Dr swift parrot

Wild-born birds recruited to teach critically endangered regent honeyeaters their lost songs Researchers hope restoring the original song will improve breeding prospects for birds released into the wild

A breakdown of how these singing classes work, and how you graduate. @teamswiftparrot.bsky.social

A regent honeyeater sits on a branch.

Fenner School scientists from the Difficult Bird Research Group have rescued the lost song of the regent honeyeater, offering new hope for the survival of the critically endangered bird: bit.ly/4l2D5Cc @teamswiftparrot.bsky.social

Social and ecological factors associated with innovation in urban sulphur-crested cockatoos (Cacatua galerita) Cities are challenging places for wildlife, but some species, like sulfur-crested cockatoos, adapt by finding new ways to feed and solve problems. We studi

New paper alert! 🦜

We gave wild cockatoos puzzle boxes across Canberra’s urban gradient. The finding? Urban birds approach faster, but are not better solvers.

Our results suggest that urbanization shapes neophobia independently from cognitive performance. Read it here:

doi.org/10.1093/behe...

hooley dooley

#science #birds #conservation

How Many Deaths Are Too Many? Assessing the Impact of Additional Mortality on a Critically Endangered Bird Small, threatened populations can be vulnerable to changes in vital demographic rates such as mortality. Managers must intervene if mortality outpaces reproduction. We consider whether additional rel...

New research on orange-bellied parrots!

We simulated the consequences of rising mortality rates on the tiny population- an emerging risk in their migration range

We found even a few extra deaths/year negates 💰 conservation efforts

zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

How Many Deaths Are Too Many? Assessing the Impact of Additional Mortality on a Critically Endangered Bird Small, threatened populations can be vulnerable to changes in vital demographic rates such as mortality. Managers must intervene if mortality outpaces reproduction. We consider whether additional rel...

New research on orange-bellied parrots!

We simulated the consequences of rising mortality rates on the tiny population- an emerging risk in their migration range

We found even a few extra deaths/year negates 💰 conservation efforts

zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Five gnarly little blue winged parrots in a fence post

This is the most incredible footage of blue whales I’ve ever seen

Migratory bird stopover patterns linked to urbanization and social landscapes - Nature Cities Urban ecology traditionally focuses on single cities, yet cities play key roles in ecological processes such as migration. Radar analysis across the continental USA reveals that nearly half of stopove...

A study I led came out in Nature Cities yesterday!

We used radar to study the role that urban landscapes play in migratory bird stopover. Spoiler: birds use cities a lot, and the patterns of their use reflect social processes and the inequities embedded in them.

www.nature.com/articles/s44...

Australia-US minerals deal underpinned decision to allow Alcoa to keep clearing WA forest, document reveals Document also shows US miner had been unlawfully clearing land for 15 years despite warnings from department

The Australia government’s decision to allow Alcoa to continue clearing WA forest was made in part due to a critical minerals deal reached between Australia and the Trump administration last year.

A document also shows the environment dept had told Alcoa since 2011 its clearing required approval.

Omg he is so handsome

Today I met a puppy, had a FaceTime with Gigi and my violet opened- on balance a good day

YouTube video by firstdog onthemoon My cartoon about my friend Jon

Here is the spoken cartoon version of my tribute to Jon Kudelka www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cv9...

a block of wood with a jon kudelka platypus cartoon burnt into it

we said goodbye to jon @kudelka.bsky.social today. if you couldn’t be there or watch the livestream - it was a heartbreakingly beautiful celebration of a truly wonderful man. i loved hearing so many stories about him from so many people who loved him. how lucky we all were to know him ♥️

The funeral for Jon Kudelka was both beautiful and deeply sad - he loved our difficult birds and was a staunch protector of Tasmanian nature - he will be missed and is a tragically gone too soon 💙

A kākāpō chick in a nest with an egg. Credit: Deidre Vercoe

The first #kakapo chick for four years hatched two days ago (on Valentine’s Day for those who like to anthropomorphise!). Here’s Tiwhiri-A1-2026 in Yasmine’s nest. 📸: Deidre Vercoe. www.doc.govt.nz/news/media-r... #kakapo2026 #conservation #parrots #birds

Qld coalmine expansion approved by Albanese government will clear habitat and fuel climate crisis, scientists say Conservationists estimate coal exported from expanded mine to release CO2 equivalent of about half Australia’s annual carbon footprint

The utter sham of offsets, yet again...

“Destroying the equivalent of 40 MCGs worth of greater glider habitat and then attempting to relocate all hollows and claim this somehow offsets the harm to greater gliders is genuinely deluded, and contemptuous.” - me

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

My friend Jon has died | First Dog on the Moon Jon Kudelka loved his beautiful family and was fiercely intolerant of greed and hypocrisy

Here is my cartoon about Mr Jon Kudelka www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Hollows can take decades to form! They’re formed by passive decay processes- the birds don’t really do much excavation

Yeah they’re pretty chill

Putting a superb parrot chick back into their nest - look at that gorgeous tree hollow!

It’s officially a wrap on the most wildly busy field season of my career - this gang gang is giving an insight into the team vibe right now

My house is full of Jon Kudelka art - lots of happy sad memories of a really top notch bloke

Jon Kudelka, much-loved Australian political cartoonist, dies aged 53 Award-winning Tasmanian artist’s work was published by the Australian, the Saturday Paper and the Hobart Mercury

i can’t help but think how much he would hate all the fuss but guess what you grumpy bastard you are so incredibly loved by so many people. rest in power jon ♥️

www.theguardian.com/media/2026/f...

Jon Kudelka cartoon for Tasmanian Inquirer to accompany an article on political donations reform for local government. The cartoon shows a rubbish truck labelled 'donations' emptying a sidewalk bin with a bystander saying "Sure, it's a bit of a loophole, but it does make bin night a bit more of an event ..."

Jon Kudelka cartoon for Tasmanian Inquirer to accompany an article on political donations reform in Tasmania. The Integrity Commission and many civil society groups wanted all donations over $1000 disclosed. The Liberal government wanted the threshold set at $5000. The cartoon shows two men in suits & dark sunglasses and each is pushing an empty shopping trolley in a store. Behind them is a box labelled "Lettuce's $999.95 each". One of the men asked the other "How much political influence could you possible buy for a thousand bucks these days?" To which the other responds, "I expect that's the point"

Jon Kudelka cartoon for Tasmanian Inquirer to accompany an article on political donations reform. Two people are sitting in an underground vault with a big bag of money falling from a chute in the ceiling. The bag is about to land in a wheelbarrow already heavily loaded with bags of money. The man said to the woman sitting next to him, "Of course, the tricky bit with donation reform is, and I'm aware we can't say this part out loud, not upsetting the donors".

Vale Jon Kudelka @kudelka.bsky.social and deepest condolences to family and friends

We were honoured to have Jon draw 3 cartoons for a series of articles we published on political donations reform in Tasmania #auspol #politas

Thank you Jon

Captain Quoll (@kudelka.bsky.social) I am relatively nice here. Currently squatting on Muwinina land Point to pinnacle stroll for medical research https://pointtopinnacle2025.grassrootz.com/menzies-institute-for-medical-research/jon-kude...

Vale @kudelka.bsky.social - gone too soon

Richard Dawkins. Steven Pinker. Lawrence Krauss. Jonathan Haidt. Robert Trivers. Prominent atheists and scientists who have pushed anti-trans propaganda for years. They all had ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Some received huge research grants and island trips, and all of them benefited from their ties.

We got to face time my little niece and I got to meet her mates ❤️

A female kākāpō on a nest, with one egg showing. Credit: Andrew Digby

Female #kakapo Phoenix on her nest yesterday, with three eggs. We suspect they're infertile, but it's hard to tell yet as they're either very dirty or young. She's one of at least 24 female kākāpō on nests on Anchor Island, with 3 more nests found today! #kakapo2026 #conservation #parrots