April 21st, 2022Bringing back bird species

Bringing the world’s most important bird species back from the brink is a story that belongs on a big screen. And now it is.

The Plains-wanderer sits alone on its own branch of the evolutionary tree – it’s one of a kind, there’s literally nothing else like it in the world. 

Critically endangered and at risk of imminent extinction, the North Central CMA is working in partnership with local landholders, Trust for Nature, and Australia’s National Recovery Team for the Plains-wanderer to bring the bird back.

Funded by the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program the Plains for Wanderers project aims to permanently protect and enhance Plains-wanderer habitat on the Northern Plains grasslands in Victoria, home to one of two core populations nationally.

Community education, grazing, fencing to soil type, boxthorn control, rabbit control and fox control across grasslands in north central Victoria are priority tasks to help prevent the loss of this iconic species. As well as revegetation to replace lost Plains-wanderer food plants at key public grasslands.

Other efforts to save the Plains-wanderer from extinction include increasing the bird population through a captive breeding program and identifying suitable and occupied habitat across the Northern Plains, using song meters to record Plains-wanderer calls.

All these stories have been brought together in a magnificent Plains-wanderer documentary from the Remember the Wild team.

“The film explores the uniqueness of the Plains-wanderer and the human stories of those who are saving it from extinction,” North Central CMA Project Manager Laura Chant said.

“And we want the local community to be among the first to see it.”

A special screening of the documentary will be held at the Lockington Recreation Reserve on April 27, from 6pm to 9pm.

“If the weather is friendly we’ll screen it outdoors on the scoreboard, so bring a rug or a chair and some warm clothes We’ll provide dinner from 6pm, and supper after the screening,” Ms Chant said.

The event is free and bookings are required. Go to the events section of www.nccma.vic.gov.au to RSVP by April 21.