Australian zoo breeds rare plains-wanderer by replacing absent father with feather duster

Captive population of critically endangered bird doubles with the birth of nine chicks

The captive population of Australia's most unique critically endangered bird has doubled with the birth of nine plains-wanderer chicks, helped out by a feather duster, a heat lamp and a lot of cotton wool.

The chicks were born to two pairs and hatched within 24 hours of each other at Werribee open range zoo in Victoria last week.