Burrowing Crayfish and Night Parrots
This week on Bring Down The Birds, Dr Watson discusses some recent research involving the critically endangered Night Parrot (Pezoporus occidentalis). Skull CT-scans of a museum specimen revealed that the Night Parrot has asymmetrical ears, a little like some owls have, but also a little different. There are species of owl that have one ear slightly higher than the other, enabling them to very accurately locate live prey. Night Parrots have a left ear opening that is flat, and the right ear opening arches out further to the side. As a species that spends a huge proportion of its time on the ground, having very acute hearing would come in handy when keeping an ear out for predators and finding a mate. Also on the program, you can learn about a local resident found only in the Yarra Ranges: the critically endangered Dandenong Burrowing Crayfish (Engaeus urostrictus).
Don’t Go Dancin’ Down The Darktown Strutter’s Ball by C.W. Stoneking from King Hokum
On The Banks Of The Old Ponchartrain by Possessed By Paul James from Hiram And Huddie Vol.1- Hiram
Jaybird by Charlie Parr from I Ain’t Dead Yet
How’s It Gonna End by Tom Waits from Real Gone
Attaboy by Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, Chris Thile, Yo-Yo Ma from The Goat Rodeo Sessions
I’ll Fly Away by Gillian Welch, Alison Krauss from O Brother, Where Art Thou?