City Parrots

Katunga irrigated crop farmer Colin Rendell has devoted nearly 10 per cent of his 129 ha farm to superb parrot habitat since 2003.

“It really is a win-win situation,” Mr Rendell said.

“The plantings beautify your land, are a great windbreak, help control salinity and provide a foraging habitat for the superb parrot.”

The Superb Parrot Project has been running in conjunction with local landholders for 15 years and has been successful.

It has resulted in a win for the parrot with increased numbers and habitat and a win for landholders through increased bio-diversity on their farms.

The amount of land Mr Rendell has devoted to this project hasn’t been a sacrifice.

“I knew in my heart I was doing the right thing,” he said.

Mr Rendell direct seeded 12 ha of his farm four years ago and the results have been amazing.

This third-generation farmer had never seen the superb parrot on his farm but it now comes through every year.

Butcherbirds hadn’t been seen since the 1930s but they have now been sighted along with numerous other birds.

The plantation has created a great windbreak and native grasses are beginning to grow.

Katunga dairy farmers Karen and Greg Rowlands are the most easterly farmers to join the project.

They have recently planted 1200 seedlings and are in the process of clearing another 4 ha for direct seeding.

The family believes in the project.

“We are trying to create an environment for birds and wildlife on our farm,” Mrs Rowlands said.

“We want a nice corridor for everyone to enjoy; the cost is minimal.”

The local Waaia Yalca South Primary School came out to help plant on the day.

The school wanted to encourage the kids to get involved in environmental initiatives and found this project to be a great example.

The corridors are planted with trees and shrubs that are native to the area.

They are either direct seeded or planted with seedlings.

There are usually about 25 landholders involved in the project each year.

Funded by Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority, to date the project has planted about 300 000 trees covering about 370 ha from Barmah to Katunga.

The superb parrot is a large bright green parrot with a long narrow tail.

Males have a yellow forehead and throat with a red crescent, females are a duller green and have a light blue colour where the males have yellow markings.

The parrot has a vulnerable conservation status.

Before the project was established there were only 200 birds in the area, but the hard work carried out by the project is starting to pay off.

“Numbers are not declining,” Superb Parrot Project coordinator Sue Logie said.

“The bird is sighted more frequently, and out of breeding season.”