Two Orange-bellied Parrots (OBP) were located on the Narrung Peninsula during the OBP survey in September.
It was the second confirmed recording of OBP in South Australia this year following an earlier record of an adult male also on the Narrung Peninsula during May.
The OBP is one of the rarest birds in the world, and for a period between mid-2013 and early 2021 there were no confirmed sightings in SA.
Since then there have been sightings during 2021, a single sighting in 2023, and now multiple sightings this year.
SA OBP Regional Coordinator Bob Green said last Spring 81 birds returned to the breeding grounds and in Autumn this year 188 birds were thought to leave south west Tasmania for the migration to the mainland.
“Excitingly the two birds found on Saturday were different individuals to the one seen during May, band details were sighted allowing for individual recognition of the birds,” he said.
Mr Green said the birds were found during an official count by Orange-bellied Parrot Recovery Program Coordinator Kerri Duncan and Erin Donnellan, a volunteer who had travelled across from Warrnambool in Victoria to participate, along with himself.
“For both Kerri and Erin this was their first time participating in an OBP survey so a very nice surprise,” he said.
“This is the time of the year when OBP start on their Spring migration back to Tasmania to the breeding grounds in the far south west corner of the state so people are encouraged to look out for them and to report any possible sightings as soon as possible.”
This work is supported by the Limestone Coast Landscape Board with funding from the regional landscape levy.
