New measures to save the swift parrot

There are new measures being taken to protect the critically endangered swift parrot in southern Tasmania. Here’s the new strategy to save them.

A swift parrot at Zoodoo Zoo in Tasmania. Source: Zoodoo Zoo.

There are new measures being taken to try to protect the critically endangered swift parrot in southern Tasmania, including Bruny Island.

The numbers of swift parrot are rapidly declining and researchers at the Australian National University this year said they believed the remaining population is now about 500.

Parks Minister Nick Duigan said six conservation covenants were being placed on land and tree planting would be done on Bruny Island as part of the swift parrot recovery project.

“A range of recovery actions for the swift parrot, including protecting and enhancing essential habitat in one of the bird’s more significant breeding areas, have been implemented,” he said.

“Through the swift parrot recovery project, about 260ha of swift parrot breeding habitat is being protected with six conservation covenants, with three of these on Bruny Island and the others are at Middleton, Gordon and Garden Island Creek.

RARE: The critically endangered swift parrot is being pushed to the brink of extinction. Picture: David Adams

“These covenants were established through voluntary agreements with private landowners with the support of the Tasmanian Land Conservancy and Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania’s Private Land Conservation Program.”

Mr Duigan said landowners would receive specific signage to inform those in the area of the covenants.

He said the government was also supporting the Bruny Island Environment Network’s Threatened Woodland Birds Project, to improve swift parrot breeding habitat on the island.

“This initiative includes the strategic planting of over 1600 seedlings and nest box management to increase the foraging and nesting resources required by breeding parrots,” he said.

The Swift Parrot Recovery Project was borne out of a Tasmanian Government funding commitment of $1m over four years from 2021 to implement recovery actions for the swift parrot.

Swift parrots introduced to ZooDoo Zoo. Picture: Mick Roderick, courtesy of Mindaribba LALC.

The Tasmanian Government has committed a further $8m over four years to establish a Threatened Species Fund, which will support priority conservation action for threatened species such as the swift parrot.

Tasmanian Land Conservancy conservation programs manager Nicole Sherriff welcomed measures to support the swift parrot.

“Through the project the Tasmanian Land Conservancy are pleased to have supported six landowners to protect blue gum and black gum forest which is vital habitat for the endangered swift parrot,” she said.

“With so much of Tasmania made up of private land, partnering with landholders is an effective way of increasing Tasmania’s conserved areas.

“Through conservation covenants, over the last 22 years TLC has worked with landowners & NRE to protect important habitat for a range of rare and threatened species - such as the swift parrot and giant freshwater crayfish - across the state.

Ms Sherriff said the Tasmanian Land Conservancy had protected more than 100,000ha of important habitat for rare and threatened species like the swift parrot.

Swift parrots breed in Eastern Tasmania but migrate to the mainland to search for food.

Mr Duigan says the government had committed a further $8m over four years to establish a Threatened Species Fund, which will support priority conservation action for threatened species such as the swift parrot.

Originally published as New measures to save the swift parrot