Following our recent Western Ground Parrot hatching announcement we’re excited to share that the little one has reached another remarkable milestone!

Under the watchful eye of first-time parents, Kangal and Golambidee, the chick has finally spread its wings around the aviary.  

Australian Fauna Supervisor Matt Ricci said he has to keep reminding himself just how remarkable the chick’s development is.

“Every milestone we witness in this chick is a world-first,” Matt said.

“From its first flights to its physical growth, new vocalisations, and the growing bond with mum and dad, we’re seeing it all for the first time!”

Matt said the chick is already showing signs of great skills, confidently flying within the aviary space.

“For a species not known for long flights, these short bursts show just how excited it is about flying,”  he said.

And it’s not just the test flights that is an impressive feat! The chick is also becoming increasingly independent.

It has now stopped mouth‑feeding from Kangal and is starting to feed from the browse and other foods provided in the aviary.

The chick’s growing independence is also changing its relationship with parents Kangal and Golambiddee.

It often feeds alongside Golambiddee in the mornings, but still occasionally pesters Kangal for a mouth feed as it adapts to feeding on its own. While she sometimes gives in, she mostly encourages the chick to continue developing its independence.

The chick’s groundbreaking development has exceeded expectations and represents new hope for a species on the brink of extinction.

This species, also known by their Noongar name Kyloriny, is considered one of the world’s rarest parrots, with an estimated 100–150 individuals left in the wild.

Every small milestone helps us better understand this elusive species and brings us closer to eventually rebuilding the Western Ground Parrot population.

Over the coming months, we’ll watch this little one grow into a fully-fledged adult and get to know even more about Western Ground Parrots.

The program’s success is part of a long‑running collaborative recovery effort guided by the South Coast Threatened Birds Recovery Team, and involving staff from Perth Zoo, DBCA’s Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Parks and Wildlife Service, BirdLife Australia, South Coast NRM and the community conservation group, Friends of the Western Ground Parrot.