The Critically Endangered Western Ground Parrot, known as Kyloring by the Noongar people, is one of the rarest parrots in the world with a population estimated less than 150 birds, found in a single population in Cape Arid National Park, east of Esperance.
The long-tailed, medium-sized parrots are well camouflaged with green, yellow, and black plumage. Ground parrots’ nest on the ground and spend most of their time feeding close to the ground in dense heathland, their diet consisting of seeds, flowers, green fruit and even leaves. While they can fly, they usually only do so around sunrise and sunset when they move between roosting and feeding areas or when flushed. This is also the time when they call sounding similar to an old-fashioned boiling kettle.
Because of their ground dwelling habits all ground parrots are a prime target for foxes and feral cats.
The Department of Biodiversity and Conservations and Attractions (DBCA) lead the recovery efforts for Kyloring through the South Coast Threatened Birds Recovery Team, and their efforts to conserve ground parrots are supported by volunteers and project partners including the Friends of the Western Ground Parrot, Birdlife Australia and South Coast NRM. DBCA have been managing feral cats and fox control across occupied and historical ground parrot habitat, with baiting, trapping and trials of the Felixer grooming traps resulting in decreases in fox and cat activity in 2021 a small number of Western Ground Parrots were returned to local heathlands as part of efforts to establish a second population. With birds from the 2021 release detected by the project team 12 month after release, a second release of birds was carried out this winter. Establishing a second wild population is essential for the long-term survival of the species which has been decimated by large, out-of-control bushfires and predation by feral cats. DBCA has put a huge amount of work into reducing these risks and will have to continue this work so long as cats and other predatory introduced animals continue to populate ground parrot habitat. This intensive landscape management has benefits for numerous other threatened species. If we want the translocated Kyloring to thrive in our region we need to minimize the number of cats entering their new home. All too often unwanted cats are dumped in bushland which adds to the feral cat population. Indoor cats are healthier and live much longer and don’t pose a threat to wildlife, least of all to some of the world’s rarest parrots. Feral cat management starts at our own home. Sterilise your cats, if your cat wanders outside your property, build an enclosure so it can be contained or simply keep it inside, keeping both cats and wildlife safe.
Brent Barrett -DBCA- Click photo for more information