Endangered orange-bellied parrot numbers take flight

The migration of three orange-bellied parrots across Bass Strait has excited scientists and wildlife enthusiasts who have watched the birds teeter on the edge of extinction.

Orange-bellied parrot.

The migration of three orange-bellied parrots across Bass Strait has excited scientists and wildlife enthusiasts who have watched the birds teeter on the edge of extinction in the wild for 15 years.

The plight of the world’s rarest parrot became national news in 2006 when then environment minister Ian Campbell over-ruled the Victorian government to ban a 52-turbine windfarm in South Gippsland, southeast of Melbourne, because it posed a risk to the orange-bellied parrot.

The bird’s status as critically endangered cast doubt on other proposed developments but Mr Campbell later backtracked to allow the turbines.

Back then, about 200 orange-bellied parrots were left at Melaleuca, a pocket of Tasmania’s Southwest National Park where the birds spend much of the year.

By 2017, only 14 males and three females were counted there and evidence suggested those released into the wild were perishing on the annual migration to Victoria. The birds, slightly larger than budgerigars at about 20cm in length, weigh 45-50g and cross the strait in 12 hours.

By November last year, the birds’ fortunes were turning: 51 ­orange-bellied parrots had been to the Victorian mainland for winter and made it back to the Tasmanian forest. They were joined by another 26 captive-bred adults at Melaleuca, where scientists have worked to prevent them from contracting or spreading viruses.

The three orange-bellied parrots spotted at Werribee, Victoria, this week are early for the winter migration, creating hope 2021 will be a bumper year.

There are predictions that more than 150 birds could successfully migrate from Tasmania to Victoria and back this winter.