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.

Wednesday 2 January 2019

Aussie bird species hit by bushfires thrives after major relocation drive


SYDNEY, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- A small Australian bird species hit by bush fires in South Australia has surprised ecologists by quickly breeding after an unprecedented effort to relocate the birds, local media reported on Saturday.
The Mallee emu-wren is found in only two core locations in Victoria and South Australia states, but severe bush fires four years ago destroyed their southern habitat, reported the ABC news channel.
"We could never officially say they were extinct because there's so much habitat out there," local government ecologist Chris Hedger told the channel.
"But we were very confident that if there were any individuals left, it was functionally extinct and would not be able to survive in the long term."
Earlier this year, wildlife groups and authorities relocated about 80 of the birds from their Victoria habitats to a conservation park in South Australia to help boost their numbers.
A recent survey showed that the birds, known for their distinctive reddish-brown heads, sky blue chests and long tails, are thriving in their habitats with significant numbers breeding, reported the channel.
"Certainly the fact they are breeding is a good indicator of what we might expect," said Hedger.
"No one has ever moved this species, and if they have moved a similar species, it certainly wasn't in the numbers we're talking about."


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