Lost Parrot Rediscovered After Century in Indonesian Forest

When ornithologist John Mittermeier raised his binoculars during a grueling mountain trek in Indonesia this April, he couldn't believe what he was seeing: a lime-green parrot with a brilliant orange bill staring back at him through the leaves.

It was a blue-fronted lorikeet, a tiny parrot that hadn't been spotted since 2014 and had been seen only once in the previous century. The sighting on the remote island of Buru marked the second confirmed record of the species since scientists first described it in the 1920s.

Mittermeier directs the Search for Lost Birds, a global project tracking species that haven't been documented in at least a decade. His team had just added the blue-fronted lorikeet to their lost species list in 2025, making this rediscovery especially sweet.

The expedition to Mount Kapalatmada's 8,850-foot peak tested the team's limits. They battled biting ants, thorny plants, bad weather, and waterless camps for six days before Mittermeier made his first sighting on the mountain's highland plateau.

Two days later, another lorikeet appeared during breakfast, giving the team their first chance to photograph the species. On their final morning in the highlands, they spotted a breeding pair and captured the first-ever sound recordings of the birds' calls.

In total, the group observed at least nine individual lorikeets during their 14-day journey. Tour leader James Eaton called it their "holy grail" and described the moment as feeling truly alive.

The Ripple Effect

The rediscovery proves these colorful parrots still inhabit Buru's high-elevation forests, giving conservationists a crucial starting point for protection efforts. Last year alone, researchers found five other lost bird species across Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Philippines after decades without sightings.

The blue-fronted lorikeet likely lives only in a small area of Buru's mountaintop forests, making it vulnerable to deforestation and other threats. But knowing exactly where to find them means conservation groups can now focus their efforts on protecting this specific habitat.

For Mittermeier, each rediscovery carries a powerful message beyond just one species. "The fact that this lorikeet survives in the mountains of Buru and that we can have a chance to help protect it tells us there is hope for species and biodiversity in general," he says.

The Search for Lost Birds continues tracking hundreds of missing species worldwide, and this success story reminds us that extinction isn't always the answer to silence.