Fraudster ornithologist finds an actual extinct bird, but refuses to reveal the location of the Night Parrot to the Australian government: 'Within half a decade [he] destroyed his entire reputation.'

Author image for Ayala Sorotsky
Ayala Sorotsky • Writer and Editor
Jan 10, 2026 10:00 AM EST

Did you know that 99.9% of all species that have ever lived on Earth since life's inception are now extinct?

The extinction of wildlife is no joke. It's also a natural part of the existence on the planet. But we can't deny that in some cases of modern history, humanity has tremendously contributed to the accelerated extinction process of many species. These two facts combined don't make us feel very well about the situation, to say the least. But the little beacon of hope in all of this is that, sometimes, on very rare occasions, an animal will be spotted after long being thought extinct. It's a true mark of nature's perseverance and willpower - even through such hardships, even an extremely sparsely spread animal can survive.

So you can only imagine how happy we were to learn of an "extinct" parrot species that is actually quite alive and well! The Night Parrot is an Australian ground parrot, very similar to its Kakapo cousin from New Zealand, and is so rarely sighted that for a century or so humanity thought it was a goner. But you know how Australian wildlife is - fierce, even in the face of adversity. Even a new Australian marsupial was recently discovered out of the blue. And the Night Parrot is no different - they might be rare, but they are surviving.

But the discovery (or rediscovery) of the Night Parrot is not a "Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy" ride. When it was finally spotted, after decades during which it was thought to be extinct, the finding was thought to be a fraud, was met with scorn and doubt - and not for bad reasons… John Young, the person who spotted this missing bird, is a highly controversial figure in the ornithologist world. His past (alleged) findings are true drama setters for every bird watcher and ornithology enthusiast. But as they say, "Even a broken clock is right twice a day", and that we can definitely say about Young and the Night Parrot.

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10594824704
    via www.bushheritage.org.au
  • 02
    Just a quick foreword: This story is really one more related to the science of birds than just birdwatching, but because the man at the center of it is more an old- school natural history-type guy without a degree who certainly does not consider himself part of the scientific. community, I thought it fell more under that umbrella.
    via popejuliusii
  • 03
    Night Parrots: Vanishing and Reappearing In the birding world, there are a few species that capture birders' imaginations because of how mysterious they are, and doubt always remain about their extinction or lack of extinction.
    via popejuliusii
  • 04
    The story of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker in Arkansas bears its own post, but for a while Night Parrots in Australia fell into this category.
    via popejuliusii
  • 05
    There had been no confirmed sightings since the 1920s, until 1979 when a flock was spotted in South Australia.
    via popejuliusii
  • 06
    It wasn't until 1991 when a specimen was found in Queensland, and then it again wasn't until 2006 when another specimen was found.
    via popejuliusii
  • 07
    This pair of specimens provided the impetus that our hero, John Young, needed to try to refind this bird.
    via popejuliusii
  • 08
    Some background info: We didn't know much about Night Parrots in 2006, but we knew they were ground nesters in the Outback.
    via popejuliusii
  • 09
    We didn't even know where they were...sightings ranged from South Australia to Queensland to Western Australia (which is about as far apart as Ohio, Florida, and California).
    via popejuliusii
  • 10
    So John Young had a hell of a task ahead of him. But, then in 2013, he succeeded.
    via popejuliusii
  • 11
    This footage shocked the world of birding. The editor of BirdLife Australia described the video as the equivalent of "finding Elvis flipping burgers at an Outback roadhouse." The story hit The Guardian, which doesn't happen too often with birding stories.
    via popejuliusii
  • 12
    It was BIG news, big enough news to overwrite John Young's previous shady reputation. John Young before the Night Parrot You see, John Young was a very polarizing figure.
    via popejuliusii
  • 13
    He started off with great intentions and great successes. After noticing owls in Queensland with bleeding eyes, he managed to lobby a pesticide manufacturer to pull their product brodifacoum from the market, and later successfully lobbied for the protection of a large marsh to protect the endangered Eastern Grass Owl.
    via popejuliusii
  • 14
    He has famous for his climbing ability, and it was this climbing ability that allowed him to find owl nests.
    via popejuliusii
  • 15
    In the 1970s he often used this ability to steal bird eggs for his collection, until Australia banned it (although it is unlikely he destroyed his 600-some- species collection).
    via popejuliusii
  • 16
    His biggest critics, however, tend to focus on his flair for the dramatic and tendency to exaggerate things.
    via popejuliusii
  • 17
    The ornithologist (bird scientist) Penny Olsen, who wrote a book on Paradise Parrots (another species of bird whose continued existence is shrouded in mystery), claimed that John Young wrote her a letter purporting to have found and collected 31 eggs of Paradise Parrots.
    via popejuliusii
  • 18
    When asked for follow-up, he denied the accusation, claiming to have only found nest sites in termite burrows (where Paradise Parrots nest), and defending himself by saying "I didn't know it was a crime to get excited about a find and slightly exaggerate." All of that paled in comparison to the Blue- fronted Fig Parrot debacle.
    via popejuliusii
  • 19
    In 2006, Young announced that he had found a Fig Parrot in northern New South Wales.
    via popejuliusii
  • 20
    Now, this was big news, as the only Fig Parrot in that region, Cox's Fig Parrot, hadn't been seen in 30 years.
    via popejuliusii
  • 21
    But, according to Young, this was something far bigger. He presented images that seemed to be of an entirely new species of Fig Parrot, most similar to Macleay's Fig Parrot.
    via popejuliusii
  • 22
    However, other prominent ornithologists (including Olsen) were deeply skeptical, and analysis by forensic photographer at Melbourne University suggested that he just took a photo of a Macleay's Fig Parrot like this one and photoshopped away the red front.
    via popejuliusii
  • 23
    When asked to provide the original photographs, he claimed to have deleted them, and the long-awaited report on the species with DNA evidence and the like never came.
    via popejuliusii
  • 24
    This resulted in a fair degree of infamy for Young, but all that vanished when the Night Parrot report came in Night Parrot Rediscovered After the footage surfaced, John Young became even more of a celebrity, this time for far more positive reasons.
    via popejuliusii
  • 25
    He even got a respected ecologist, Stephen Murphy, to come confirm the sightings, which he did.
    via popejuliusii
  • 26
    However, his response after the rediscovery of this incredibly endangered bird, on private property, was not to tell the Australian government so that they can protect it.
    via popejuliusii
  • 27
    Instead he insisted on raising 1.5 million dollars to purchase it so he could manage it himself.
    via popejuliusii
  • 28
    He claimed he would "rather be arrested" than divulge the location of the Night Parrot. He only capitulated when Murphy received a 750,000$ grant for the Night Parrot, so Young agreed to reveal to Murphy, and only Murphy, the location of the parrots.
    via popejuliusii
  • 29
    The two of them then became the only people who could study these birds effectively. The only issue was that Murphy and Young hated each other.
    via popejuliusii
  • 30
    Murphy was a scientist, keen on putting sound recorders everywhere to try to learn details about habitat preference, while Young just wanted to keep looking for birds in new locations.
    via popejuliusii
  • 31
    Murphy wanted people to be aware of the birds' locations so they could be better studied, while Young wanted nothing less.
    via popejuliusii
  • 32
    Eventually, Murphy went behind Young's back and told Bush Heritage Australia everything so that they could buy the property.
    via popejuliusii
  • 33
    Young was furious, and hasn't returned to the property since. Two years later, Young was hired by Australian Wildlife Conservancy to study rare birds on the organizations properties, which put him back in control of Night Parrot research.
    via popejuliusii
  • 34
    However, he wasn't the only one researching Night Parrots anymore, and on top of that other people were making great strides; the first photos of a nest had been taken in Western Australia, but it was subsequently abandoned.
    via popejuliusii
  • 35
    This is when the controversy really began. First came accusations of old tampering. People online noticed that in one of the photos, you can see wire mesh in the background..
    via popejuliusii
  • 36
    This suggests that he trapped the birds, which is highly illegal with endangered species without a permit (which of course he did not have).
    via popejuliusii
  • 37
    It had long been known that he had photoshopped that same image to remove a spinifex branch from the bird's back, but this realization caused some to suggest that the photoshopping may have. instead been to remove evidence of feather damage.
    via popejuliusii
  • 38
    This scandal caused some backlash, but nothing significant. Then came the forgeries. First, Young claims to find a nest in Diamantina National Park in Queensland.
    via popejuliusii
  • 39
    People buy it at first, but subsequent analysis of the images immediately reveals that they are likely made of plaster or styrofoam.
    via popejuliusii
  • 40
    Then some of his recordings of Night Parrots were found to simply be archival recordings played back at the recording devices.
    via popejuliusii
  • 41
    Then he claimed to find a feather in a Zebra Finch nest, photographed it, and when asked to deliver it for DNA analysis, provided an entirely different feather (likely from another part of the country from earlier field work).
    via popejuliusii
  • 42
    This is a huge deal for the AWC, as this information led to a massive misuse of conservation dollars based off faulty information, and John Young was fired as a result.
    via popejuliusii
  • 43
    AWC has apologized over and over, and Young himself said in reference to the parrot, "I wish I'd never saw it, wish I'd never found it, wish I'd never had to do it." Young continues to advocate for conservation, but any hopes of finding work in conservation again are all but shot.
    via popejuliusii
  • 44
    And that's the story of how one guy had one of the most astounding ornithological breakthroughs in the last 100 years, and within half a decade destroyed his entire reputation Because I want to give full credit where credit is due, a lot of this write-up comes from this phenomenal Audubon article, an article so thorough Young cited it as part of why he resigned from the Australian Wildlife Conservancy.
    via popejuliusii
  • 45
    It is well worth a read and far more thorough than anything I could put here.
    via popejuliusii
  • 46
    Cheezburger Image 10594824960
    via www.theguardian.com | Dr Nick Leseberg
  • 47
    [deleted] It's wild what hobby scientists get up to. Mostly it's the fun kind of nuts (genetically engineered vegan cheese), but sometimes it absolutely goes off the rails. Makes me almost want to do a writeup about DIY biology people and the whole custom genetic modification business.
    via Reddit
  • 48
    OP popejuliusii Do it! Hobby science is filled with the wackiest wackos out there
    via popejuliusii
  • 49
    [deleted] As a non-birder, this part is unclear to me - it seems like the accusation is more that he temporarily caught the bird (feather damage and wire mesh) for a photoshoot before (I assume) releasing it. Does that still count as poaching, or is there some reason to believe he kept the bird?
    via Reddit
  • 50
    OP popejuliusii No he just illegally captured it for a photoshoot (and potentially held it a while too...the time stamp of 5pm is long after Night Parrots are usually active)
    via popejuliusii
  • 51
    _bowlerhat This is why I don't even know where to start with birdwatching. So much background info needed.
    via _bowlerhat
  • 52
    OP popejuliusii Believe me, the lore isnt necessary to enjoy the hobby! However deep-dives into the lore are pretty fun...i have many more that III probably share here over time
    via popejuliusii
  • 53
    Extramrdo Night Parrots have an early bedtime?
    via Extramrdo
  • 54
    OP popejuliusii More like they become inactive around sunrise (is that an early or late bedtime?) and dont wake up until around sunset
    via popejuliusii

  • Oh, what do you know! The Night Parrots are actually… night owls! Don't worry, we'll let ourselves out after this joke.

    No, but seriously, it's in their name. It's expected from an animal that has “night” in their name to be active during dark hours. But not all of their names contain “night” in them. Here's the full list of names the Night Parrot is known as:

    Porcupine Parrot (our absolute favorite), Nocturnal Ground Parakeet (it sounds like something from Harry Potter), Midnight Cockatoo (ominous), Solitaire (we don't get it), Spinifex Parrot (if you say it in a Latin accent five times very fast, you'd probably cast a spell), and Night Parakeet (which is just another alternative).

  • 55
    Fake_Southern_IL Thanks for posting more birding hobby drama! I love to see other people posting it out here, and there's plenty to go around.
    via Fake_Southern_IL
  • 56
    OP popejuliusii Any day! I definitely am going to be posting about a few more birding dramas (Birding with Charles maybe? All the Manhattan birding drama? WATAgate? Subaru hacking? Minnesota Calliope Hummingbird murder? Anything is possible)
    via popejuliusii
  • 57
    _bowlerhat I started by trying to take photos of them. I thought it was simple, but the more I do it the deeper rabbit hole goes. What species exist there, the habitation, the seasons, the migrations, what scope, what lens, how to find them, how to not disturb them..it's fun to learn but it's way too much everywhere! What are actually the basic starting steps to do it?
    via _bowlerhat
  • 58
    OP popejuliusii Well, it certainly can be challenging to get started with, but the best thing you can do is find a community! If you're in the US or Canada, most areas have an Audubon society, bird club, or local bird guide that leads bird trips in the area, and there are always plenty of people who will be willing to help you learning. Additionally, getting a good field guide (I recommend Sibley's for North America) is indispensable. Also, if you're on Facebook, I recommend joining "What's This
    via popejuliusii
  • 59
    Best of luck! I know it can be daunting at first but the more you learn, the more you want to learn, and all it takes is one good birding day to become hooked like the rest of us haha
    via popejuliusii
  • 60
    Who_GNU If you like this kind of drama, check out The Falcon Thief, by Joshua Hammer.
    via Who_GNU
  • 61
    OP popejuliusii Hahaha I literally just got it yesterday!! Planning on reading it very soon
    via popejuliusii
  • 62
    Top_hat_owl It always gets me how crazy hobbies like birdwatching can be, like a group of people who talk online about the birds they see evolve's into actual fraud and scandals
    via Top_hat_owl
  • 63
    Pradich This was like an episode of tiger king but with birds!
    via Pradich
  • 64
    bug-robot I work in the animal field, and my understanding is that this would be poaching. Even if he's releasing the birds, the intent of trapping them, the construction and implementation of the traps, and the trapping itself are all still going on. As for whether or not he kept the bird or its eggs, who knows. Although it's interesting to note that he has a history of claiming to take the eggs. With all of the lying this guy does, it's honestly hard to tell.
    via bug-robot
  • 65
    Admittedly, I'm only somewhat familiar with wildlife laws in the US and not Australia (had to do it for my degree, but not super relevant to the facility I work for), I know US wildlife law would consider this taking, and taking is described as any sort of harassment of wildlife. But again, we're talking about wildlife law in Australia, and this isn't r/legaladvice so I'm really just giving my best understanding of the scenario.
    via bug-robot

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