By Oliver Lees
The critically endangered swift parrot has been sighted in Sunbury – the first recorded sighting of the bird in the area for 10 years.
Sunbury resident Sally Ryan said it was special to see a flock of 20-30 of the parrots along Kismet Creek last week.
“A fellow birding friend of mine actually sighted them first and called me down to see them, as they are within walking distance of both our homes,” she said.
“The birds exist in flocks and are very brightly coloured, but amazingly, are difficult to spot. They feed on new growths typically very high up in the canopy where they’re well camouflaged, often given away only by their call.
“In flight they are incredibly fast, hence their name.”
Ms Ryan said there had not been a sighting of the swift parrot in Sunbury recorded on Cornell University’s global eBird mapping device since 2011.
According to Zoos Victoria, more than 70 per cent of the forest and woodland environment the swift parrot relies on has been removed since records began.
The organisation suggests there is a chance the bird could become extinct over the next 20 years.
Ms Ryan said the birds may have landed in Sunbury as part of their annual migration from Tasmania to Victoria’s Great Dividing Range.
“The swift parrot is commonly mistaken for other birds such as the rainbow lorikeets, short and long-billed corellas and musk lorikeets,” she said.
“It’s wonderful to showcase our stunning wildlife whilst it’s still around. If it prompts a bit more interest in them and in saving and building up crucial habitat, then that’s a great thing.”
