Four more Australian birds have edged sufficiently close to extinction to be placed in the highest threat category, according to a new book by Birds Australia, CSIRO Publishing and Charles Darwin University.

The Grey-headed Albatross, the Western Ground Parrot, the Regent Honeyeater and the Norfolk Island Tasman Parakeet have been added to the critically endangered list. Furthermore, the report finds a total of 39 species or sub-species (taxa) are more threatened now than they were a decade ago. A much smaller number, seven taxa, will be downlisted as a result of conservation action that has improved their prospects.

There are now 234 Australian birds listed as either extinct, threatened with extinction ,or near threatened.

Read about the new Action Plan for Australian Birds and a piece about this plan on The Conversation.

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