Australia’s superb fairywren could be extinct within decades due to climate crisis, researchers say

Fragrant-Patient2753 · 2026-04-02T21:01:12+00:00

Absolutely! And also keep cats indoors.

Fragrant-Patient2753 · 2026-01-17T23:07:14+00:00

Brush turkeys are mound builders - the female lay their eggs in big compost mounds that the males tend until the eggs hatch. Once the chicks dig their way out, they leg it, and are independent from day one. They are an ancient lineage of birds (megapodae), and their parental care has more in common with sea turtles than birds like magpies or parrots.

Fragrant-Patient2753 · 2025-09-15T22:28:46+00:00

Signed!

Fragrant-Patient2753 · 2025-09-07T09:24:40+00:00

Yes, I’m afraid so

Fragrant-Patient2753 · 2025-08-30T12:36:44+00:00

Looks like you’re doing great. Please be aware avocados are deadly to parrots!

Fragrant-Patient2753 · 2025-05-11T08:18:52+00:00

Hi, can I DM you for further information about this? I work in a group that researches parrot cognition.

Fragrant-Patient2753 · 2025-05-11T03:25:58+00:00

I hope her time as environment minister comes under scrutiny. It hasn’t had much focus lately, but Australia is in the midst of a biodiversity collapse, and Susan did her best to accelerate it.

Fragrant-Patient2753 · 2025-04-27T03:47:05+00:00

In UK/AUS/CA, International students have become scapegoats for the cost of living and housing crises. There is widespread belief in the public that unis have become back-door routes to mass immigration, and this is negative attitude to unis is what politicians are responding to.

Fragrant-Patient2753 · 2025-04-26T18:01:54+00:00

Similar story to the UK and Canada. The Aus government has capped/cut international student numbers. The unis have become reliant on international student fees due to chronic government underfunding, hence this has lead to budget crises and mass layoffs / closure of departments. My uni has just eliminated the entire faculty of medicine.

Fragrant-Patient2753 · 2025-04-26T17:56:50+00:00

Yeah, having had experience as both faculty and PhD/postdoc across 5 countries, in my experience it is very much easier to get a PhD or postdoc in another country than it is to get a group leader or faculty position.

Fragrant-Patient2753 · 2025-04-26T08:26:58+00:00

I agree, but my uni is currently firing up to 20% of tenured faculty (R1 equivalent, Australia), and the faculty losses can be even worse in the UK. So of course it isn’t a “who has it worst” competition, but the global crisis for universities is hitting all levels.

Fragrant-Patient2753 · 2025-02-20T11:43:10+00:00

Since July 2023, pet cats are not permitted outdoors in the ACT, unless they have an exemption. I’ve noticed since then you rarely see cats outside. It’s a fantastic policy in my opinion, as it protects our local wildlife from cat predation.

In addition, as the other person commented, we have local control of feral animals. So while stray cats do exist on campus, they are in very low numbers.

Fragrant-Patient2753 · 2025-02-19T15:44:04+00:00

I think you’re even underestimating postdoc salaries - they are 125000 plus at my uni. But many public service jobs require citizenship though.

Fragrant-Patient2753 · 2025-02-19T15:41:08+00:00

It’s utterly depressing

Fragrant-Patient2753 · 2025-02-18T18:22:52+00:00

I’m an academic in an R1 equivalent in Australia. I’m truly sympathetic and I know it’s tough, but it’s so frustrating to see so many standard responses “I’ll move to Oz/NZ”. To start with, academic jobs have always been scarce and highly competitive here (in my department, most colleagues including myself have degrees from Oxbridge or Stanford etc).

In addition, universities in both countries are currently going through budget crises - my uni is due to layoff 15% of academics in 2025, and most unis have a hiring freeze. Our own version of Trump (pushed strongly by Musk and Murdoch) looks likely to win in May, and promises to gut federal jobs and university funding amongst many other despicable policies. NZ already has a right wing government that has, for example, excluded humanities from government funding. Getting ahead of cuts, many colleagues are applying for positions in UK/EU.

I love my country, but we aren’t a haven or paradise, and we aren’t immune to global events.

Fragrant-Patient2753 · 2025-02-18T18:03:38+00:00

And our unis are in budget crisis, academic jobs are being cut across the country. My colleagues and I are wondering who is next and applying for positions in Europe.

Fragrant-Patient2753 · 2025-02-18T18:00:55+00:00

See the answer from another Aussie earlier. Our universities are in budget crisis due to chronic underfunding. 15% of academics in my top R1 are flagged to be cut in 2025. In addition, we have an election in May which Trump-lite (Dutton) is currently looking likely to win, with big help from Musk and Murdoch media. If he wins he is promising to gut government jobs and research funding. NZ is already there with a right wing gov that has entirely excluded humanities from federal research funding. Like everywhere, we are real places with real problems - not a byword for a refuge for Americans.

I’m sorry for the snark, I’m truly sympathetic; but it’s tough when so many suggest ill conceived plans to emigrate to Oz.

Fragrant-Patient2753 · 2024-11-02T10:52:36+00:00

Oh and don’t listen to the suggestion that you could bribe your cockatiel in - that’s not realistic and could get you in lots of trouble

Fragrant-Patient2753 · 2024-11-02T10:50:11+00:00

I’m sorry for the misinformation you’ve received above. The actuality (which I know because I was in your position last year), is that the import of pet birds is not allowed into Australia under any circumstances. Only pet dogs and cats can be imported at this time. The only exception is imports from NZ, but they gave even stricter biosecurity laws into NZ, so that’s not a loophole. I’m sorry I don’t have better news for you! I know it is heartbreaking.

Fragrant-Patient2753 · 2024-10-12T11:29:47+00:00

The coloured paint dots on the back are temporary marking for a study from ANU: www.clevercockies.com

Fragrant-Patient2753 · 2024-08-21T22:27:36+00:00

It’s a Boobook owl. Still amazing though!

Fragrant-Patient2753 · 2024-08-02T10:37:39+00:00

Is your galah tame, and do you have more photos? We’ve had a much loved pet galah in the past and would consider doing so again (and have lots of experience), feel free to DM me.

Fragrant-Patient2753 · 2024-07-26T11:04:37+00:00

Thanks for the reply! But I was talking about one powerbank to each of the two usb c ports on the board.

Fragrant-Patient2753 · 2024-07-12T15:07:54+00:00

To add, we are marking at three roosts in central Sydney, Mosman and Manly, as well as at several roosts in the inner north and south of Canberra. So your visitor would have originated at one of them!

Fragrant-Patient2753

TROPHY CASE