One of Australia’s rarest birds has spread its wings into new territory, offering fresh hope for its ongoing survival.

The small Mukarrthippi Grasswren is critically endangered and holds a 60 per cent risk of becoming extinct by 2041.

The bird was previously only spotted at two locations around the Yathong Nature Reserve in central western NSW but recent surveys show the bird at another three sites.

The new locations within the same nature reserve are more than six kilometres away from the previously known habitat.

NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe says at least six birds have been observed in the new locations.

“Finding more of them in new locations is a huge boost to our efforts to prevent its extinction,” she said on Sunday.

“This discovery is thanks to dedicated field scientists who have been searching for the little bird in one of our most remote national parks.”

NSW National Parks and Wildlife has declared the core habitat as an asset of intergenerational significance, providing stronger legislative protection for the Mukarrthippi Grasswren.

Special fire management plans are being developed and the habitat will be included in a large feral predator-free area to prevent the rare bird being killed by cats.

Research and monitoring efforts, including remote-sensing surveys to map key habitats, are ongoing.

Another survey is the Aussie Bird Count, which is wrapping up on Sunday.

The annual program, in its 10th year, encourages people to step outside for 20 minutes and count their local birds.

More than 1.5 million birds were tallied in the first three days alone, with the aim to count five million birds in total.

By Tara Cosoleto in Melbourne