Orange-bellied Parrot
A small migratory parrot that crosses the sea on its migration, Orange-bellied Parrots breed in south-west Tasmania in the summer and migrate to the coast of south-east mainland Australia for the winter. The migration route includes the west coast of Tasmania and King Island. They spend much of their day either on or close to the ground and often while a group is feeding, they will take it in turns as a sentinel to sit on a high perch to check for dangers such as hawks.
In summer, soon after arriving back in the melaleuca area in southern Tasmania, pairs begin to form and seek out nest sites. They nest in tree-hollows in trunks and holes in dead branches with pairs known to return to the same nest site for many years. When a female accepts a nest site, she will spend up to a week in the nest preparing it for her brood. During this time, while she incubates and when the chicks are small, the male feeds the female on the nest. When chicks are about ten days old, both parents forage and return to the nest to regurgitate food for the young.
A captive breeding program, which was initiated with birds recruited from a small wild population, has focussed on understanding the birds’ behaviour and dietary needs to boost the production of offspring. The preparation of birds for release into the wild has included teaching the birds to feed on the favoured wild plants utilised by the wild birds and fitness training for life in the wild.
Decline in extent and quality of coastal salt marsh habitat, because of development, agriculture and interference with water systems has impacted the species’ mainland wintering habitat. As they forage on the ground, they are likely to be predated by foxes and feral cats on the mainland. Lack of natural burns at the breeding site has impacted native food resources there. Infectious disease outbreaks are also a threat to their population.
Due to the efforts of a range of optimistic and dedicated conservationists the wild population has risen to over 80 birds returning to nest in December 2023. Annual releases have occurred for many years with birds released both at the breeding grounds in Tasmania and along the Victorian coastline. During the mainland release birds are fitted with a radio transmitter and their movements and survival tracked by dedicated volunteers. To assist the valuable breeding females, they have also been assisted in their migration by flying them back to their breeding grounds by aeroplane. Conservation staff have also provided many artificial nest boxes in their breeding grounds which the birds are using well.
A significant captive breeding program that includes a variety of partners and zoos now manage a captive population of over 500 birds.