An orange-bellied parrot perched on a branch, showcases its vibrant green plumage, blue forehead and wing coverts, and distinctive orange belly. This is one of the most endangered bird species in the world. They nest on Tasmania and migrate across the Bass Strait in to overwinter in southern Australia. As their breeding range is very small, an accurate count of the number of birds breeding each year can be obtained. When we saw them, only 92 birds had returned to Tasmania to breed. The population has been supported by the release of captive raised birds and by the placement of artificial nest boxes. Obviously, they are listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Hopefully, continued conservation efforts will result in an increase in the population. I feel extremely lucky to have seen this parrot in the wild. This image reminds us of the importance of preserving natural habitats for such unique species.
An orange-bellied parrot perched on a branch, showcases its vibrant green plumage, blue forehead and wing coverts, and distinctive orange belly. This is one of the most endangered bird species in the world. They nest on Tasmania and migrate across the Bass Strait in to overwinter in southern Australia. As their breeding range is very small, an accurate count of the number of birds breeding each year can be obtained. When we saw them, only 92 birds had returned to Tasmania to breed. The population has been supported by the release of captive raised birds and by the placement of artificial nest boxes. Obviously, they are listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Hopefully, continued conservation efforts will result in an increase in the population. I feel extremely lucky to have seen this parrot in the wild. This image reminds us of the importance of preserving natural habitats for such unique species.