A Glimmer of Hope

The letter below is a step towards co-operation between the State Government Department responsible for the State's wildlife, and the Royal Australasian Ornithologists' Union with regard to finding out more (than almost no knowledge) of where ground parrots are in Western Australia and what the population level might be. 

Learning about ground parrot census by listening

The letter below shows that we here in Western Australia were trying to find out how to census by listening rather than relying on casual observations of birds. Richard Jordan, manager of Barren Grounds Bird Observatory where Eastern Ground Parrots occur, was very helpful.

At about this time Richard Jordan sent the tape recording referred to in the posting of February 1 2014 so that we would know what to listen for.

First feeding record, February 1983

The following piece was published in the Western Australian Naturalist Volume 15, pages 145-6.

The bird is referred to as the Swamp Parrot, an accepted common name at that time. 

A Daviesia pachyphylla showing scars where Ground Parrots has chewed through the leaf. The lower photo shows (not very clearly) discarded spines. Photos: B. Newbey

Farms or Conservation?

By the end of March 1983, the State Government had changed from Liberal to Labour and there was to be an enquiry into Land release for agriculture. However the North Fitzgerald was so close to release that that program was to continue to the dismay of those anxious about the Western Ground Parrot.

Surveying for Ground Parrots by call had begun, thanks to information received from the Jordans at Barren Grounds in New south Wales, including a tape recording (Blog entry February 1, 2014). The time that Richard Jordan suggested to listen in the evening, based on experience of the Eastern Ground Parrots was sunset to 30 minutes after. We did not yet realise that that timing was incorrect for the Western Ground Parrots.

Unsuccessful survey and funding knockback

In late 1982, the R.A.O.U.(WA) (Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union) was making some effort to remedy the situation of no knowledge about the ground parrot in Western Australia. Where could they be found? How big was the population? It was clear that both information, and funding for survey work would be hard won.

A helpful advertisement

A few times in late 1982, World Wildlife Fund Australia ran a black and white advertisement in 'Newsweek' magazine. It was for that organisation's cause of protecting endangered species, and it featured three Eastern Ground Parrot nestlings. 

This was useful for those attempting to get more attention focussed on the ground parrot in Western Australia. It was not then recognised that the ground parrot in Western Australia was a separate species though it did have subspecies status. 

Also, it was very interesting for us to see what ground parrot nestlings looked like as there had been no nest found in Western Australia since 1913 and no publication with photos of ground parrots at that early stage of life. (The ad. mistakenly terms them fledglings.)

Ken Newbey's report

Ken Newbey, a farmer who became a plant ecologist, had made a study of the soils, geomorphology and vegetation of the vacant Crown Land north of the then Fitzgerald River National Park in 1976, while he was a mature age student at Murdoch University. The goal of the study was to evaluate two conflicting land uses: agriculture and conservation.

In  1982, with some updating, he sent a version of the report to the Working Group on Land Releases, as well as to relevant politicians and Government Departments. It was the only detailed report on this area available at the time.

The diagrams below, taken from the report, show the area in question which sits between Old Ongerup Road and the existing Fitzgerald River National Park. Conservation values were estimated by Ken based on his initial surveys. It can be seen that he thought at this stage that both conservation and agriculture could be realistically accommodated in this area. However he also emphasized the need for further surveys before a land use final decision.

Later as more detailed information was determined about the Swamp Parrot (Western Ground Parrot) - its scarcity, presence in some of the land he had considered suitable for farming, and its requirements, as well as the high risk of erosion of some of the soils if the vegetation were to be cleared, Ken changed his view.

Below are two fragments of the text of the report which was entitled 'North Fitzgerald Land Use survey'.