Orange-bellied Parrots (OBPs) are the focus of ongoing conservation efforts. While Ellinor Campbell and I didn’t see any OBPs at Breamlea during last September’s survey, 2023 was a positive year for the birds.
Orange-bellied Parrot
Bellarine Peninsula OBP Coordinator Craig Morley reported seven OBPs were seen in the Lake Connewarre area during October. There were two additional OBPs seen in April and May, making a total of nine birds for 2023.
OBPs migrate to the mainland in winter and return to Melaleuca in South West Tasmania to breed in spring. There were 81 returns to Melaleuca in 2023, a record count for the last 15 years. The population comprises a mix of wild birds and captive-bred birds.
There will be OBP surveys around the Bellarine Peninsula on these dates: 18/19 May 2024, 27/28 July 2024 and 14/15 September 2024.
Please contact me on 0435 750 600 if you would like details on participation in the surveys.
James Orton