In the last two decades the critically endangered Western Ground Parrot, Kyloring, has been reduced to a small self-sustaining population in a remote part of Western Australia. Bushfires and invasive predators have placed this cryptic ground-dwelling parrot at high risk of extinction. Along with intensive management of these threats to maintain the last population, the recovery team prioritised translocation to maximise the chance of a secure future for Kyloring. While taking small numbers of birds from the remaining population had the potential to jeopardised the viability of this last wild population, the risks were minimised through robust assessment of all aspects of field operations, population assessment and use of emerging technologies. Strong collaborations and communication with a range of stakeholders and managers have been critical in minimising risks and maximising recovery success. Between 2021 and 2023, 19 birds were translocated to an area of recent historical distribution, with no decline in occupancy of birds apparent in the source site. Radio telemetry and acoustic monitoring confirmed survival of birds in the translocation site, and in 2022 evidence of breeding was detected. To date, success criteria for all stages of the translocation have been met. Despite the ‘ups and downs’ that occur in such a challenging project, success has been due to endurance, optimism, a shared vision, open communication, and the ability to be adaptive in the face of changing circumstances, under the umbrella of a strong and effective recovery team that has driven, led, and overseen this work.