Watch: Dodo relative found 900 miles from dwelling at Australian resort

Nov. 10 (UPI) — Chook experts in Australia are flocking to a Queensland resort to uncover a gaze of a rare visitor: a Nicobar pigeon, the closest dwelling relative of the extinct dodo.

Sue O’Donnell, traditional supervisor of the Inexperienced Island resort, stated the rooster, dubbed Emerald by staff, has been a frequent visitor in recent days, and has even been viewed wandering into rooms whereas staff are cleaning.

The species, named for India’s Nicobar Islands, is native to Southeast Asia, and Golo Maurer, head of BirdLife Australia’s Citizen Science Program, stated the avian has wandered extra than 900 miles from its species’ nearest breeding grounds.

Maurer knowledgeable the Australian Broadcasting Corp. it be additionally doable the pigeon used to be “somebody’s pet and slash a fortunate fracture.”

Plants and fauna authorities stated they manufacture no longer beget any plans to capture or relocate the rooster.

Maurer stated Inexperienced Island would possibly maybe well hide to be the compatible atmosphere for the avian to thrive.

“It likes forested islands and the capability to search out food on the ground, so it be a nice put for a Nicobar pigeon,” he stated. “There are different native birds there and it be a stopover for migratory shorebirds, so he’s actually correct including to the journey of rooster lifestyles on a tropical island.”