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| Golden-shouldered Parrot
Female Artemis Station, Cape York, Queensland, Australia October 12, 2012 |
I’ve been out a couple of times the last few weeks weeks in Niigata and although I’ve seen some nice birds far off I’ve failed to get any good new pictures to post about. I’ve decided to post this article I wrote for the Toowoomba Bird Observers September 2013, Newsletter. It was an important experience for me and hope you find it worth a read.
| My first view |
The Weight of Gold.
We came out empty-handed on the first day. We
also missed out with our first tries on the second day and it seemed we were
going to miss out altogether. We had spread-out and were moving forth in our
final search. I heard a soft sound up at the top of a tree in front of me and I
began to focus my eyes on a small greenish parrot. As the second-hand ticked to
the next stroke, Mick, some thirty metres to the left of me, announced, “Found
them.” (‘On ya, Mick. I was a second too slow. I did take a single pic of my
find and later confirmed it was indeed what we were looking for). Mick’s find,
however, was low to the ground and consisted of several birds.
also missed out with our first tries on the second day and it seemed we were
going to miss out altogether. We had spread-out and were moving forth in our
final search. I heard a soft sound up at the top of a tree in front of me and I
began to focus my eyes on a small greenish parrot. As the second-hand ticked to
the next stroke, Mick, some thirty metres to the left of me, announced, “Found
them.” (‘On ya, Mick. I was a second too slow. I did take a single pic of my
find and later confirmed it was indeed what we were looking for). Mick’s find,
however, was low to the ground and consisted of several birds.
| male (left) with young |
I’d done just a little research before the
tour. I had learned that there were just 75 pairs of Golden-shouldered Parrots in the wild. All confined to special
habitats of the lower reaches of Cape York. Now, almost a year later and I find
estimates of 1000 to 1500 hundred individuals in the wild. It depends what you
find on the internet of course so please disregard the accuracy of my
estimates. It is for sure, however, that the Golden-shouldered Parrot is
endangered as listed by Birdlife International. There are some small
populations but all are threatened by a variety of conditions. When watching
our gentle little family, I observed a couple of swoops at them by a Black-backed Butcherbird (Which sent
them flurrying) and have since found that butcherbirds certainly predate on
small parrots. Predation is of course common by cats and other introduced
species. I was quite excited to realise however, that our family consisted of,
I think one male, but several young birds. My delight soon became concern as
our tour guide, Klaus, explained that they are usually successful breeding but numerous
are lost in the wet season as the dusty patches of grass seed become flooded
and food becomes scarce. I have learned that this species relies on carefully
timed fire that rejuvenates the grass and flowers on which they feed.
tour. I had learned that there were just 75 pairs of Golden-shouldered Parrots in the wild. All confined to special
habitats of the lower reaches of Cape York. Now, almost a year later and I find
estimates of 1000 to 1500 hundred individuals in the wild. It depends what you
find on the internet of course so please disregard the accuracy of my
estimates. It is for sure, however, that the Golden-shouldered Parrot is
endangered as listed by Birdlife International. There are some small
populations but all are threatened by a variety of conditions. When watching
our gentle little family, I observed a couple of swoops at them by a Black-backed Butcherbird (Which sent
them flurrying) and have since found that butcherbirds certainly predate on
small parrots. Predation is of course common by cats and other introduced
species. I was quite excited to realise however, that our family consisted of,
I think one male, but several young birds. My delight soon became concern as
our tour guide, Klaus, explained that they are usually successful breeding but numerous
are lost in the wet season as the dusty patches of grass seed become flooded
and food becomes scarce. I have learned that this species relies on carefully
timed fire that rejuvenates the grass and flowers on which they feed.
| Black-backed Butcherbird |
Golden-shouldered Parrots nest in termite
mounds and it is fascinating to think about the mounds not just protecting the eggs
but maintaining a suitable temperature for the eggs success. One mound on one
property is not enough, however, as nesting sites are regularly changed after
each breeding season to avoid parasites etc. It must be understood that their
world is delicate and can be easily destroyed by livestock, floods, ill-timed
fire and predators as well as, of course, other changes to their environment.
Maybe several of these factors also contributed to the disappearance of the
Golden-shouldered Parrot’s close relative, the Paradise Parrot from the Darling Downs.
mounds and it is fascinating to think about the mounds not just protecting the eggs
but maintaining a suitable temperature for the eggs success. One mound on one
property is not enough, however, as nesting sites are regularly changed after
each breeding season to avoid parasites etc. It must be understood that their
world is delicate and can be easily destroyed by livestock, floods, ill-timed
fire and predators as well as, of course, other changes to their environment.
Maybe several of these factors also contributed to the disappearance of the
Golden-shouldered Parrot’s close relative, the Paradise Parrot from the Darling Downs.
My advice is not to get a new camera just
before you go on a tour. Instead of concentrating on live birds at close
quarters my attention kept readjusting to the back of my camera trying to learn
the menu and change focusing settings because I kept focusing on the grass in
front of my subjects. I would have known instinctively how to adjust my older
camera. I think it was because of this, I failed to get a decent portrait of
the shy father. With any camera, I recommend practice, practice, practice.
before you go on a tour. Instead of concentrating on live birds at close
quarters my attention kept readjusting to the back of my camera trying to learn
the menu and change focusing settings because I kept focusing on the grass in
front of my subjects. I would have known instinctively how to adjust my older
camera. I think it was because of this, I failed to get a decent portrait of
the shy father. With any camera, I recommend practice, practice, practice.
Attention away from the camera and I understand
what a privilege it was to behold the family foraging for seed in the delicate vegetation
just metres in front of my feet. “Tread gently”, I told myself. I may not have
the power to stop fire or rain or save a species from endangerment, but even to
the slightest degree, just because I have learned of them, the weight of their
future is upon my shoulders.
what a privilege it was to behold the family foraging for seed in the delicate vegetation
just metres in front of my feet. “Tread gently”, I told myself. I may not have
the power to stop fire or rain or save a species from endangerment, but even to
the slightest degree, just because I have learned of them, the weight of their
future is upon my shoulders.
| Juvenile male |
References and Further Reading
| Termite mounds |
Russell Jenkins Stoop Files 
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