known for their green and gold feathers that blend with their surroundings, making them difficult to spot. This elusiveness has earned them the nickname the "thylacine of the air". Their elusive nature also makes it challenging to determine their exact population size, but estimates range from 40 to 500 individuals, with some sources claiming there may be even more.
The night parrot is critically endangered and faces various threats, including feral cats, bushfires, and human disturbance. They are ideal prey for feral cats due to their ground-dwelling habits. Bushfires, particularly those sparked by lightning in the Great Sandy Desert, pose a significant threat to their habitat. To protect night parrots, it is crucial to minimise human disturbance and retain the remote, wild nature of their habitat.
The rediscovery of the night parrot and the subsequent conservation efforts provide hope for the future of this elusive and endangered species. The establishment of protected areas, such as the Pullen Pullen Reserve in Western Queensland and the Ngururrpa Indigenous Protected Area in the Great Sandy Desert, aims to safeguard their habitat and ensure their long-term survival.
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They are very elusive and hard to detect
Night parrots are notoriously difficult to detect. They are elusive and have been dubbed the "thylacine of the air". They build tunnels in dense spinifex and hide there during the day, emerging at night to forage. Their green and gold feathers also blend with their surroundings, making them even harder to spot.
The species was considered lost for over a century until naturalist John Young reported a sighting in 2013. Young kept the location of his sighting a secret to protect the night parrots from poaching. However, in 2019, his work was discredited as unscientific and deceptive, and the reports were retracted.
Indigenous knowledge of the night parrot includes stories about how difficult the bird is to find. There are also stories of mothers telling their children that the night parrot's call was the sound of an evil spirit, warning them not to stray from camp.
In 2024, a team of Ngururrpa rangers and scientists announced the discovery of a stronghold of up to 50 night parrots in Western Australia's Great Sandy Desert. This is the largest known population of the species. To detect the night parrots, the team used sound recorders called "songmeters" to pick up their distinctive calls of whistles, croaks, and bell-like sounds. They also used camera traps and analysed 40 years of satellite imagery to assess threats to their habitat, such as bushfires and predators like feral cats and dingoes.
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Frequently asked questions
Night parrots are found in several regions of Western Australia, including the southern Kimberley, Pilbara, Gascoyne, Great Sandy, and Gibson Deserts, as well as the arid zone of eastern Australia. They have also been spotted in Queensland, specifically in the Diamantina and Astrebla Grasslands of western Queensland, and the Fortescue Marshes of the Pilbara.
The exact number of night parrots in Australia is unknown, but they are considered critically endangered. The population is estimated to be between 40 and 500, with some estimates suggesting there could be up to 200 left in the wild.
Night parrots are nocturnal, ground-dwelling birds that are well-camouflaged and hide in clumps of spinifex during the day, making them hard to spot. They are also known for their elusiveness, with Indigenous cultural knowledge in Western Australia describing how difficult it is to find them.
Conservation efforts are underway to protect night parrots in Australia, including the establishment of the Pullen Pullen Reserve in Western Queensland and the Ngururrpa Indigenous Protected Area in the Great Sandy Desert. Researchers are also working to identify and mitigate threats, such as feral cats, dingoes, and bushfires, through the use of camera traps and satellite imagery.
Night parrots are small, weighing around 60 grams, and are brilliantly coloured with green and gold feathers that blend with their surroundings.
