Plains-wanderer

Pedionomus torquatus

Genetically so unique it's the sole survivor of an ancient lineage. Your message comes from a one-of-one.

Population: Roughly 251-5,000 mature individuals (best estimate skews toward the low end, ~251-999 at recent population minima)
Habitat: Sparse native lowland grasslands with roughly 50% bare ground and short vegetation (5-15 cm), occasionally cereal stubble; cannot persist in cropped landscapes
Fun fact: The Plains-wanderer is the sole member of its family, Pedionomidae, and DNA analysis later revealed it is more closely related to jacanas than to the buttonquails or cranes it superficially resembles.
Range: Endemic to Australia — patchily distributed across north-central Victoria, southern New South Wales (Riverina), northeastern South Australia, and west-central Queensland; historically also recorded in the Northern Territory
Diet: Omnivorous ground forager: seeds and invertebrates such as spiders, beetles, and caterpillars, feeding by day into twilight but not at night
Size: 0.17 m

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