A call out to our supporters across Queensland, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory and Victoria; Birdlife needs participants for the upcoming biannual Swift parrot Search. Read below info taken from the Birdlife website.
Why is the Swift Parrot Search important?
The most recent published population estimate of Swift Parrots (in the Action Plan for Australian Birds 2020) was 750 individuals, but recent research suggests the population could be as low as 500 birds.
Impacts associated with the ongoing destruction of their habitat, such as commercial logging, continues to be the most significant threat to the survival of Swift Parrots.
In the past decade, searches undertaken across the Swift Parrot’s non-breeding range on the Australia mainland have indicated a marked change in how they’re using the landscape. Currently, we don’t precisely know what’s influencing this apparent shift.
To promote the species’ recovery, we need to better understand what determines Swift Parrot presence and habitat selection across their vast winter range, with the Swift Parrot Search specifically designed to address key knowledge gaps and enable us to better protect the species.
To improve the collective survey effort for monitoring Swift Parrot populations by complementing traditional ‘roaming’ searches with the Swift Parrot Search survey method. By using both methods, we can improve the overall effectiveness of our monitoring, as neither method alone will satisfy the monitoring needs for this species.
Additionally, it’s an opportunity to get more information about other threatened species that also occur in the Swift Parrot’s mainland habitats, like Regent Honeyeaters
King Island is a part of the Secondary Range used by the Swift Parrot but is not included in the survey sites used for The Swift Parrot Search. This is because the parrot has been observed altering their use of the mainland 'stronghold' habitats. This is thought to be connected to the growing influence of climate change on the patterns of eucalypt flowering, nectar flow, and lerp availability.
For more information, please visit the Birdlife website here Swift Parrot Search - BirdLife Australia
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