From bin chickens to gang-gangs: Australian bird of the year is a celebration and a call to action

The gang-gang cockatoo was listed as endangered due to the combined impact of climate change-fuelled bushfires and heatwaves and clearing of forests in its home in the Great Dividing Range. Photograph: William Robinson/Alamy

Birds matter. They bring the wild to our back yards, balconies, streets and suburbs. They forage, spread seeds and pollinate plants, keeping natural systems humming.

Birds sing. They laugh. They are nature’s alarm clock. They sound and look weird. They bring joy, mostly. They aren’t boring.