247) Rarities

Swift Parrot

We made another trip out to Mulgoa Reserve as a group of Swift Parrots had been sighted numerous times. The Swifts are  another endangered species with  the latest survey reporting 1200 birds. Their population has declined by ~30% in the past 8 years so making the effort to see them is a special event.

We encountered a research group from ANU who were banding them for study. The Swifties breed in Tasmania (like the Orange Bellied Parrot) and distribute up the east coast of OZ (a group has been seen recently near Brisbane). They indicated that this photo is a young(ish) bird.

This species has posed a bit of an enigma. The eucalyptus they prefer is reasonably abundant but their population is falling precipitously. The ANU group recorded footage from a breeding site in TAS showing a 100% mortality rate - from Suger Gliders! (see http://theconversation.com/sugar-gliders-are-eating-swift-parrots-but-whats-to-blame-19555). Parrot predation by gliders increases in disturbed forests (read - the old growth forestry still going on in TAS). So the logging removes breeding habitat for parrots and also makes predation by gliders more likely (Gliders were likely introduced to TAS from the mainland in the early 1900's -they are OZ natives but not on TAS) .

This has no easy fix.......