In search of ghost birds...

Bird lovers everywhere are well aware of the extinction rate among our feathered friends. In the Southern Hemisphere there are plenty of species that have fallen by the wayside.

Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands have by far the worst record of bird extinctions in Australia, which continues to this day.

The kaka (a separate species to the NZ parrot) and pigeon (a NZ sub-species) were exterminated by hunting and forest loss, but the latest wave of extinctions has been largely from rats and cats.

The last island thrush (guavabird) was seen in the 1970s and the white-chested white-eye (pictured right) is on the verge of extinction.

Guy Dutson shares details of his search for the white-chested white-eye with Australian Geographic.