“I was confident I’d photographed the right species but given how rare they are, I also had a bit of doubt.” Photographer captures one of Australia’s rarest birds with a last-gen full-frame camera

Brad Leue, an award-winning wildlife photographer, embarked on a challenging mission to photograph one of Australia’s rarest birds – the King Island scrubtit – at the Boulder Wildlife Sanctuary. With only 100 King Island scrubtits estimated to exist, the odds were heavily against him. Standing at just 12cm tall and blending seamlessly into their surroundings, spotting and photographing the elusive bird was an immense challenge.

Armed with his Canon EOS R5 and a 100-500mm super-telephoto lens, Brad meticulously analyzed sighting data to identify potential hotspots for the bird's presence. After a week of wildlife photography, Brad finally caught a glimpse of the King Island scrubtit on its fifth day. Despite the bird swiftly disappearing into the forest, he managed to capture two in-focus images before it flew away.

Confident in his identification, Brad sent the images to the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, who confirmed it was indeed the rare King Island scrubtit. For Leue, photography plays a crucial role in conservation efforts, allowing people to form a deeper connection with vulnerable species and fostering empathy.