DECEMBER 6 2017 - 3:30PM
A third female wild orange-bellied parrot has been reported at
Melaleuca in the state’s South, nearing the end of the migration season.
The critically endangered parrot has been the focus of
increasing concern as few females returned this season, but eggs are being laid
in nestboxes with teams on the ground monitoring the bird’s progress.
Only 16 birds to date have returned from their annual
migration to Victoria, including one captive-bred.
A statement posted by the Orange Bellied Parrot Tasmanian Program
on social media said the third female, a juvenile born in March this year, had
been spotted.
However the female, named RED RED Z for the identification
bands on her legs, disappeared for nine months and was not identified on the
mainland or in Tasmania.
The program’s statement said RED RED Z was seen with “unusual”
yellow flecked feathers across her back and wings. It’s not known what has
caused the unusual colouring, whether disease or genetic issues.
“A member of the Orange-bellied Parrot Tasmanian
Program has flown to Melaleuca to examine RED RED Z to assess her body
condition, weight and general health,” the statement said.
Federal Threatened Species Commissioner Sebastian Lang said
the recovery of the orange-bellied parrot was “a priority” for the federal
government.
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