It's that time of year again when the critically endangered swift parrot passes through our region on their way to their breeding grounds in Tasmania.
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As one of only two migratory parrot species in the world, swift parrots spend winter and early spring on the mainland feeding on flowering eucalypts before heading to their favourite places in Tasmania to breed.
"It's an exciting time," said Steve Sass, zoo curator at On the Perch Bird Park in Tathra.
"There have been several birds sighted in Merimbula and Narooma in the last couple of days, as the birds begin their long journeys from as far north as south-east Queensland."
With fewer than 2000 birds remaining in the wild, every observation is very important. People can lodge their sightings through the Atlas of Life in the Coastal Wilderness, or the Far South Coast Bird Watchers.
For those unsure of what a swift parrot looks like, a small group of them have begun their life at On the Perch Bird Park as part of the zoo's breeding program.
In the wild, swift parrots are threatened by logging, changes to habitat from climate change, and predation by the sugar glider, which was introduced into Tasmania in the early 1800s.
"As their name suggests, swift parrots fly very fast in the wild, so the bird park is a great place to get familiar with their body shape, their unique call, and the way they fly," Steve said.
