Little bird is a big deal

In big news for a tiny bird species, two Plains-wanderer chicks have hatched at Taronga.

The chicks are being successfully raised by their parents as part of a breeding program that is seeking to bring this beautiful but elusive bird back from the brink of extinction.

The critically endangered Plains-wanderer is found on the semi-arid plains of NSW and Victoria. The species is considered so genetically unique that it has been placed 13th on the London Edge list of animals the planet can least afford to lose.

In the past decade Plains-wanderer numbers have dropped by 80 to 90 per cent due to habitat loss.

With as few as 200 Plains-wanderers remaining in the wild, the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage engaged Taronga to develop husbandry and breeding guidelines, which will contribute to a breed and release program for the species.

These two newest chicks represent an important step forward for this conservation program and we are continuing to set a solid base for the future breeding program.

- Bird Keeper, Corrine Symons