The Orange-Bellied Parrot (Neophema chrysogaster) or the OBP is one of Australia's most threatened species. Although there is some uncertainty as to the exact number of individuals of this species that exist in the wild, most estimates are around 100 birds. This year only 85 birds were counted as returning to their key breeding areas in Tasmania.
The OBP is a small parrot - being smaller than a common Blackbird - that breeds in limited areas south west Tasmania, before it migrates north to the coast of Victoria and South Australia. The birds migrate to the mainland in March and April, and remain on the mainland until mid-October.
These are the first of these birds I have seen.
The location of 'reliable' sites to see these birds is a bit of an open secret in the birding community - although I suggest that less well know sites are justifiably suppressed for the sake of the birds. I saw these birds at on of the 'open secret' sites.
It's a sobering thought to think that these pictures may contain more the 2% of the world population of this species.
As you can see, the orange belly is not exactly prominent, but it can be glimpsed in some of these pictures. The bird with the most blue on its wings in these images is a male. Although largely, these birds were strangely visible amounts the saltbush where they were feeding.
Finding these birds - with help from my friends - was a bit of a highlight really!
Small birds, at a long distance, don't make for the best images - but I was just so pleased to see these birds.
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Cheers and hope all is well. SM
100 is a sad statistic. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that you got to see and photograph this endangered bird Stewart. Thanks for hosting nad commenting. Have a good week.
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