A chance find of a dead bird on a Queensland roadside has revealed Australia's elusive night parrot could actually have trouble seeing in the dark.
The night parrot is one of only two nocturnal parrot species in the world and is an endangered species living in small numbers across outback Australia.
In 1990, scientists discovered the mummified body of a night parrot on the side of the road near Boulia in western Queensland.
It took another 23 years for the first verified live sightings of the species in the state.
That bird, with its skull completely intact, provided a vital clue behind the species' struggle to survive.
Researchers used 3D reconstruction to study the night parrot's vision and discovered an issue with the night parrot's eyesight.
"We found that the night parrot has similar eye size to other parrots, with smaller optic nerves," researcher Dr Vera Weisbecker of Flinders University said.
"It also has smaller optic lobes, which are visual processing areas in the brain."
"This suggests that the night parrot may not be great at seeing in the dark.
"Its vision is likely sensitive, but with poor resolution, so that it might not be good at distinguishing obstacles like wire fences or even predators in dark conditions."
It means night parrots are not as well-adapted to life in the dark compared to other nocturnal species such as owls with enlarged eyes.
The findings raise questions about this critically endangered species' ability to survive in low numbers.
Being nocturnal, night parrots need to navigate in the dark, often flying at high speeds.
While necessary to control stock, fencing, particularly barbed wire, can pose a lethal obstacle for birds.
The study, published in Scientific Reports, a Nature Research Journal, suggests unused fences should be removed in areas where the night parrots have been discovered.
Australian Associated Press
