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Kangaroo Island's Endemic Birds
The 2019-2020 Black Summer wildfires devastated the western half of Kangaroo Island, wildlife and their habitat. Many endemic bird species, found nowhere else but here, were affected.
Some are only small and move only in short bursts of flight. Those that escaped the flames were left with little food, shelter, or places to nest within the burnt landscape. It may take many years for their populations to increase again, and some may never recover. For this reason, more than half of our endemic birds are considered threatened species in Australia.
The mosaics created by the KICE Penneshaw Year 7, 8 and 9 students represent the unique endemic birds that call Kangaroo Island home. Our aim is to inspire you to learn more about these birds and help us to protect the diverse habitats they need to survive.
This series of sculptures was made possible by the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery project and has been supported by the Australian Government’s Bushfire Recovery Program for Wildlife and their Habitat.
Thanks to Beaumont Tiles Kingscote and Décor8 for donations, the Men's Shed for labour, and the Kangaroo Island Sculpture Trail for supporting the project.
Ongoing research into Southern Boobooks has recently identified that the Kangaroo Island birds have the same DNA, calls and plumage as the mainland subspecies. For this reason, they are no longer recognized as a Kangaroo Island endemic. There is evidence that the mainland subspecies are declining across their range and with the impacts of the Black Summer fires and ongoing threats to their habitat, the Kangaroo Island population is likely to be at risk.
BirdLife Australia is leading the way in bird conservation. Today, we are proud to be Australia's largest bird conservation charity, made up of hundreds of thousands of members, volunteers and supporters across the country.
We work locally, nationally, and globally to drive the recovery of threatened birds, restore nature, and stop extinctions. Science and our supporters are vital ingredients in achieving our goals.
We collaborate with leading experts, partner with landholders, lobby governments and meet with schools and communities — and more — to protect Australia’s birds and their habitats and stop bird extinctions.
Follow the links for more information on BirdLife and the Kangaroo Island Bushfire Recovery Project.
Get involved by checking out the BirdData App.
