As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Sunday 19 June 2016

Critically endangered bird likened to Mr Bean could be mounting a comeback


Date June 13, 2016

It's a critically endangered native bird that's been likened to the character Mr Bean, because of its looks and somewhat awkward manner.

But while the clumsy Mr Bean has a high profile in both film and TV, the Plains-wanderer has had such a low profile in recent years that researchers have been worried about its future.

But after a number of difficult years after floods hit northern Victoria, hopes have been raised that the Plains-wanderer, one of the nation's most critically endangered birds, is bouncing back.

During survey work in the native grasslands of the Terrick Terrick National Park near Bendigo last month, researchers and volunteers found seven birds in one night. According to Parks Victoria, it is the biggest number of birds detected in a single survey for several years.

"In a sea of discouraging news on conservation issues and battles, it's very encouraging to find wherever a trend is turning the other way," said chief conservation scientist for Parks Victoria, Mark Norman.

"They're kind of like the Mister Bean of the endangered birds. They're strange looking awkward birds that live in strange and difficult habitats. And they don't have an easy time, particularly with invasion of weeds and land management practices and changing climates," he said.

"(They're) special creatures that are part of the unique Ark that Australia is, in terms of the animals that have evolved here," he said.


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