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Planting For Parrots
Orange-bellied Parrots are critically endangered and need your help to find native plants to eat. If you are visiting Healesville Sanctuary you are eligible to participate in their recovery program.
Each year Orange-bellied Parrots migrate from Tasmania to the Australian mainland to feed on coastal saltmarsh plants. Much of their feeding habitat has been cleared since European settlement and many parrots are forced to feed on introduced grasses.
If we can provide captive-bred parrots with native food plants in their aviaries we hope they will be more likely to recognise these plants in the wild and increase their chances of survival.
Healesville Sanctuary is part of a captive breeding and release program to increase the numbers of Orange-bellied Parrots in the wild.
Keepers travel to Tasmania each year to release the birds into the wild.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
If you are visiting Healesville Sanctuary you are eligible to participate in propagating special native plants that Orange-bellied Parrots eat. This can be done before or after your visit.
1. Purchase your propagation kit and either receive it in the post or collect it when you visit Healesville Sanctuary. The kit includes a Little Nursery containing small pots with either cuttings or seeds ready to propagate.
Cost: $10.00 (to be collected) $13.90 (to be sent)
2. You will be given an instruction sheet about caring for the particular plant you are propagating. Set up the Little Nursery by following the instruction sheet.
3. Place your Little Nursery next to a window that receives plenty of natural sunlight and spray the plants daily with water.
4. Once the plants are ready, use native potting mix to pot up the seedlings in individual pots (forest tubes).
5. Contact Learning Experiences on 5957 2818 to arrange the delivery of the Little Nursery and plants to Healesville Sanctuary.
6. A Certificate of Appreciation will be sent to your class and regular updates about the parrots will be provided throughout the year.
To get involved in helping the recovery of one of our most critically endangered birds please contact the Learning Experiences team by email or phone 5957 2818
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THREATS TO ORANGE-BELLIED PARROTS
Since European occupation there has been a reduction in coastal saltmarsh habitats on mainland Australia. These communities provide important feeding plants for Orange-bellied Parrots during the winter months.
Global warming is likely to cause sea levels to rise, eventually inundating remaining saltmarsh communities.
Predation by introduced animals such as feral cats and foxes also impact populations.
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