Supporting native revegetation to restore Superb Parrot foraging and breeding habitat on private property.
Project background
The Superb Parrot (Polytelis swainsonii) is listed as vulnerable in NSW and Australia. Fewer than 5,000 – 10,000 birds remain in the wild.
The Superb Parrot has suffered a decline in range and abundance over the last 100 years.
Major threats include clearing and degradation of nesting and foraging habitats, disturbance around nesting sites, competition for nest hollows, trapping for the pet trade and road kill.
Project objectives
Local Land Services supported and worked alongside landholders to restore foraging habitat and flyways for Superb Parrots by:
- protecting remnants containing hollow-bearing trees by fencing and excluding grazing stock;
- planting and direct seeding of known food plants for superb parrots, such as Gold-dust Wattle, Silver Wattle, Deane’s Wattle, Wallaby Grass, Wedge-leaf Hopbush, Creeping Saltbush; and
- creating revegetation flyways to improve connectivity between foraging and breeding habitat, including paddock trees with hollows where possible.
Project outcomes
From 2020 to 2023, project participants have:
- established 4 conservation agreements
- completed 5.6 km of fencing
- planted approximately 50 ha of trees, shrubs and groundcovers for Superb Parrot foraging habitat
- attended two community workshops (82 attendees)
- supported the ‘Seedlings for Superbs’ giveaways (60 participants)
Success stories
‘Wandong’, Savernake
Wandong is a mixed farming business with cropping and livestock in southern NSW at Savernake - just north of the NSW and Victoria border.
After seeing Superb Parrots on a roadside adjoining their property and receiving a letter about a project focused on this bird, the property owners decided to get involved.
The family has a long connection to the area, and successive generations have a history of protecting and revegetating areas on the farm including direct seeding into larger fenced-off patches with their own air seeder.
On-ground work
Revegetation works started with fencing off a paper lane through the property that connected two roadsides. The roadsides have good-quality remnant vegetation and a high diversity of birds.
After fencing, the sites were direct seeded during the autumn and early winter.
The seeding included a mix of species that Superb Parrots forage. This included local wattles, hopbush ruby saltbush and punty bush.
The commitment to enhancing their farm to encourage more wildlife to return is now paying off as new species move in and call the farm home.
Restoring Superb Parrot Flyways at Wandong
Hugh Smith and family from Savernake in southern NSW were keen to be involved in the Restoring Superb Parrot Flyways project after seeing the birds near their farm.
Woodstock, Berrigan
Woodstock is a broad-acre, organic mixed farm east of Berrigan in southern NSW adjoining State Forest. Superb Parrots had been regularly seen in the area by the property owners in the past, with fewer sightings in recent years.
As a requirement for organic certification, the landowners had created tree breaks around the property as buffers. They had also fenced off remnant vegetation and direct seeded into these areas, as well as fencing off new areas of natural regeneration.
The Superb Parrot project allowed the property owners to fulfil a vision of connecting the State Forest to other revegetation they had completed on the property.
On-ground work
The project supported a revegetation area 1,600 meters long and 30 meters wide with 1,550 trees and shrubs planted in 5 rows. The owners prepared the site by deep ripping before planting. Planting was completed by a contractor in the winter months.
Restoring Superb Parrot Flyways at Woodstock
Jenny and Bob Congdon from southern NSW committed to a large revegetation project on their farm as part of the Restoring Superb Parrot Flyways Project.
Ongoing work
There are many things landholders can do to help protect superb parrots and their habitat.
- Retain and protect woodland remnants.
- Plant native trees, shrubs and grasses for habitat and feeding.
- Prevent grain spills and watch out for superb parrots feeding along roads.
- Report suspected illegal bird trapping, egg collection or sales to NPWS.
- Ensure that hazard reduction burns and stubble burns avoid damaging large hollow-bearing trees that provide Superb Parrot breeding habitat.
- Share your superb parrot sightings with Birdlife Australia's Birdata app
Funding and partnerships
This project was supported through funding from the NSW Government's Environmental Trust.