The injured Eastern Ground Parrot in care at the Bunurong Wildlife Care centre. By Dallas Wyatt
An injured parrot found at Inverloch has created excitement and interest amongst local birdwatchers and field naturalists.
The parrot was identified as an Eastern Ground Parrot (Pezoporus wallicus) and its occurrence is the first recorded for many years in the Bass Coast region.
An injured parrot found at Inverloch has created excitement and interest amongst local birdwatchers and field naturalists.
The parrot was identified as an Eastern Ground Parrot (Pezoporus wallicus) and its occurrence is the first recorded for many years in the Bass Coast region.
Unfortunately the bird did not survive its injuries but its discovery has birdwatchers wondering where it came from.
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The mainland subspecies of Eastern Ground Parrot is classified as vulnerable to extinction in Victoria and near threatened nationally, with the population declining throughout their range. The estimated Victorian population is between 300 and 550 mature individuals, according to The Action Plan for Australian Birds 2020.
Nonbreeding EGPs are known to disperse locally in the autumn so it may have come from the subpopulation at the Cape Liptrap Coastal Park, or there may be a small subpopulation in the Bass Coast area that has gone undetected, perhaps at the Wonthaggi Heathlands or elsewhere along the coast. |
Linda Pettit of Bunurong Wildlife Care said the Eastern Ground Parrot had obvious trauma injuries so was taken to a local vet for a care plan then placed in a humidicrib to give it the best chance of recovering. Unfortunately it didn’t make it. The bird's injuries indicate it most likely collided with a fence in a residential area close to the Inverloch coastal foreshore while flying low to the ground. |
There may be a small subpopulation in the Bass Coast area that has gone undetected, perhaps at the Wonthaggi Heathlands or elsewhere along the coast.
Monitoring by listening for their diagnostic calls may be required to resolve this question. Recent research (2022) looking at their vocal activity in a coastal Queensland subpopulation indicates the best time of year to hear them calling is at dusk during the winter months prior to the breeding season.
The Eastern Ground Parrot is a medium sized (30cm), slender, long-tailed parrot which is predominately grass-green in colour with black and yellow marks on their body feathers. The Inverloch parrot appears to be an adult bird as it had a red band across its forehead.
Their prime habitat is thought to be treeless, low heathlands and sedge-lands on the mainland and extensive button-grass plains in Tasmania. They feed mainly on seed from sedges, grasses and heathland shrubs and are active during the day. They are closely related to the Night Parrot (Pezoporus occidentalis) of central Australia which is active at night (and critically endangered). EGPs build a nest close to the ground and breed during the spring and summer months.
They are located in small scattered subpopulations along coastal and subcoastal regions on the east and south coasts of the Australian mainland and also occur in Tasmania, where there is thought to be a large, stable population.
They have been recorded in the Cape Liptrap Coastal Park within the last five years (source: Birdata) and a subpopulation is known to be located in the northern region of Wilsons Prom National Park. They are considered to be locally extinct around Western Port and the central Victorian coast. The overall population decline is due to habitat loss and modification from historic land clearing and grazing, incorrect fire management (too frequent or not frequent enough) and predation by feral cats and foxes.
The Eastern Ground Parrot is a medium sized (30cm), slender, long-tailed parrot which is predominately grass-green in colour with black and yellow marks on their body feathers. The Inverloch parrot appears to be an adult bird as it had a red band across its forehead.
Their prime habitat is thought to be treeless, low heathlands and sedge-lands on the mainland and extensive button-grass plains in Tasmania. They feed mainly on seed from sedges, grasses and heathland shrubs and are active during the day. They are closely related to the Night Parrot (Pezoporus occidentalis) of central Australia which is active at night (and critically endangered). EGPs build a nest close to the ground and breed during the spring and summer months.
They are located in small scattered subpopulations along coastal and subcoastal regions on the east and south coasts of the Australian mainland and also occur in Tasmania, where there is thought to be a large, stable population.
They have been recorded in the Cape Liptrap Coastal Park within the last five years (source: Birdata) and a subpopulation is known to be located in the northern region of Wilsons Prom National Park. They are considered to be locally extinct around Western Port and the central Victorian coast. The overall population decline is due to habitat loss and modification from historic land clearing and grazing, incorrect fire management (too frequent or not frequent enough) and predation by feral cats and foxes.