The Night Parrot Scandal

The Night Parrot is known as one of the most elusive birds in the world. Between 1912 and 1990 there was no evidence that they lived, and even then it would be another 23 before a living one was even seen. But then in 2013, the Night Parrot was re-discovered to much fanfare. However, it later emerged that much subsequent evidence for their existence was falsified. Just what happened and why is a wild tale, so joy me as we tell the story of the Night Parrot.

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Notes:

• Night Parrot: https://ebird.org/species/nigpar2
• Ground Parrot: https://ebird.org/species/gropar1/
• Dick Smith: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Smith_(entrepreneur)
• Walter Boles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5OSiN_6Lr0
• Robert Cupitt: https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.308723421800147
• John Young and the Night Parrot: https://www.audubon.org/news/john-young-rediscovered-australian-night-parrot-did-he-lie-about-his-later
• John Young and the Blue-Fronted Fig Parrot: https://www.smh.com.au/national/new-parrot-species-found-in-queensland-20061108-gdos73.html
• Penny Olsen: https://reporter.anu.edu.au/all-stories/the-truth-behind-the-quest-to-find-the-elusive-night-parrot 
• Future of the Night Parrot: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/04/science/night-parrot-ghost-bird-australia.html