The number of critically endangered orange-bellied parrots arriving at their Tasmanian breeding ground has jumped to 49 – another encouraging sign in the species’ recovery.
14 more of the rare parrots were confirmed at Melaleuca over the past week, bringing welcome news for conservationists tracking the annual spring migration.
Among the new arrivals are increasing numbers of wild-born birds, raised in nest boxes last season and now making their own way back from the mainland.
“We recorded a minimum of 99 fledglings from nest boxes monitored by NRE Tas staff last season, so we are excited to see how many return,” the program said.
The return of these wild-born birds marks a major milestone for the species, which breeds only at the remote south-west Tasmanian site.
Since monitoring began weeks ago, numbers have risen – from 15 parrots recorded by 20 October to 35 by 28 October.
Among the earlier arrivals was a female born in the wild in 2017, now at least seven years old.
Several parrots fitted with tracking transmitters last season have also made the journey back.
Each spring, between 18 and 34 captive-bred adults are released at Melaleuca, followed by up to 50 juveniles each summer to help boost the wild population.
With migration still underway, conservationists are hopeful more of last season’s record number of fledglings will touch down in the coming weeks.
