Orange-Bellied Parrot: Threats and Solutions

Habitat Loss and Fragmentation (Winnie)

Invasive Species and Competition (Emily)

Climate Change and Extreme Weather

Pollution & Environmental degradation (Gautham)

Competition for nesting sites with the invasive species the Common Starling. Orange-bellied parrots nest in tree hollows.

Weeds

Predation by cats and foxes

Infrastructure Development

Deforestation

Buildings fragmenting habitats

Clearing land for agriculture

Clearing land for urban development

Coastal transformation

CURRENT
MEASURES

Habitat restoration

Protection of important sites

A captive breeding program aimed at bolstering wild populations

Reforestation

Rehabilitating damaged habitats

Food for parrot

Seeds from salt-tolerant coastal plants: Sarcocornia quinqueflora and Suaeda australis

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  • Habitat preferences and food sources have narrowed in recent decades.
  • Birds forage in saltmarshes, dunes, pastures, or irrigated crops, often near water bodies.
  • Non-breeding habitat includes vegetated dunes, heathlands, grasslands, and saltmarshes near coasts.
  • Breeding birds feed on seeds and flowers of low vegetation; prefer areas 1-8 years post-fire.
  • Nesting in Eucalypt tree hollows or nest boxes, often live Smithton Peppermint.
  • Breeding occurs in Eucalypt forests, rainforests, moorland, and sedgeland in Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.

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  • Food availability fluctuates seasonally; the parrot needs diverse feeding locations and plant species.
  • Habitat fragmentation reduces breeding and foraging areas in Eucalypt forests, saltmarshes, and moorlands.
  • the parrots roost in non-native plants like African Boxthorn due to native shrub loss.
  • Developed and polluted areas disrupt coastal migratory habitats and reduce foraging spaces.
  • Incomplete mapping of critical habitats hinders conservation efforts.
  • Small wild population size and low genetic diversity increase species vulnerability to habitat degradation.

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migration disruption

habitat degradation

breeding and nesting failure

food scarcity

storms and floods

droughts and heatwaves

stronger storms and unpredictable winds

temperature extremes

rising sea levels

changes in rainfall patterns

prolonged droughts

shifting seasons

increased competition

New species moving into habitats

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