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The Night Parrot: Australia's Most Enigmatic Bird

Winston Churchill Travel Fellowship 2009

Edward Parnell

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Contents Background........................................................................................ 4

My Churchill Award........................................................................ 6

Itinerary.............................................................................................. 7

Trip Diary: ......................................................................................... 8 Brisbane to Far West Queensland .............................................................................................. 8 Bedourie to Mount Isa ................................................................................................................. 13 Mount Isa to Brisbane .................................................................................................................. 17 Brisbane to Sydney........................................................................................................................ 19 Sydney to Melbourne.................................................................................................................... 21 Melbourne to Adelaide ................................................................................................................ 23

Conclusion.......................................................................................27

Acknowledgements.......................................................................27

APPENDIX......................................................................................28 Systematic list of bird species observed (June-August 2009) .............................................. 28 Map Showing Route from Brisbane – Mount Isa – Brisbane ............................................... 34

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Background

John Gould, Supplement to The Birds of Australia, 1869 October 1990, a lonely road in the far west of the Queensland outback. After six weeks of studying reptiles and birds, a group of herpetologists and ornithologists from the Australian Museum were returning to Sydney. Stopping by the side of the road to look at some Australian Pratincoles (Stiltia isabella), Walter Boles happened to look down at the ground where, incredulous, he noticed a dead Night Parrot (Pezoporus occidentalis). What was so special about this small, dried-out carcass? Here was the first definitive proof of the continued existence of this enigmatic, desert-dwelling nomad since 1912. Compared to some of Australia’s garishly coloured parrots, the Night Parrot is rather plain. Slightly larger than the closely-related Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus), its cryptic mixture of green, yellow and black feathering no doubt helps the species to blend into the spinifex grass which it is thought to favour. Indeed, looking at a plate of the species in a field guide, it’s clear that the extraordinary reputation of this bird is not based solely on its appearance. So what is so special about the species? Firstly, as its name suggests, it’s thought to be nocturnal. Secondly, it’s a parrot that lives in the remotest parts of the arid Australian outback, nomadically moving around the continent in search of water and food. Thirdly, the species is adapted for life on the ground – secretive and difficult to flush, its habits make it seem more like a quail than a parrot. But perhaps the most beguiling aspect of the Night Parrot is its very rarity and the fact that it has seemingly drifted in and out extinction. Even the discovery of the species is clouded in mystery. The first specimen to be taken was by John McDouall Stuart; a participant on the 1845 expedition led by Charles Sturt to discover the vast inland sea that he wrongly thought must exist in the centre of the continent. Yet, this bird was overlooked and wrongly identified as the species’ closest relative, the Ground Parrot (Pezoporus wallicus), a scarce inhabitant of Australia’s southern and eastern coastal regions. The

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first Night Parrot to actually be described by science was in 1861, by the guru of Australian ornithology, John Gould. Several Night Parrot specimens continued to be procured in small numbers, particularly in the Gawler Ranges of South Australia during the 1870s, but around the turn of the century it became apparent that the species had undergone a rapid decline and, by the 1920s, scientists began to speculated that these strange nocturnal parrots had ceased to be... Although never common, it’s unclear quite why the Night Parrot suffered such a catastrophic decline. Introduced European predators such as feral cats, and the continued degradation of their habitat through the overstocking of cattle are prime candidates, but no one is sure as to the exact reasons. However, as the early history of the Night Parrot should have told us, this was never a species that was just going to just vanish without trace. Indeed, unsubstantiated sporadic reports of this enigmatic bird continued to drift in from far-flung parts of the outback during the ensuing decades, particularly from stockmen on remote cattle stations. Finally, in 1979, on a camel expedition in the northeast part of South Australia, ornithologist Shane Parker from the South Australia Museum flushed four birds which were almost certainly the species. Eleven years later definitive proof came in the form of the Boulia roadside corpse. Sixteen years on, in 2006, and another dead Night Parrot was picked up by a park ranger in the same general area of far west Queensland. Excitingly, tests have shown this to be a young bird, proving that somewhere in the proceeding year at least one pair managed to breed successfully. However, our knowledge of this ornithological chimera – even down to basic fundamental questions such as its favoured habitat, and whether or not it is truly nocturnal – are no closer to being answered.

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My Churchill Award I first became aware of the Night Parrot when browsing through a field guide to Australian birds several years ago. This strange, dumpy green parrot, with an evocative name and odd, almost-beakless appearance immediately attracted me. At the time I had no idea of the rarity of the species – that was to come later when I started to research the continent's birds in preparation for a backpacking holiday. During that trip, in 1998, I became hooked on the fantastic and varied avifauna of the Australian continent. In particular, its parrots became an instant favourite, from the huge urban flocks of startling Rainbow Lorikeets, to the hulking, squawking Sulphur-crested Cockatoos. Alongside observing all of these I began to research the Night Parrot, building up a picture of its strange history and current conservation predicament. In 2001, I became Communications Officer for BirdLife International, growing my awareness of the problems affecting one in ten of the world's 10,000 bird species globally threatened with extinction, of which the Night Parrot is burdened with the highest level of risk – it is officially classified as Critically Endangered. In 2009, I successfully applied for a Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship, with the view to visit some remote parts of Queensland where the species was most likely to still occur, and then to interview various ornithologists, historians and experts based at other institutions in Australia connected in some way with its story. Although I realised the actual chance of finding a Night Parrot was virtually nil, I wanted to acquaint myself with the type of landscape in which this almost dreamlike bird is thought to occur, and to try and get a feel for its essence. In addition, I wanted to look for other species of Australian birds, particularly some of the continent's other more threatened species, and its nomadic desert specialists.

nr Boulia, QLD

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Itinerary Date Place 13-Jun-2009 Fly from London Heathrow 14-Jun-2009 Arrive Brisbane, Queensland 17-Jun-2009 Dalby, QLD 18-Jun-2009 Cunamulla, QLD 20-Jun-2009 Quilpie, QLD 21-Jun-2009 Windorah, QLD 22-Jun-2009 Bedourie, QLD 23-Jun-2009 Boulia, QLD 24-Jun-2009 Mount Isa, QLD 27-Jun-2009 Winton, QLD 28-Jun-2009 Barcaldine, QLD 29-Jun-2009 Biloela, QLD 30-Jun-2009 Rainbow Beach, QLD 2-Jul-2009 Brisbane 5-Jul-2009 Bellingen, New South Wales 7-Jul-2009 Cessnock, NSW 8-Jul-2009 Wiseman's Ferry, NSW 9-Jul-2009 Sydney, NSW 13-Jul-2009 Canberra, ACT 14-Jul-2009 Melbourne, VIC 18-Jul-2009 Deniliquin, NSW 20-Jul-2009 to Tailem Bend, South Australia 21-Jul-2009 Around Hindmarsh Island, Goolwa etc., SA 22-Jul-2009 Adelaide, SA 23-Jul-2009 Burra, SA 24-Jul-2009 Adelaide, SA 29-Jul-2009 Harrogate, Adelaide Hills, SA 1-Aug-2009 Adelaide, SA 2-Aug-2009 Fly Adelaide to London 3-Aug-2009 Arrive London Broadly speaking the trip can be divided into two distinct sections: a 3-week, 3,000 mile initial loop through the far west of Queensland, visiting various sites and habitat where Night Parrots have or could conceivably occur, as well as sites where other interesting arid country avifauna exists. The second part of the trip included visits to Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide, to visit various museum collections and interview various people, to conduct further research, and to look for some of Australia's other more spectacular and threatened birds.

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Trip Diary: Brisbane to Far West Queensland

Brisbane is a city of contrasts. Its tall high rise buildings and sleek new developments are interspersed with a number of large areas of parkland and botanical gardens close to its centre – excellent places to become acquainted with some of Australia's birdlife while trying to shake off the tiredness of a 24-hour flight. Among the Roma Street Parklands and Royal Botanic Gardens the spectacular nature of the country's avifauna was soon apparent: vibrant flocks of Rainbow Lorikeets, a solitary Wompoo Fruit-dove, and, most incongruously, a pair of Bush Thick-knees – prehistoric-looking wading birds – setting up territory in a flowerbed close to a busy junction. The next day, having partially recovered from the flight, I joined a local Brisbane birdwatcher, Judith Hoyle, to look for various nocturnal bird specialities of the region – practice for my later spotlighting trips. Although the Marbled Frogmouth remained elusive we did manage to find a day-roosting Powerful Owl, Australia's largest and most spectacular owl species, as well as, after dark, a couple of Tawny Frogmouths, one of Australia's most strange and characteristic species.

Powerful Owl, J C Slaughter Falls, Brisbane I headed west from Brisbane through the Darling Downs, a sanitised agricultural wasteland, rather like the Fens of East Anglia where I grew up. Once this area was home to the Paradise Parrot, a species which nested among termite mounds, but became extinct in the 1920s as a result of changing land use. Barely a single termite mounds remained, though large flocks of Cockatiels, feeding on wintry maize fields, gave a glimpse of the life the country would have once held.

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Cockatiels, Jondaryan Heading further west, the landscape grew wilder, endless stands of mulga trees beginning to take over: the start of the outback. Dead kangaroos and feral pigs littered the sides of the road, another sign of the clash between man and nature. Approaching Cunnamulla, a flock of Major Mitchell's Cockatoos, one of the most attractive of Australia's parrots, perched on a dead gum tree against the glorious late-afternoon sky.

Major Mitchell's Cockatoo, near Cunnamulla

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Emu, Bowra Station Just outside Cunnamulla I visited Bowra Station, a large farmstead actively managed for native wildlife by its owners Julie and Ian McClaren. Bowra is a renowned site for mulga specialists including the beautiful Bourke's Parrot (confusingly also sometimes referred to as the Night or Sundown Parrot, due to its crepuscular habits), a species I was particularly keen to see. Although I didn't manage to find any at the property, I did manage to see another speciality of the area, Hall's Babbler, as well as a huge variety of other species.

Red-rumped Parrot Hall's Babbler Travelling north-west from Cunnamulla on the lonely single-track road towards Quilpie, the country opened out even more, with, remarkably for this area, large areas of standing water and an uncharacteristic greenness. The mulga was endless, yet subtle in its variations. After an overnight stop at Quilpie's campsite and its melancholy resident country singer, I headed west towards Windorah through plains alternating with burned-out trees and vast, verdant floodplains. A stand of fly-infested mulga 80km east of the town finally yielded a solitary Bourke's Parrot, sitting quietly in a skeletal tree. A flock of Banded Lapwings, an inland wading species were also a nice surprise. Sitting outside my Windorah accomodation in the early evening, three

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Red-tailed Black Cockatoos drifted overhead, long-winged phoenixes disappearing into the approaching night.

Masked Lapwing

West of Windorah, I entered real outback territory. 30km west of the town the floodplain came alive with a small group of magnificent Australian Bustards, several Orange Chats, and two large flocks of Inland Dotterels, one of the unpredictable nomadic desert species I had really wanted to find (though this was no means a certainty).

Inland Dotterel

I was now into the driest and most inhospitable area yet, a huge area of bare, rocky gibber plain, with very few signs of life. In the middle of summer this area would be unbearable – as it was the shadeless landscape shimmered at around 25 Celsius.

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A full day's drive later and, relieved to arrive without incident in the small desert settlement of Bedourie, I headed south, towards Birdsville, in the late afternoon. A huge flock of Australian Pratincoles was feeding around a waterhole, and, whilst photographing these, several gaudily-coloured Flock Bronzewings, a beautiful nomadic pigeon, came down to drink. This was another of the desert birds I had hoped to somehow find.

Flock Bronzewings and Australian Pratincoles

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Bedourie to Mount Isa

More small groups of Flock Bronzewings passed overhead as I headed north, their distinctive squat shape instantly recognisable. Vast flats in bloom with wild flowers held flocks of Crimson and Orange Chats, before giving way to lifeless Gibber Plains, which in turn transformed into straw-yellow seas of cattle-fattening Mitchell Grass punctuated by flocks of dashing Budgerigars.

Orange Chat Australian Pratincole

Budgerigars

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I arrived in Boulia (population c. 300) early afternoon – an interesting little town and 'Capital of the Channel Country'. It is also close to where the 1990 Night Parrot specimen was picked up. I ventured to the approximate spot, walking alongside the highway hoping for history to repeat itself, but found nothing except discarded drinks cans and bottles. I returned after sundown to spotlight along the edge of the roadside. The Mitchell Grass habitat didn't really look right for the species, but a large feral tomcat whose eye-shine gave away his presence hinted at one of the major problems facing the parrot and other native birds and small mammals. Along the damp creeks the pungent, sulphuric smell of Gidgee trees ('stinking wattle') filled the night air and will always stay with me.

Spotlighting close to where the 1990 Night Parrot was picked up I stopped in a campsite on the banks of the Burke River, next to the spot where, tradition has it, the ill-fated explorers Burke and Wills filled their water bags before heading north. The river held a reasonable amount of water, attracting flocks of noisy cockatoos and various waterfowl, including a Nankeen Night-heron which I watched by spotlight, feeding in the darkness.

The Burke River near Boulia

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North from Boulia was more endless Mitchell Grass and rock-strewn Gibber Plain. Little Button-quails shot up from the lifeless grass, exploding from the ground. Towards the tiny railway siding of Duchess (one pub and a rail track), spinifex-covered hills began to rise, patrolled by family parties of Brown Falcons and huge Wedge-tailed Eagles. By late afternoon I had arrived in the mining town of Mount Isa, a metropolis in comparison to where I'd spent the best part of the last two weeks. I explored the nearby hills (fruitlessly) for the Kalkadoon Grasswren, a secretive local endemic, though I did mange to find a couple of Purple-necked Rock-wallabies. In the evening I met with local historian and ornithologist Bob Forsyth. He regaled me with many interesting tales of the Night Parrot, as well as giving directions to some of the other local specialities. The next day I headed north-west towards McNamara's Road, the best site for the rare Carpentarian Grasswren. An unfortunate Budgerigar flew straight in front of the car, demonstrating how the 1990 Boulia Night Parrot probably met its maker. This was the hottest part of the trip, with the temperature peaking at 32 degrees Celsius – hot and sticky with plentiful flies and lethal, stinging spinifex. After several hours of searching, a pair of the grasswrens popped up for a couple of second in a dry creekbed, before scuttling off into the undergrowth once more.

In the late afternoon and evening I visited a site where a non-birder had described a reasonably convincing sighting of Night Parrots several months previous. Although the spinifex was mature and thick, there was, unsurprisingly, no sign, though I persisted with a evening spotlighting visit which similarly drew a blank, not aided by the vast road trains ferrying cattle along the remote track, kicking up blizzards of dust in their wake.

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Spinifex near Mount Isa The next day (a Saturday) was spent trying to get a flat tyre repaired, finally finding a very helpful bloke at TUFF Tyres who mended the puncture for nothing. A good job as the nearest spares the correct size for the vehicle were in Brisbane, apparently. No worries mate!

Purple-necked Rock-wallaby Mount Isa

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Mount Isa to Brisbane

Spinifex plain, Bladensburg National Park After several days in the Mount Isa region I began the long drive back south-east towards Brisbane. Close to the town of Cloncurry I stopped at Clem Walton Park, watching herons, egrets and other waterbirds along the creek below the dam. In the small museum at Cloncurry was another reminder of Burke and Wills – their water bottle. Past Cloncurry the country flattened into 200km of yellowed Mitchell Grass plain, all the way to Winton – a mini Monument Valley the only geographical feature to break the monotony. In the late afternoon and next morning I visited the atmospheric Bladensburg National Park. Here I spent several hours searching among the spinifex grass, finally finding its specialities: Spinifexbird and the elusive Rufous-crowned Emu-wren.

Western Grey Kangaroo Bladensburg National Park

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Further east, 45km outside Longreach, a flock of four Ground Cuckoo-shrikes flew across the road. I pulled over and watched them feeding in a paddock before they drifted off towards the horizon. That evening I reached Barcaldine with its 'Tree of Knowledge', an impressive monument to the Australian labour movement. The next day I was into the territory of two more famous figures from the history of Australian exploration: Major Sir Thomas Mitchell and Ludwig Leichardt. Heading east the country became hillier and tall eucalypts began to appear once again, a shock after so many weeks of spinifex and stunted mulga. A couple more days travel and I arrived at the Sunshine Coast. My destination was Rainbow Beach, close to the Great Sandy National Park and home to the Night Parrot’s closest relative: the Ground Parrot. At dusk among the eerie swamplands I heard several of the birds calling – an ethereal, piping whistle – and just as I was about to despair of ever seeing one, a yellow wing-bar flashed up in the near dark from the side of the track, its long tail trailing distinctively as it flittered back into the swamp. Next morning a dawn visit in the eerie mist produced a similar outcome, with another all too brief sight of this strange parrot – a pointer as to why (assuming it shares its relatives' furtiveness) the Night Parrot is so seldom seen.

Ground Parrot habitat, Cooloola National Park After more birding around the area and its nearby pocket of rainforest it was back to Brisbane, for another look at the Powerful Owl, as well as a visit to the Queensland Museum and its Night Parrot specimen. This was the end of the Queensland desert leg of my trip: next I was to head south to interview various parrot experts, and to try and see some of Australia's other more threatened birds.

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Brisbane to Sydney

En route to stop with Richard Jordan, an experienced ornithologist and veteran of numerous Night Parrot searches, at his house in northern New South Wales, I called in at Byron Bay, the easternmost point of mainland Australia. Offshore several Humpback Whales were passing by on their northward migration. Three weeks in and I felt the first spots of rain of my trip. A very enjoyable couple of evenings were spent with Richard and Roz, discussing the NP and other birds. We also had a morning around the nearby upland rainforest where Superb Lyrebirds called frustratingly from the fringes of our sight, but failed to show.

Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Byron Bay NSW The next day I headed towards Sydney, stopping off for lunch with the poet Les Murray and his wife Valerie at their farm. We spent a very enjoyable couple of hours discussing Australian literature and my obsession with parrots. From there I headed towards the Hunter Valley, to stake out the endangered Regent Honeyeater. Like many Australian birds, this is a difficult creature to see due to its rather nomadic nature (it feeds on the nectar of flowering trees, moving on when it has exhausted local supplies). I arrived after dark in the town of Cessnock, getting up early the next morning to look for the species in a couple of areas I had been informed about by local ornithologist Mick Roderick. My search was soon curtailed by a storm, but at the second of the prospective sites I was in luck, bumping into a small flock of honeyeaters including several magnificent Regents.

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Regent Honeyeater, Cessnock NSW Travelling deeper into the Hunter Valley I ended up at Wiseman's Ferry, a historical crossing point over the majestic Hawkesbury River (see pic below), 75km north-west of Sydney. Here I again heard several Superb Lyrebirds – the most magnificent of ventriloquists – finally managing to spot one feeding rather unobtrusively among the leaf litter of Dharug National Park.

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Sydney to Melbourne

I spent several days in Sydney visiting various museums, including the Australian Museum, where I met with curator Walter Boles, the man who picked up the 1990 Boulia Night Parrot. This specimen is now in the Queensland Museum in Brisbane (I had seen it a few days before), but Walter showed me the four other historical specimens held in Sydney. As a break from landbirds I ventured onto a pelagic boat trip in the hope of seeing some species of albatross, a family I was very familiar with from my time working at BirdLife International. Albatrosses are killed in their thousands each year as the unintentional bycatch of longline trawler vessels, and although mitigation methods and increased protection are starting to take effect, these ocean nomads face an uncertain future. As well as seeing several of these magnificent seabirds, including two all-too-brief glimpses of Wandering Albatrosses – the bird with the largest wingspan (up to 12ft) in the world – the trip was exceptional for the views we were treated to of several Humpback Whales, the highlight being when two breached in tandem close to our small boat.

Roosting flying foxes, Sydney Botanic Gardens From Sydney I took the train to the nation's capital, Canberra, where I was meeting with Joe Forshaw, a Churchill Fellow and author of the seminal work on the world's parrots. As a former director of the national parks service Joe had lots of interesting stories about conservation. Canberra too was a city where parrots were much in evidence, with flocks of Red-rumped Parrots and Galahs feeding on the roadside verges. Most spectacular was a small flock of punk-headed Gang-gang Cockatoos coming in for a pre-roost drink in the Botanic Gardens.

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Male Gang-gang Cockatoo, Canberra Botanic Gardens From Canberra I flew to Melbourne, where I visited the Botanic Gardens and the State Library to carry out various research. The following day I went out with Clare Jones and Craig Morley from Birds Australia, to conduct a survey for Orange-bellied Parrots. These beautiful small parrots are classified as Critically Endangered, the highest level of threat. Nesting in the southern part of Tasmania, they subsequently undertake an arduous migration across the Tasman Sea to winter along salt marshes in Victoria and South Australia. Despite extensive conservation efforts their population teeters around 150 birds and the species’ future looks uncertain. The area we were searching was a seldom-visited sand spit that is cut off by the tide. Fortunately it was a glorious, still, winter's day, so the wade through the shallows was just about bearable, despite the coldness of the water and the sharpness of the shells underfoot. Regardless of our efforts, no Orange-bellied Parrots could be found – indeed the winter of 2009 was a poor one for the species with hardly any birds recorded in their usual haunts. The weather was magnificent though and hundred of shorebirds, including large numbers of migrant Double-banded Plovers from New Zealand, enlivened proceedings. The incongruous sight of a Fox scampering along the spit was a reminder of the problems posed by feral mammalian introductions to native wildlife.

Brush Wattlebird Melbourne Botanic Gardens

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Melbourne to Adelaide

I travelled north from Melbourne into the Riverina area of south-western New South Wales. My destination was the agricultural town of Deniliquin, a good base from which to explore the nearby River Red Gum forests and extensive areas of saltbush plains which provide habitat for various interesting bird species. I joined professional ornithologist Phil Maher, another Night Parrot veteran, as well as two visiting birders from the Unites States, John and Linda Donelson. Despite the long-standing drought in the region over the past decade, which had transformed the area from one of waterfowl-rich rice paddies to a dry and difficult farming landscape, an excellent full day's birding produced a wide variety of species. During the daylight hours the highlights included: around six Superb Parrots, a vulnerable species which has its stronghold in the region's disappearing River Red Gums; small numbers of Diamond Firetails, a rare and declining finch; hundreds of Long-billed Corellas, an adaptable parrot species which has actually benefited from the drought conditions, as well as good numbers of Bluebonnets and Cockatiels.

Male Superb Parrot, near Deniliquin NSW Around dusk we headed out into the 'paddocks', large alluvial saltbush plains. The target species here was the unusual Plains Wanderer, the sole member of its family. This quail-like bird is very difficult to observe during the day, but with an experienced guide like Phil, it is possible to find using spotlights at night. En route to the best areas we managed to see two Inland Dotterel and several Orange Chats and Banded Lapwings – a welcome extra glimpse of three species I'd last seen in the Channel Country and had not expected to see again. Another surprise was an Australian Owlet-nightjar – a strange amalgam of a bird – that Phil coaxed out from its tree roost hole, and several Stubble Quail.

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The undoubted highlight though was the spectacular sight of a female Plains Wanderer, watched at close range from Phil's vehicle. Very little used to be known about this strange bird, but detailed study in recent years by dedicated ornithologists has contributed massively to our knowledge of the species. Perhaps one day that another enigma, the Night Parrot, may reveal as much of itself.

Plains Wanderer, NSW Riverina After leaving the Plains Wanderer to the night we headed back through the paddocks, which were to have one final surprise in store for us: we became bogged down in one of the few real muddy areas, having to hail one of Phil's neighbours to come and tow us out.

Stuck in the mud

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Long-billed Corellas, Deniliquin

River Red Gums, Deniliquin

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Next morning I made the long drive to South Australia, passing through large areas of Mallee country. I arrived late evening on the coast south of Adelaide, ready for another try the following day for Orange-bellied Parrots on Hindmarsh Island. Sadly, again this rare species eluded me, though I did find several Elegant Parrots, another small and beautiful member of the Neophema genus. Near Victor Harbor I was treated to the sight of a Southern Right Whale and its calf just offshore, a gentle leviathan spending its winter just off the coast where once it would have been hunted. From the coast I headed north to Adelaide, where I stayed with very kindly relatives (my father's cousins), who put me up for several days, taking me on side trips and indulging me while I visited the State Library and various historical collections. I had an interesting meeting with Dr Philippa Horton, Ornithological Collections Manager at the South Australia Museum (with its archive of several stuffed Night Parrots), and Dean Harris of the John McDouall Stuart Society. Indeed, it seemed fitting to end such a magnificent trip under the shadow of Stuart, the man who, though he had no idea of its significance at the time, was the first European to encounter the Night Parrot back in 1845.

Statue of John McDouall Stuart, Adelaide

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Conclusion My trip was a wonderful opportunity, allowing me to explore a vast area of Australia’s arid interior. I drove around 5,000 miles, as well taking internal flights and trains, but still only covered a tiny fraction of this endless continent. During my seven-week trip I witnessed around 275 species of birds, and numerous mammals and reptiles. I saw 28 species of parrots and 6 globally threatened bird species (with an additional 7 Near Threatened species). The Night Parrot, as expected, remained an enigma, though two fleeting glimpses of its closest relative, the Ground Parrot, offered a tantalising hint of what might have been. However, despite not managing to locate my rare quarry, I did manage to explore areas of suitable habitat in locations where the bird could conceivably occur. This gave me a huge insight into the practical difficulties of searching for the species – and the difficulties in helping to conserve it. I also interviewed a number of very informative and helpful scientists and ornithologists who have a connection with the species, which increased my knowledge and afforded me some further understanding. In addition, I examined several historical Night Parrot specimens – a moving feeling to handle such a mysterious, light bundle of 130-year-old feathers. The trip was a fantastic experience that has provided much creative inspiration for my future writing. I will always be extremely grateful for this opportunity provided to me by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust.

Acknowledgements Many thanks to the following people (and to all the others I've forgotten to credit) who helped with my trip: The Bath Family in Adelaide Rob Bath and Carol Vincent Birds Australia – particularly Clare Jones and Craig Morley from the Orange-bellied Parrot team BirdLife International Walter Boles, The Australian Museum John and Linda Donelson Joe Forshaw Bob Forsyth Dr Philippa Horton, South Australian Museum The John McDouall Stuart Society, particularly Dean Harris for showing me around the collection Judith Hoyle Richard Jordan and Roz Hemsley Phil Maher Les & Valerie Murray Chris Parnell Mick Roderick The Royal Geographic Society of South Australia Jim White The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust In addition, much invaluable bird information was kindly provided to me by members of the Birding-Aus Listserve community.

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APPENDIX Systematic list of bird species observed (June-August 2009)

Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae Australian Brush-Turkey Alectura lathami Stubble Quail Coturnix pectoralis King Quail Coturnix chinensis Plumed Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna eytoni Blue-billed Duck Oxyura australis Musk Duck Biziura lobata Black Swan C. atratus Australian Shelduck Tadorna tadornoides Australian Wood (Maned) Duck Chenonetta jubata Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Pacific Black Duck A. rubripes Australasian Shoveler A. rhynchotis Grey Teal A. gracilis Chestnut Teal A. castanota Pink-eared Duck Malacorhynchus membranaceus Hardhead Aythya australis Fairy Penguin Eudyptula minor Wandering (Gibson's) Albatross VU D. exulans gibsoni Black-browed Albatross EN T. melanophrys Shy Albatross NT T. cauta Southern Giant Petrel Macronectes giganteus Cape Petrel Daption capense Fairy Prion P. turtur Providence (Solander's) Petrel VU P. solandri Fluttering Shearwater P. gavia Sooty Shearwater NT P. griseus White-faced Storm-Petrel Pelagodroma marina Australasian Little Grebe T. novaehollandiae Hoary-headed Grebe Poliocephalus poliocephalus Great-crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus Australian (Sacred) Ibis Threskiornis molucca Straw-necked Ibis T. spinicollis Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus Royal Spoonbill Platalea regia Yellow-billed Spoonbill P. flavipes Nankeen (Rufous) Night Heron Nycticorax caledonicus Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis White-necked Heron (Pacific Heron) Ardea pacifica Great Egret A. alba Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia White-faced Heron E. novaehollandiae Little Egret E. garzetta nigripes Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus Australasian Gannet M. serrator Little Pied Cormorant Phalacrocorax melanoleucos Little Black Cormorant P. sulcirostris Pied Cormorant P. varius Great Cormorant P. carbo Australasian Darter Anhinga (m.) novaehollandiae

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Australian (Nankeen) Kestrel Falco cenchroides Australian Hobby F. longipennis Brown Falcon F. berigora Black Falcon F. subniger Peregrine F. peregrinus Osprey Pandion haliaetus Black-shouldered Kite Elanus axillaris Black Kite Milvus migrans Whistling Kite Haliastur sphenurus Brahminy Kite H. indus White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster Swamp Harrier Circus approximans Spotted Harrier C. assimilis Brown Goshawk A. fasciatus Collared Sparrowhawk A. cirrhocephalus Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax Little Eagle Hieraaetus morphnoides Australasian Bustard NT Ardeotis australis Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio melanotus Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa Black-tailed Native-hen G. ventralis Common Coot Fulica atra Brolga Grus rubicunda Black-breasted Buttonquail VU T. melanogaster Little Buttonquail T. velox Bush Stone-curlew NT Burhinus grallarius Beach Stone-curlew NT Esacus magnirostris Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus longirostris Sooty Oystercatcher H. fuliginosus Black-winged Stilt (White-headed Stilt)

Himantopus (h.) leucocephalus

Banded Lapwing Vanellus tricolor Masked Lapwing (Plover) Vanellus miles miles Red-kneed Dotterel Erythrogenys cinctus Red-capped Plover C. ruficapillus Double-banded Plover C. bicinctus Inland Dotterel Peltohyas australis Black-fronted Dotterel Elseyornis melanops Comb-crested Jacana Irrediparra gallinacea Plains-wanderer EN Pedionomus torquatus Bar-tailed Godwit L. lapponica Far Eastern Curlew N. madagascariensis Red-necked Stint C. ruficollis Australian Pratincole Stiltia isabella Pacific Gull Larus pacificus Silver Gull L. novaehollandiae Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica Caspian Tern S. caspia Greater Crested Tern S. bergii Little Tern S. albifrons sinensis Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida Feral Pigeon (Rock Dove) Columba livia White-headed Pigeon C. leucomela Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis Common Bronzewing Phaps chalcoptera Flock Bronzewing P. histrionica

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Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes Spinifex Pigeon Geophaps plumifera Diamond Dove Geopelia cuneata Peaceful Dove G. placida Bar-shouldered Dove G. humeralis Wompoo Fruit-Dove P. magnificus Red-tailed Black Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus banksii Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo C. funereus Gang-gang Cockatoo Callocephalon fimbriatum Galah Cacatua roseicapilla Long-billed Corella C. tenuirostris Little Corella C. sanguinea Major Mitchell's (Pink) Cockatoo C. leadbeateri Sulphur-crested Cockatoo C. galerita Cockatiel Nymphicus hollandicus Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus Scaly-breasted Lorikeet T. chlorolepidotus Varied Lorikeet Psitteuteles versicolor Musk Lorikeet Glossopsitta concinna Little Lorikeet G. pusilla Mallee Ringneck B. (z.) barnardi Crimson Rosella P. elegans Yellow Rosella P. (e.) flaveolus Adelaide Rosella P. (e.) adelaidae Pale-headed Rosella P. adscitus Eastern Rosella P. eximius Bluebonnet Northiella haematogaster Red-rumped Parrot Psephotus haematonatus Mulga Parrot P. varius Bourke's Parrot Neopsephotus bourkii Elegant Parrot N. elegans Budgerigar Melopsittacus undulatus Ground Parrot Pezoporus wallicus Australian King Parrot Alisterus scapularis Red-winged Parrot Aprosmictus erythroptera Superb Parrot VU Polytelis swainsonii Pallid Cuckoo C. pallidus Fan-tailed Cuckoo C. flabelliformis Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo C. basalis Powerful Owl Ninox strenua Tawny Frogmouth P. strigoides Australian Owlet-nightjar Aegotheles cristatus Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae Forest Kingfisher Todiramphus macleayii Collared Kingfisher T. chloris Sacred Kingfisher T. sanctus Red-backed Kingfisher T. pyrrhopygius Azure Kingfisher Alcedo azurea Rainbow Bee-eater Merops ornatus Superb Lyrebird M. novaehollandiae Green Catbird Ailuroedus crassirostris Regent Bowerbird Sericulus chrysocephalus Satin Bowerbird Ptilonorhynchus violaceus Spotted Bowerbird Chlamydera maculata White-throated Treecreeper Cormobates leucophaea Brown Treecreeper Climacteris picumnus

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Black-tailed Treecreeper Climacteris melanurus Variegated Fairywren M. lamberti Superb Fairywren M. cyaneus Splendid Fairywren M. splendens Red-backed Fairywren M. melanocephalus White-winged Fairywren M. leucopterus Rufous-crowned Emuwren S. ruficeps Carpentarian Grasswren NT A. dorotheae Yellow-faced Honeyeater L. chrysops Singing Honeyeater L. virescens Mangrove Honeyeater L. fasciogularis White-eared Honeyeater L. leucotis Yellow-tufted Honeyeater L. melanops Grey-headed Honeyeater L. keartlandi Grey-fronted Honeyeater L. plumulus White-plumed Honeyeater L. penicillatus Lewin's Honeyeater M. lewinii Bell Miner Manorina melanophrys Noisy Miner M. melanocephala Yellow-throated Miner M. flavigula Blue-faced Honeyeater Entomyzon cyanotis White-naped Honeyeater M. lunatus Little Friarbird Philemon citreogularis Noisy Friarbird P. corniculatus Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater Acanthogenys rufogularis Striped Honeyeater Plectorhyncha lanceolata Little Wattlebird Anthochaera chrysoptera Red Wattlebird A. carunculata Regent Honeyeater EN Xanthomyza phrygia Brown Honeyeater Lichmera indistincta New Holland Honeyeater P. novaehollandiae White-cheeked Honeyeater P. niger Rufous-throated Honeyeater C. rufogularis Eastern Spinebill Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris Scarlet Honeyeater M. sanguinolenta Crimson Chat Epthianura tricolor Orange Chat E. aurifrons White-fronted Chat E. albifrons Spotted Pardalote Pardalotus punctatus Striated Pardalote P. striatus Origma (Rock Warbler) Origma solitaria Striated Fieldwren (Calamanthus) Calamanthus fuliginosus Large-billed Scrubwren S. magnirostris White-browed Scrubwren S. frontalis Yellow-throated Scrubwren S. citreogularis Weebill Smicrornis brevirostris Brown Gerygone Gerygone mouki Brown Thornbill A. pusilla Chestnut-rumped Thornbill A. uropygialis Buff-rumped Thornbill A. reguloides Yellow-rumped Thornbill A. chrysorrhoa Yellow Thornbill A. nana Striated Thornbill A. lineata Southern Whiteface Aphelocephala leucopsis Grey-crowned Babbler Pomatostomus temporalis Hall's Babbler P. halli

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Chestnut-crowned Babbler P. ruficeps Australian Logrunner Orthonyx temminckii Eastern Whipbird Psophodes olivaceus Chestnut-breasted Quail-thrush C. castaneothorax Grey Butcherbird C. torquatus Pied Butcherbird C. nigrogularis Australian (Bell)-Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen Pied Currawong Strepera graculina White-breasted Wood-swallow Artamus leucorynchus Masked Wood-swallow A. personata White-browed Wood-swallow A. superciliosus Black-faced Wood-swallow A. cinereus Dusky Wood-swallow A. cyanopterus Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Coracina novaehollandiae Ground Cuckoo-shrike Coracina maxima White-winged Triller Lalage tricolor Varied Triller L. leucomela Varied Sittella Daphoenositta chrysoptera Crested Shrike-tit F. frontatus Golden Whistler P. pectoralis Rufous Whistler P. rufiventris Australasian Figbird Sphecotheres vieilloti Little Shrike-thrush C. megarhyncha Grey Shrike-thrush C. harmonica Crested Bellbird Oreoica gutturalis Spangled Drongo Dicrurus bracteatus Willie-wagtail R. leucophrys Grey Fantail R. fuliginosa Rufous Fantail R. rufifrons Restless Flycatcher M. inquieta Australian Raven C. coronoides Little Raven C. mellori Torresian Crow C. orru Magpie-lark Grallina cyanoleuca White-winged Chough Corcorax melanorhamphos Apostlebird Struthidea cinerea Eastern Yellow Robin Eopsaltria australis Hooded Robin Melanodryas cucullata Jacky Winter M. fascinans Rose Robin Petroica rosea Scarlet Robin P. boodang Red-capped Robin P. goodenovii Welcome Swallow Hirundo tahitica White-backed Swallow Cheramoeca leucosternus Fairy Martin Petrochelidon ariel Tree Martin P. nigricans Skylark Alauda arvensis Tawny Grassbird Megalurus timoriensis Little Grassbird M. gramineus Rufous Songlark Cincloramphus mathewsi Brown Songlark C. cruralis Spinifexbird Eremiornis carteri Silvereye Z. lateralis Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris Common (Indian) Myna Acridotheres tristis Bassian Thrush Z. lunulata

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Common Blackbird Turdus merula Mistletoebird Dicaeum hirundinaceum House Sparrow Passer domesticus Diamond Firetail NT S. guttata Red-browed Finch (Firetail) Neochmia temporalis Zebra Finch Taeniopygia guttata Australian Pipit (Richard's Pipit) Anthus australis European Goldfinch C. carduelis

Key: Globally Threatened Birds (as listed by BirdLife International in their 2009 review for the IUCN Red List) EN = Endangered VU = Vulnerable NT = Near Threatened

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Map Showing Route from Brisbane – Mount Isa – Brisbane