Indigenous rangers spot rare night parrot chick in remote WA
Ngururrpa Rangers found a young night parrot nesting in spinifex grass during a daytime search in remote Western Australia.
Ranger Lucinda Gibson discovered a young night parrot in a spinifex tunnel in the Great Sandy Desert. The chick was found during daylight, which is rare, these critically endangered birds usually hide during the day.
Gibson spotted a wet feather in the grass, whistled to alert the other rangers, and found the juvenile bird in a nearby burrow. The bird's grey and soft wispy feathers blended with the spinifex.
The Ngururrpa Rangers and researchers celebrated the discovery with tears of joy and hugs. Ranger Kathryn Njamme said she had asked the Old People at a spirit tree for help finding the birds before their successful search.
Night parrots were thought extinct until their rediscovery in Queensland in 2013.
- Lucinda Gibson
- Ranger who found it
- 2013 in Queensland
- Year parrots rediscovered
- First live night parrot sighting
- Ranger Kathryn Njamme's milestone
Why it mattersThis sighting strengthens efforts to protect one of the world's most cryptic birds; the Ngururrpa area holds one of the largest remaining populations.
AustraliaThe discovery supports Indigenous-led conservation in Western Australia and advances understanding of night parrot behaviour and breeding.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 13 d ago
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