Zoodoo plans to expand its swift parrot breeding program

Southern Tasmanian wildlife park Zoodoo is successfully breeding critically endangered swift parrots.

Swift parrot chick born at Zoodoo Zoo in Tea Tree as part of a successful breeding season for the critically endangered Swift Parrots. At Zoodoo Zoo this breeding season their colony has grown from six to ten with four chicks fledging successfully from two different nests. Picture: Zoodoo Zoo

A Southern Tasmanian zoo is celebrating a successful breeding season for its small group of captive swift parrots.

The population of swifties at Zoodoo has grown from six to ten with four chicks fledging successfully from two different nest.

It’s the zoo’s second season breeding swift parrots, a program linked with efforts by animal parks around the country to help boost the numbers of the critically endangered bird.

Zoodoo general manager zoo operations Nick Atchison said the birds would remain in captivity to raise awareness of the species among zoo visitors.

“There is no breed for release programs for swift parrots at this point but there may be in the future,” Mr Atchison said.

Zoodoo General Manager of Zoo Operations Nick Atchison with Koala Monty. Picture: Chris Kidd

“They stay with us but as we are a Zoo and Aquarium Association member and they are a managed species we will move animals around zoos within Australia within that program for the best genetic outcomes.

“They are on display here and we do a swift parrot talk every day and I think it’s very important that we do raise awareness of them here in Tasmania where they breed.”

The newly hatched chicks spend about six weeks in the nest box before fledging, and then rely on food from their parents for the next few weeks while they are learning to feed for themselves.

The first two chicks at Zoodoo fledged in early November and the second two chicks fledged at the end of January

Zoodoo aims to build a Swift Parrot Conservation Breeding Centre.

Working with Birdlife Australia, Zoodoo has developed interpretive graphics to help visitors distinguish swifties from similar species.

Hollywood start Leonardo DiCaprio brought international attention to the plight of the swift parrot last week with a social media post praising the efforts of the Bob Brown Foundation.

Originally published as Zoodoo plans to expand its swift parrot breeding program