![]() ![]() When Firefly was old enough to regulate her own body temperature and sit up by herself, Prez would leave the nest with Mr Prez at dawn, spend all day foraging with him and return to the nest at dusk to feed the nestling. The female chick dubbed ‘Firefly’ waits to be fed. ![]() ‘The team placed a sheet-metal collar around the base of the nest tree to prevent goannas – the other main predator – from reaching Firefly.’ The female chicks name Firefly was inspired by a night soon after the nest was discovered when the surrounding forest erupted with tiny sparkling-red fireflies. Each evening, Mr Prez fed his partner who would then further grind up the tiny she-oak seeds into a paste to feed their chick. Once the egg hatched, Prez initially remained in the nest with the chick which the team named ‘Firefly’ to keep her warm. ‘On a few evenings, the sensor camera captured Prez in full predator-defence mode with very clear ‘back off’ warnings to a threat out of the camera shot – possibly possums which are known to eat eggs or chicks.’ Prez warns off a predator during the night to protect Firefly. Prez would fly out to meet him, get her daily feed of regurgitated she-oak seeds, and immediately return to the nest,’ said a spokesperson for the team. Mr Prez foraged all day, returning at dusk. ‘In a hollow in a dead tree, Prez incubated her single egg virtually non-stop for about 30 days. The breeding pair were called mother Prez and father Mr Prez and a discrete sensor camera was installed for observations. It really felt like we’d struck gold,’ said Ms Hackett. ‘Here was an incredible learning opportunity because the team had never before witnessed an active nest. ![]() Harry Hackett, Janaki Pearson, and Locky Cooper excited moments after finding the nest. Byron Echo Print Archive (previous volume). ![]()
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