birding-aus

Night Parrot Debate

To: Greg Roberts <>
Subject: Night Parrot Debate
From: Carl Clifford <>
Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2013 13:23:49 +1100
Well said Greg.

Carl Clifford

On 18/10/2013, at 21:48, "Greg Roberts" <> wrote:

> I have been asked by several people to contribute to the latest exchange on
> this subject and do so reluctantly.
> 
> 
> 
> David Adams has a point when he speculates that the controversy surrounding
> the Night Parrot discovery can be explained by the fact that it has been
> handled in a "novel manner".
> 
> 
> 
> I believe Nikolas Haass is correct when he suggests it is reasonable for
> further evidence to be produced publicly to consolidate the discovery.
> 
> 
> 
> A lesson in history. In the mid-1970s I rediscovered the plumiferus race of
> the Marbled Frogmouth. It was a highly significant finding at the time; the
> so-called Plumed Frogmouth had not been seen for some decades and its call
> was unknown. I immediately publicised the whereabouts of the site. With
> Chris Corben and other colleagues, we recorded the bird's call; the
> recordings were distributed widely. Surveys were conducted throughout the
> bird's range in south-east Queensland and north-east NSW to determine its
> status and distribution. I published the finding in a peer-reviewed journal,
> Emu. The results of surveys were published in another journal, Sunbird. I
> took the view that the interests of the Plumed Frogmouth were best served by
> both verifying the record publicly and by gathering and publicising as much
> information as quickly as possible.
> 
> 
> 
> It's called transparency, and without adequate and incontrovertible
> transparency, controversy is inevitable.
> 
> 
> 
> This debate is not about attacking or defending any particular individual.
> It is not primarily about believing or not believing the Night Parrot
> record; I personally believe it. 
> 
> 
> 
> What this debate should be centred around is the welfare of the Night
> Parrot. Too many people forget that this endangered species is not the
> property of any individual, however noteworthy their efforts in the field
> may be.
> 
> 
> 
> Greg Roberts 
> 
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