The first Orange-bellied Parrots return to the mainland

This month I come with great news on the Orange-bellied Parrot (OBP) front. After the May survey weekend (17^th and 18^th), 15 individuals were recorded on the mainland, with 3 of these (and a potential 4^th) on private property in South Australia.

For those of you who have been following this story for a while, will know how exciting this is. In 2021 the first OBP was recorded in SA for 8 years. In 2023 a single sighting was recorded, and multiple sightings were recorded last year. One of the OBPs recorded recently was seen in the same area as last year. As I mentioned in my previous post in April, this is the time of year OBPs are migrating to their winter feeding ground on the mainland. With confirmed sightings in SA and knowledge that the birds migrate along the South West Victorian coastline, now is the time to get out there with your binoculars.

Since my last post, final numbers of the breeding season in Melaleuca have been released. A minimum of 97 wild chicks have fledged as of April 2^nd, as seen at the feeding tables in Melaleuca. With spring and summer captive breeding releases at Melaleuca as well, it is estimated that 172 individuals were available to migrate to the mainland for winter.

If you need to report a sighting, or you’re interested in taking part in this project over the winter, please go to the OBP Recovery Team website to find the correct contact for your area.

​The OBP project is supported by the Victorian Government’s Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action