Rare parrot found in Qld, Australia after 130 years
A rare (extinct) bird has been observed in Southern Queensland, some 130 years after the last sighting. The naturalist and wildlife cinematographer John Young located the bird after a 10 year quest. The bird was located in rugged forests in southern Queensland. The bird is named the blue-fronted fig parrot, and this is a sub species of the double-eyed fig parrot.
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK - A New Garden of Eden Found!
A team of 25 Australian and other US and Indonesian scientists have located a lost world located in remote Indonesian Foja mountain jungle in Papua. They found many new and exotic species of birds, butterflies, frogs and plants, and including mammals that were totally unafraid of humans. Also the area is inhabited by indigenous people who live in the mountainous area that rises to an altitude of 2,200 metres, and they have evidently never ventured or explored the trackless area of 3,000 sq km. Among the fauna finds are 2 long-beaked echidnas, the egg-laying mammal species that are similar to those only found in Australia. Also they found a new variety of honeyeater bird that has a bright orange patch on the face. It is the first new bird species to be documented in Papua in more than 60 years. The lucky team also identified more than 20 new species of frog. Also 4 new species of butterflies and plants including no less than 5 new palm species.
One highlight was taking the first photographs of Berlepsch's six-wired bird of paradise. This only appears in 19th century collections however it’s home was previously unknown. For bird watchers this bird is named after the 6 fine feathers that are around 10cm long found on the head of the male. These are raised and shaken in the birds courtship displays. The expedition also recorded the first photographs of the golden-fronted bowerbird in front of its bower made of sticks, while he was in the act of hanging up blue forest berries to attract females.
Another big find was a rare tree kangaroo, and this has never before been sighted in Indonesia. The naturalists on the team have postulated that there was probably a new species of kangaroo also existing in higher altitudes. Luckily the Indonesian government was being very smart and conservation minded by keeping the area off limits to nearly everyone including destructive loggers and mineral prospectors.
John C Payne
