Night Parrot feathers from south-west Queensland - Pic by Steve Murphy |
The immediate threat
of feral cats to the recently discovered population of Night Parrots
in south-west Queensland has been clarified amid moves to secure the
property where the parrots occur for conservation purposes.
Moves have been
implemented to protect dingoes on the property in the belief that
they could play a crucial role in controlling numbers of feral cats
and foxes.
The Queensland
Government is involved in moves to shift the focus of land use on the
property from cattle grazing to conservation, and will have the
ultimate say over future management strategies.
The naturalist John
Young first heard Night Parrots on the property in 2008. Young
released the first photographs and film footage of the Night Parrot
ever taken in July 2013. At a recent talk in Melbourne, Young
confirmed reports that a feral cat had been responsible for killing a
female Night Parrot on the property.
Ecologist Steve
Murphy has been conducting research on the parrots on the property in
collaboration with Young under a program being funded by mining
company Fortescue Metals Group. Funding for the current program
expires at the end of 2016.
Dr Steve Murphy |
Murphy and Young
found 31 feathers last October and these have been reported as
definitive evidence that a bird had been killed by a feral cat.
However, Murphy says there is no certainty that a cat was
responsible. The feathers were examined at the Australian Centre for
Ancient DNA in Adelaide by Associate Professor Jeremy Austin, an
expert in the field of trace DNA analysis.
No cat DNA was
detected during the analysis, although DNA sequencing confirmed that
the feathers were indeed from a Night Parrot. DNA-based gender
assignment revealed that the bird was a female.
Night Parrot |
Murphy says that
using automatic sound devices, he continued to detect Night Parrot
calls at the site where the feathers were found. Murphy says: “With
respect to the feathers, the conclusion is that no-one can say with
any certainty what happened to result in a Night Parrot losing 31
feathers. It may have been a cat, or it may have been an owl or
goanna, or some other predator, or even two Night Parrots fighting.
I’m not even sure if whatever it was actually caused the death of a
Night Parrot, given the calling that I’m still detecting at the
site."
Murphy adds: "This is not to say that cats are not a problem. They exact a
tremendous toll on wildlife and continue to be a significant threat
to Night Parrots. But it is important to stick to the facts.”
Feral Cat at Night Parrot site with prey, probably a frog Cyclorana spp - pic by Steve Murphy |
Murphy is aware of one male feral cat in the area, but its activity
has been mostly confined to creek lines and other areas away from the
spinifex clumps favoured by the Night Parrots. Since well before
discovering the feathers, he had been trying to trap and shoot cats
in and around the area, but so far without success. Sharp-shooters
were employed to try to shoot cats on the property shortly after the
feathers were found, but again they were unable to locate any.
Shooters will return to the property soon for another search.
However, Murphy says
that based on intensive, ongoing surveys using camera traps, he is
aware of several dingoes that regularly hunt in and around the area
inhabited by the parrots. He believes this is good because of
controls that dingoes can exert on cat numbers and behaviour. No
baiting on the property has been undertaken because of the risk of
inadvertently killing dingoes.
Dingo at Night Parrot site - pic by Steve Murphy |
Since January 2014,
there has been an interim stewardship agreement with the landholder -
that includes a requirement that he not carry out any form of dingo
control in and around the site. The stewardship arrangement includes
other clauses that are designed to protect the parrots and facilitate
the research efforts.
As for the future of
the site, Murphy initiated a deal that is currently being brokered
that would see the land use focus on the property shift from cattle
production to the permanent protection of the Night Parrot and its
habitat.
Says Murphy: “We
are at a delicate stage of this negotiation. The Queensland
Government is involved in the discussions, and indeed will have the
ultimate say over whether the conservation strategy can proceed as
planned.”
G-Day Steve. We met at Bowra a couple of times my name is Keith IGGIE Hindley owner of the web site "www twitcherscorner.com" I am so glad that your taking your time with the work on the Night Parrot and with hope we might see some great results in the future. By the way still havent got a photo og the Grey Falcon as yet but seen twice. Regards to you and John for a job well done.
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