Hope for the Plains-wanderer

With perhaps fewer than a thousand individuals left in the wild, the plains-wanderer (Pedionomus torquatus) is one of Australia’s most significant and endangered bird species.

Historically, the plains-wanderer could once be found over a huge territory, ranging from Victoria to Queensland, but today exists only in a tiny fraction of that. In eastern New South Wales, southwestern Victoria and southeastern South Australia, the bird is effectively extinct.

Recent work on the species, led by Bush Heritage Australia, has focused on identifying and protecting remaining populations at two sites: Boolcoomatta in South Australia and Pullen Pullen in Queensland.

In particular, the Boolcoomatta site—a 63,000ha reserve 100km west of Broken Hill purchased in 2006 by Bush Heritage—drew