Download Regent Parrot

MALLEE
CATCHMENT
Above: Female Regent Parrot in nest hollow.
Photo: Victor Hurley.
At a glance
• Regent Parrots are listed as
nationally vulnerable under the
Environment Protection and
Left: Regent Parrot emerging from a nest hollow in a Red River Gum. Photo: Alex Holmes, GHD.
This fact sheet summarises background
Habitat
information about the eastern sub
Regent Parrots are restricted to a single
species of the Regent Parrot (Polytelis
population occurring in inland south-
anthopeplus monarchoides).
eastern Australia, in the lower MurrayDarling basin region of South Australia,
Description
New South Wales and Victoria. Within this
The Regent Parrot is a medium-sized
range, the Regent Parrot occurs in riverine
(160-190 grams) fast flying, slender,
and mallee woodlands.
long-tailed yellow to smoky-yellow parrot,
37-42 cm in length. Adult males are bright
During the breeding season the Regent
yellow with an olive green back, blue-black
Parrot nests in River Red Gum (Eucalyptus
wings and tail, and red inner wings. Adult
camaldulensis) forest using hollows in
females and juveniles are olive-green with
dead or living trees. Regent Parrots are
blue-green wings and tail. They also have
sensitive to disturbance by humans and
red markings on the wings but these are
can be reluctant to leave or approach the
not as bright and are less extensive.
nest when a human is present.
Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
• They are a medium-sized, slender,
long-tailed, yellow to smokeyyellow parrot.
• Regent Parrots nest in hollows of
River Red Gums.
• There is estimated to be no more
than 2,900 adult birds across its
range (South Australia, Victoria and
New South Wales).
• The Regent Parrot requires
vegetation corridors for movement
between feeding and breeding
sites to escape predators.
www.malleecma.vic.gov.au
Regent Parrot
(Polytelis anthopeplus monarchoides)
Regent Parrot have been identified and
include:
• Clearing and degradation of nesting and
foraging habitat;
• Destruction of flight paths between
breeding and feeding habitats;
• Human disturbance around nesting
sites;
• Competition from other species for nest
hollows;
• Deliberate killing or illegal collection;
• Accidental death through road kills and
poisoning;
• Loss of important habitat features
through construction/maintenance –
road, rail, utility, vegetation clearance
and timber harvesting.
Above: Male Regent Parrot. Photo: Alex Holmes, GHD.
During the breeding season, male
Ecology
How you can help
Regent Parrots feed mostly in large
Regent Parrots generally feed in pairs and
The Mallee CMA encourages the
blocks of intact mallee woodlands within
small groups, but occasionally in large
community to help the Regent Parrot by:
approximately 20 km (usually 5-10 km) of
flocks. The Regent Parrot feeds mainly
• Retaining and enhancing native
nest sites.
on the seeds of grasses and herbaceous
vegetation along watercourses and
plants, but also eats fruits, buds and fallen
surrounding areas to protect habitat for
Regent Parrots readily use corridors
grain and fruit in orchards. Regent Parrots
Regent Parrots;
of vegetation for movement between
nest in loose colonies of up to 27 pairs.
nesting and foraging sites as they’re
Up to six eggs are laid and incubated for
reluctant to fly over open areas due to an
21 days, where the males feed their mate
increase risk of predation by falcons.
near the nest hollow by regurgitation and
• Controlling feral predators (e.g. foxes
and feral cats);
• Supporting the delivery of water flows
to wetlands;
females do most of the feeding of the
• Driving slowly near grain spills;
Relatively very little is known about
young. The young fledge about 42 days
• Keeping a distance from nest trees
Regent Parrots in the non-breeding
later.
during breeding season.
season, however they are commonly
observed in southern, eastern, and
A matter of survival
Find out more
northern areas of the Murray Sunset
The Regent Parrot is listed as nationally
The Mallee CMA has undertaken a
and Wyperfeld National Parks. Regent
vulnerable under the Environment
number of monitoring based projects
Parrot flocks comprising of both adults
Protection and Biodiversity Conservation
to help address knowledge gaps for
and juveniles may also be observed as far
Act 1999, suffering a decline in range and
the Regent Parrot. To find out further
east, south, and west of Ouyen including
abundance over the last 100 years. The
information on these projects please
Hattah, Manangatang, Hopetoun and
exact size of the population is currently
contact the Mallee CMA on 03 5051 4377
Murrayville.
not known and is estimated to be no more
or refer to the Technical Bulletins available
than 2,900 adult birds across the three
on the Mallee CMA website at
states (South Australia, Victoria and New
www.malleecma.vic.gov.au.
South Wales). A number of threats to the
Project Partners
Published February 2011
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Catchment Management Authority refers readers to our Terms
and Conditions, available from our website.
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