News Items
Parramatta River Red Rump Parrot Project
Breeding Season 2021
Breeding Season 2021
The ASNSW Conservation Trust work at Sydney Olympic Park with our PRRRP (Parramatta River Red Rump Parrot) nest box project is now 2 years in. On our most recent inspection on 7th December and working with the Sydney Olympic Park Authority - Sydney Olympic Park (SOPA) we counted 19 red-rumped parrot chicks almost ready to fledge from the nest, with two hens still sitting on eggs (and one rainbow lorikeet chick). We estimate over 50 red-rumped parrots have been raised so far this season complimenting the 50 odd that fledged last year.
SOPA have just released 2021 bird census results and mentioned:
It is believed that their numbers have almost doubled in the last two years with the introduction of the ASNSW Conservation Trust nest boxes.
The Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (RAS) has been a major contributor to this project by helping us at the Sydney Royal Easter Show to raise funds by selling over 80 nest boxes.
Thank you to The Royal Agricultural Society of NSW and Murray Wilton for supporting Australian aviculture and helping the Parramatta River red-rumped parrot fight back to flourish in colonies along the green spaces of the Parramatta River. Helping the Sydney public to enjoy these beautiful birds in nature.
A selection of photos taken earlier this week of chicks in the nest.
Previous news items
The Passing of Hilton Smith
Options for a National Registration Scheme for Native and Exotic Live Birds (2021)
COVID-19 Update - September 2021 meeting cancelled
COVID-19 Update - Spring Bird Sale postposted to 21 November 2021
COVID-19 Update - August 2021 meeting cancelled
COVID-19 Update - July 2021 meeting cancelled
COVID-19 Update - October 2020 meeing going ahead
COVID-19 Update - September 2020 meeing cancelled
Parramatta River Red Rump Parrot (PRRRP) Conservation Trust
—
Box 57 Congratulations to Year 5 Regina Coeli Catholic Primary School Aug-2020
–- Ivan Cindric installing boxes 6 June 2020
COVID-19 Update - August 2020 meeing cancelled
Our July 2020 meeting is going ahead
Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
The Art Of Leila Jeffreys on iview: Bird Nerd: Leila Jeffreys
Australian Bird Expo May 2020
BBC News Science and Environment – Bird populations in Asia and the US are "in crisis"
Passing of Stan Sindel - Life Member of the ASNSW and recipient of the Order of Australia Medal (OAM)
Passing of Russell Kingston
Update NSW Wildlife Licensing Reforms 1/07/2020
Update on Native Animal Licensing in NSW (16/03/2017)
Passing of Keith Gallagher
The passing of Hilton Smith
Saturday 9th October 2021
It is with deep sadness today that we have heard that our dear friend Hilton Smith has passed away overnight. A sincere gentleman and always giving to all of his knowledge in his love of Budgerigars and helping everyone.
Hilton helped us at this years first Hawkesbury Aviary Bird show in March, A photo of the champ on the day.
A great friend at Budgerigar and bird meetings. With a wonderful laugh.
Our friends at the Australian Heritage Budgerigar Association and St George Budgerigar Club will miss his presence.
In honour of Hilton the Avicultural Society of NSW will have a Annual Award named - Hilton Smith Champ Award for Best Budgerigar for all future Hawkesbury Aviary Bird Shows and a special ASNSW Conservation Nest box will be installed at Sydney Olympic Park in his honour with a plaque to celebrate his dedication and love of Aviculture.
I and the Avicultural Society of NSW pass on our deepest condolences to Hilton's family and friends.
It was an honour to have known the Champ.
Rest In Peace our dear friend.
With sadness
Con Tsintarakis
President
Avicultural Society of NSW
Aviculturists Have your say!
Options for a National Registration Scheme for Native and Exotic Live Birds
The Australian Government, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment are 'seeking your feedback on options for the establishment of a national registration scheme for native and exotic live birds'.
How to have your say
Read the background paper and submit
your feedback or upload a document by
17 September 2021.
Meeting planned for 7th September 2021 has be cancelled!
Due to the current COVID-19 lockdown restrictions for the Sydney metropolitan and regional areas, the Society's September meeting has been cancelled.
We will keep you informed for the remaining meetings for 2021 on a month to month basis.
Our Spring Bird Sale planned for 21 August 2021 has been postposted to 21 November 2021!
Due to the extended COVID-19 lockdown restrictions for the Sydney metropolitan and regional areas, the Society's Spring Bird Sale at the Hawkesbury Showground in originally planned for August as been postponed until 21 November 2021. Details and an updated flyer are available on or Bird Sales page or you can download a printable version of our flyer here and share with whoever you would like to!
Meeting planned for 3rd August 2021 has be cancelled!
Due to the extended COVID-19 lockdown restrictions for the Sydney metropolitan and regional areas, the Society's August meeting has been cancelled.
We will keep you informed for the remaining meetings for 2021 on a month to month basis.
Meeting planned for 7th July 2021 has be cancelled!
Due to the current COVID-19 lockdown restrictions for the Sydney metropolitan and regional areas, the Society's July meeting has been cancelled.
We will keep you informed for the remaining meetings for 2021 on a month to month basis.
Meeting scheduled for 6th October going ahead!
We are happy to say our 6th October 2020 meeting is going ahead. We will be occupying the main hall at the Ermington Community Centre which with the current COVID-19 restrictions will comfortably fit 65 people.
COVID-19 (update)
Meeting scheduled for 1st September cancelled
After speaking to a few of our members it is clear that there is still a little uneasiness about attending our meetings. So, out of a duty of care we have cancelled our September meeting.
It is disappointing but we are not the only folk feeling the effects of this 1 in 100 year event.
I hope your birds are making nests and ready for the breeding season ahead.
Con Tsintarakis
ASNSW President
(Friday, 21/08/2020)
Conservation Update!
Congratulations to Year 5 Regina Coeli Catholic Primary School!
Congratulations to Year 5 Regina Coeli Catholic Primary School who have sponsored Nest Box 57. Your nest box is active with a pair of Red Rump Grass Parrots!!
Great to see the new nest boxes after one week of being installed have Red Rump Grass Parrots in them.
It should be a great breeding season.
Out of the 12 x Nest Boxes we have up at Archery Park. Eight are being used currently, great result.
COVID-19 (update)
Meeting scheduled for 4th August 2020 cancelled
It is becoming clear that we are being presented with another spotfire wave of the COVID-19 virus in Sydney. Sadly this is taking us back to another high measured response on how we should be conducting our face to face meetings. We were successful in having our July meeting in our new main hall and one of the first bird clubs to do so in New South Wales.
Considering all the precautions we need to put in place and for the wellbeing of our members, we have cancelled our August 2020 meeting whilst watching how the virus is being contained over the next 4 weeks.
These are trying times for all of us.
Focusing on positives after all this gloom I can report that the Nest Box Conservation project is going well with Red Rump Grass Parrots now starting to use our nest boxes at Sydney Olympic Park.
We will shortly be installing more Nest Boxes with temperature monitors at Sydney Olympic Park, a joint venture with Sydney Olympic Park Authorities.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Government Guidelines
This site will link you to the latest COVID-19 news, updates and advice from government agencies across Australia.
July 2020 meeting is going ahead!
We are happy to say we are back in business with our 7th July meeting going ahead.
We will be occupying the Main Hall at the Ermington Community Centre on the opposite side of the corridor to our usual meeting room. With the current COVID-19 restrictions we can comfortably fit 65 people.
We will have COVID-19 safe procedures in place for all:
Distancing in chairs, alcohol wipes and hand sanitisers, along with disposable masks and gloves for whoever would like them. All cutlery, plates, cups and napkins will be disposable.
See our Speakers Page for full details.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
(Updated above - our July meeting 2020 will be going ahead!)
The ASNSW Committee have unanimously agreed that in relation to the well being of our members and those that attend our meetings, social gatherings, bird sales and Easter Show events, etc. that all meetings and events are now on hold until further notice.
As you will have realised we have had to cancel our presence at the Royal Easter Show for 2020, just three weeks out from the start.
Disappointing, however our concern for our members is first and foremost.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Government Guidelines
This site will link you to the latest COVID-19 news, updates and advice from government agencies across Australia.
Dear ASNSW members and friends,
The Avicultural Society of NSW was busy at work today installing more PRRRP Nest Boxes along Parramatta River.
Below is our Conservation Officer hard at work.
Ivan excelled himself installing nest boxes 5 metres up a tree.
We kindly thank him for his great work and for sponsoring 10 nest boxes which he takes pride in installing.
More to come, have a great long weekend everyone.
Cheers !!
Con Tsintarakis
President | The Avicultural Society of New South Wales
Conservation, Conservation, Conservation!
(Apart from a couple of previous setbacks we are definitely on the air today at 4:40pm - see details below! Listen in to hear what it is all about and how you can help our beautiful little Red Rump Parrot in its fight for survival along the Parramatta River region in Sydney NSW!)
An announcement from our President - Con Tsintarakis
We are on air this afternoon!, Saturday 7 December. Listen to 2GB Radio's Murray Wilton at 4:40pm to hear what we have to say and learn more!
The Avicultural Society of NSW will celebrate its 80th year in 2020 and has launched its Conservation Arm called PRRRP (Parramatta River Red Rump Parrot) Conservation project.
Our aim is to supply Councils and park authorities free - 500 specially designed and made parrot nest boxes and offer the public the same box to buy and take home to grow the habitat for these wonderful little grass parrots.
A very hardy and colourful parrot species that can survive well in built up suburbs.
With Parramatta River currently experiencing major construction of tower apartments and families moving in, but not having the opportunity of keeping birds, our aim is to grow the colonies of these little Aussie battlers (Red Rump Parrots) in the parks and reserves scattered around the Parramatta river. We have already started suppling Olympic Park authorities and the Parramatta Council with the Nesting Boxes in our preliminary trials and will also be supplying:
There is already a colony of over 80 Red Rump Grass Parrots in the Olympic Park and they are scattered from Westmead Children’s hospital grounds through to Gladesville Bridge.
The photos of the Red Rump Parrot on the right were taken in my backyard where I have two pairs breeding in my gum trees.
The Mitre Joint Men’s Group at Oran Park builds these nest boxes for us and is a proud supporter of charities, suppling wooden toys free to children that are doing it tough, along with special toys made for underprivileged children overseas.
We are proud to be supporting them by having the nest boxes made by them and us buying them to create good will for underprivileged children and these beautiful birds that we want to preserve along Parramatta River.
The nest box has been designed by Ray Ackroyd a famous bird trapper (now retired) that worked for the Australian Government for over 50 years travelling the bush conducting research and moving bird colonies for Government departments.
His vast experience has helped design this ideal nest box.
We hope to spread the word of the work the Avicultural Society of NSW has been doing for 80 years to as many people as possible that have a passion for our feathered friends; and keep our skies filled with these flying gems of Australia.
We will have on our website a PRRRP list of the nest boxes that will show:
- Box Number
- Site Location
- Council Locations
- Name of person or organisation that has sponsored the nest box
This is designed for the public to have an opportunity to see these beautiful birds in the wild and appreciate their homes existence near them.
We will be selling these nest boxes at the Royal Easter Show next year and the boxes that we sell will be sponsored by and stamped with the Royal Easter Show RAS logo.
All the nest boxes will be monitored yearly. The nest boxes will be installed with the help of the Councils arborists, local Fire Brigade, SES and specially trained volunteers.
A note from our President - Con Tsintarakis
Hi Folks,
I had the pleasure of watching this lovely documentary on Leila Jeffrey’s (a member of our Society) yesterday on ABC Sunday 7/10/2019).
Simply amazing - for all us bird nerds!!
Watching Bird Nerd: The Art Of Leila Jeffreys avaible for viewing on iview Bird Nerd: The Art of Leila Jeffreys
Amazing images!!
The Australian Bird Expo
To be held on the 30th May 2020 in South East QLD. The event is sponsored by the Pheasant and Waterfowl Society of Australia.
Mozilla Firefox does not support the plugin below - best viewed on other browsers.
BBC NEWS Science and Environment
Bird populations in Asia and the US are "in crisis", according to two major studies.
The first concludes there are three billion fewer birds in the US and Canada today compared to 1970 - a loss of 29% of North America's birds.
The second outlines a tipping point in "the Asian songbird crisis": on the island of Java, Indonesia, more birds may now live in cages than in the wild.
Scientists hope the findings will serve as a wake-up call.
The two studies are published in the journals Science and Biological Conservation.
Passing of Stan Sindel
It is with sincere sadness that we report the passing of Mr Stan Sindel, Life Member of the ASNSW and recipient of the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for his services in the field of aviculture. Stan passed away last Saturday after a long illness. Stan was a pioneer of aviculture in Australia and a respected world expert on many parrot species. Stan will be much missed by the avicultural world. Our heart felt sympathy for Stan's wife Jill, his family and friends, and for all who knew and loved him through his passionate life's work in the field of aviculture.
Passing of Russell Kingston
It is with sadness that we report the passing of Russell Kingston. To everyone's great shock we recently lost a great champion for birds in general and finches in particular, in the untimely and sudden death of Russell Kingston. Russell was a favoured son of aviculture and an absolutely outstandingly gifted bird breeder. Russell was a wonderful communicator – lecturing extensively and writing in magazines, and producing books which resulted in huge welfare benefits for birds.
Update NSW Wildlife Licensing Reforms
Associated Birdkeepers of Australia Inc. (1 July 2017) Powerpoint presentation (PDF format).
Update on Native Animal Licensing in NSW (16/03/2017)
Update on the NSW native bird licensing review process.
Passing of Keith Gallagher
It is with sadness that we report the passing of Keith Gallagher (revered aviculturist and owner of Aviculture Accessories). Our sympathy is expressed for his family and friends and all who knew and respected him in the field of aviculture. He will be greatly missed.
His funeral will be held next Wednesday 15th March 2017 at 10.00am at Castlebrook Memorial Park, 712-746 Windsor Road, Rouse Hill NSW 2155 (opposite Rouse Hill Shopping Centre).
The Royal Easter Show (6-19 April 2017)
Threatened Species in Aviculture Display
Did you know The Avicultural Society of New South Wales Inc. in partnership with The Finch Society of Australia Inc. and others, are staging a 'threatened species in aviculture display' for the duration of the Sydney Royal Easter Show this year? We have 7 species and 7 aviaries in the pipeline.
The display will be located in Hall 3 the 'Pet Pavilion'. There will be a very large banner outside identifying the pavilion as such. Hall 3 is just before the showbag pavilion. Gates open at 9:30am and the Pet Pavilion closes each evening at 8:30pm.
Following are 3 of the draft banners for the aviaries.
The Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolor)...
The Java Sparrow (Lonchura oryzvora) plentiful in aviculture but vulnerable in the wild...
and the Golden-shouldered parrot (Psephotus chrysopterygius).
Christmas 2016 Raffle Results (drawn 7/02/2017)
Annual Christmas Raffle
The raffle will be drawn at our February meeting in 2017. (7/02/2017)
Prizes (10 prizes in total)!
- "Mystery Wildlife Park Behind the Scenes Tour" for the family including cuddle a Koala and lunch (donated by Graeme Phipps).
- Choice - pair Pied Parrot Finches or mutation Bourke parrots
(donated by Paul Henry). - Choice - pair Scarlet-chested parrots or Gouldian finches
(donated by Murray Macpherson). - Hot Box (suit finches or small parrots) (donated by Paul Henry).
- Limited edition lithographic print of Chaffinch (donated by Jack Stunnell).
- Book: The Art of Australian Geographic Illustration by
Alasdair McGregor (donated by Phil Ashby). - Magazine Subscription to ABK.
- Magazine Subscription to Talking birds.
- Magazine Subscription to Talking birds.
- Choice of parrot book by Single Press Ltd (donated by Jim Gill).
Cost is $2 per ticket or $20 per book of 10 tickets. (Restricted to Australian only.)
Please feel free to email our Secretary - Paul Henry:
Night Parrot Stories | Sydney Film Festival
Sunday 19 June 2016 1:30PM at Event Cinema George Street, Sydney
(email received from Cilin Deng, Marketing Assistant)
From: Cilin Deng
To: Avicultural Society of NSW Inc.
Sent: Wednesday, 25 May 2016, 15:50
Subject: Sydney Film Festival / Night Parrot Stories
Hello,
Hope your week has been good.
The 63rd Sydney Film Festival is running this June 8-19, opening in just two weeks! We would like to recommend a film that you may be interested – Night Parrot Stories.
The film is an ode to this elusive nocturnal bird. Award-winning director Robert Nugent riffs on the myth-like search for its existence in the remote deserts of Australia.
When Nugent (End of the Rainbow, SFF 2008) set out to make his film, the night parrot hadn't been seen for more than 80 years and was presumed extinct. The mystery of its ecology haunted many an ornithologist. In 2013, a live parrot found in outback Queensland reignited the search: but that isn't Nugent's focus. Instead, he captures stories of the bird's existence from Indigenous communities, literary mentions and tatty specimens in European museums. Perhaps the bird – like a stencil – can be perceived by the shape of the world around it? As Nugent searches for the 'bird lost in the darkness', he reflects on time and loss, weaving his thoughts and discordant images into an intensely imaginative film.
The screening of the film is scheduled on Sunday 19 June 1:30 PM at Event Cinema George Street, Sydney. The director and the cinematographer Robert Nugent will also be there.
Further information about Night Parrot Stories can be found at:
http://tix.sff.org.au/session_sff.asp?sn=Night+Parrot+Stories
A digital version of the complete program of 2016 Sydney Film Festival can be at:
http://sydneyfilmfestival.realviewdigital.com/#folio=1/
We would love for you to share these with people who might be interested, and please feel free to circulate this information in your newsletter, social media and networks. If you need any more information, please feel free to respond to this email. Thank you.
Best wishes,
Cilin
Cilin Deng | Marketing Assistant
Sydney Film Festival
+61 434 850 120
Postal address: PO Box 96
Strawberry Hills NSW 2012
Australia
Did you know all native bird licensing in NSW is under review?
The Finch Society of Australia (FSA) is currently gathering input with a view to finalising a submission at the end of July. FSA President Sam Davis is speaking to this issue over the next three evenings.
- Wollongong Finch Club on Monday 6/7 at 7.30pm.
- The Avicultural Society of NSW on Tuesday 7/7 at 8pm
- FSA Smithfield meeting on Wednesday 8/7 at 7.30pm
Some documents to inform the process:
FSA Letter of explanation to branch and affiliate clubs
Links to documents referred to in the above letter:
OEH Framing document on Wildlife Managment
Biodiversity Review Final Report
Current NSW Species Lists
Live Video Streaming at our April Meeting 2015!
Daniel Gowland from PPC Priam Psittaculture Centre will present on "Avian Importation" and what in particular he would like the ASNSW to do to help!
EXCITING NEWS - as part of our DIAMOND JUBILEE YEAR celebrations Daniel's presentation will be LIVE STREAMED on our YouTube Channel at 8:00pm AU EST during the meeting. We need your input on this very important topic both nationally and internationally!
Please find below the direct link to the YouTube Live Stream scheduled for tomorrow night: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUpYzJimdpY.
Users can also find it easier by going directly to the Society's YouTube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/AvicultureNSW. Please feel free to advertise this link to any interested parties.
The Western Rosella Man update report
On Wednesday, 15 October 1914 Ben Pearce wrote:
"Western Rosellas will no longer be trapped during the breeding season and there will be no more trapping of other parrot species during the breeding season. No culling of pest species parrots will take place during the breeding season. Parks and Wildlife have acted swiftly on this complaint and must be congratulated even though good management would never have let this happen. On my own it was impossible to get change so a very big thanks must go to everybody who has supported this page. Just by taking the time to comment and show your concern has forced change. It is our environment and wildlife we are trying to protect and thanks to you we are making small changes for the better."
A highway, a sewage plant and an endangered parrot
Monday 22 September 2014 8:16AM
Saturday 1:00pm
Repeated:
Sunday 6:30am and Thursday 2.00pm
ABC National Radio
Presented by Ann Jones
The orange-bellied parrot is unique: a migratory parrot that can survive on only the high-salt plants found in Victorian and Tasmanian marshes. Unfortunately, it's also highly endangered—with just 75 individuals left in the wild. Ann Jones meets the people fighting for this little bird's survival. Read more...
Parks and Wildlife bow to pressure from the avicultural industry!
On Wednesday, 3 September 2014, 21:50, Ben Pearce wrote:
Please find attached article to announce the end of Western Rosella trapping.
Regards
Ben Pearce
Parks and Wildlife bow to pressure from the avicultural industry
I have been informed by Parks and Wildlife that the trapping of Western Rosellas will stop from the 31st of August 2015 with a reduced quota from 200 down to 100 birds for the last season. After 20 years of fighting to get full protection for a bird in serious decline it is good news. This announcement only happened because of the great support from the many bird clubs and aviculturists who have displayed a great interest towards the conservation of a bird that has been very poorly treated.
Western Rosellas were listed as vermin for many years and therefore a large and very successful effort was made to reduce their population. Listed alongside other vermin such as Foxes, Cats, Rabbits and Starlings this lovely gentle parrot soon started to disappear from many shires. Viewed so poorly they could still be shot in some shires even after they had been declared locally extinct. Western Rosellas were hunted and shot by the millions for around eighty years without ever committing a crime. In 1998 after a long battle with CALM Western Rosellas were removed from that list and finely the shooting stopped.
We started writing to the Government as well and Parks and Wildlife about ten years ago for a cessation to the trapping of Western Rosellas. Every Environment Minister both Labour and Liberal received one or more letters. The answer has always been the same, and as late as January and again in February this year the Minister Albert Jacob said the trapping would continue. But Western Rosellas were about to get two lucky breaks. Trapping only continued so long because very few people knew it was happening. The first lucky break was when my daughter introduced me to social media and started a public Facebook page. The second break was making contact with John McGrath of Yass NSW. John got my articles published in magazines all over Australia and around the World. The outrage to trapping a declining species for greed was prompt and within a few months it was evident cracks were appearing. The unwanted attention that comes with this sort of behaviour was having an effect on Parks and Wildlife. After years of trying to get what should have been a common sense outcome the end came swiftly because of public awareness.
Thanks must go to my daughter Deka Maxwell and John McGrath for their efforts in getting it out to the wider public. I would like to thank the Avicultural Society of Australia Inc in Melbourne, Parrot Society of Australia in Qld, Talking Birds, Avicultural Society of NSW, The Far North Queensland Bird Breeders Club and the Illawarra Parrot Club, for their support. The Parrot Society of The Netherlands, Exota of Czech Republic, England and Dagboek a bird club in Holland all helped with coverage of an industry that needed to be stopped.
One of the biggest disappointments was Birdlife Australia a massive organisation to look after the conservation of birds. There was early support but Parks and Wildlife an organisation that regulates the destruction of birds is holding positions within Birdlife Australia which appears a conflict of interest and as such their support soon dropped off.
One Hundred Western Rosellas may not sound many for the final year but the situation has become so desperate in the allocated trapping areas it will not be possible to catch anything like that. Trapping of Rosellas takes place in two different areas by different trappers. Last year I wrote to the head of Species Dr Ken Atkins at Parks and Wildlife to explain my studies showed they had trapped Western Rosellas to the point of extinction in the southern trapping area. I predicted as little as 20 birds would be caught and in fact with so few birds left, the trapper chose not to trap. The few birds that were caught came from another area but being an unregulated industry no one can say where.
There are areas like Pemberton where Western Rosellas can still be found in good numbers so as a species they can't be judged as vulnerable. We no longer have Rosellas visit our garden so for me local extinctions are heartbreaking. Inland Westerns are in big trouble and they can't be trapped under any circumstance. Very few people are lucky enough to see an Inland Western these days and if the decline continues at the current rate no one will.
Will the end of trapping make a big difference? Probably not in the allocated trapping areas because those populations are so exhausted they may never recover. It is my hope there will be a softening of attitude towards Western Rosellas from Parks and Wildlife. Let's hope they get the care and understanding afforded some of the other parrots and the decline of this beautiful species can slow.
I have campaigned to all the major bird shops in Perth and they have agreed not to accept trapped Western Rosellas from this last harvest. Traditionally Birdworld has taken most of the Rosellas but has now shifted into smaller premises and I believe they do not have the room. This has left the trappers looking for a new market to sell their birds. Hopefully if all the dealers stand up the trapping of Western Rosellas may be already over.
Ben Pearce
Western Rosella Man
On Friday, 29 August 2014 3:49 PM, Ben Pearce wrote:
I have been informed that the Western Australian Wildlife Authorities have announced the cessation of trapping of the Western Rosella for the pet/aviary trade. I am writing a thankyou to everybody who helped and will send next week. It will outline the facts and a bit of the history of how we got to this point.
Regards
Ben Pearce
From: DEC-WildlifeLicensing
Sent: Friday, August 29, 2014 2:21 PM
To: Ben Pearce
Subject: RE: Western Rosella video
Hi Ben
I can confirm that the licensed trapping of Western Rosellas will cease after 31 August 2015. No trapping of Western Rosellas will be permitted after that date.
Norm Press
Senior Licensing Officer – Fauna
Wildlife Licensing
Department of Parks and Wildlife
Western Australia
Ph 08 9219 9831 Fax 08 9219 8242
The following article by Ben Pearce was emailed to us on Wednesday, 21 May 2014. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any thoughts or comments that you would like to share with us on this subject.
Western Rosellas (Platycerus icterotis)
For about 80 years the Western Rosella (Platycerus icterotis) has been legally pursued, hunted and trapped in an effort to reduce their population. The stated necessity for this reduction being that they are said to damage valuable food crops, in particular fruit. These population culls continue despite numerous studies indicating that this bird species do almost no damage to the fruit growing industry.
This systematic obliteration has been so successful that the Western Rosella is now extinct in the northern and eastern wheatbelt areas and is struggling to maintain wild populations in many other areas. Even in its strongholds the decline is continuing and they are almost gone from traditional trapping grounds.
The protectors of these parrots, the WA Parks and Wildlife, have fiercely defended their right to trap this species of bird - harvesting this bird for the live Parrot trade even though they are in serious decline. This government supported trapping industry is mindset" left over" from Australia's colonial days where the bush was thought to have an endless supply of wildlife and resources to plunder for profit.
For nearly fifty years ornithologists and bird lovers have relentlessly been trying to educate the Western Australian Government about the benefits of conservation regarding this indigenous bird species. Not only is this parrot in serious decline, the process of trapping and then selling on trapped birds is horrific. Nearly half of the birds will die an atrocious death generally as the result of massive head trauma while trying to adjust to aviary confinement. These deaths are linked in turn to the profit inherent in the industry of harvesting Western Australia's precious wildlife. The sensitivity and care needed to manage this beautiful species has long been forgotten in the pursuit of profit.
Western Rosellas are a lovely, gentle parrot unable to withstand the barrage of shooting and trapping. A legalised barrage that has also been inflicted on other parrots e.g. Red Caps and Australian Ringnecks.
Western Rosellas need to be afforded extra care and protection to avoid further decline.
Wildlife is part of Australia's heritage and the pleasure of seeing and enjoying them in local parks and gardens should not be denied to future West Australians through the actions of an incompetent and remiss Government Department, Parks and Wildlife.
But in some ways for the Western Rosella there may eventually be a happy ending. The trapping of Western Rosellas looks to be coming to an end, simply because the demand for these trapped, wild birds is dwindling. WA Parks and Wildlife may finally be put out of business by the pet industry themselves. Bird store owners are no longer seeking to purchase trapped birds. Most bird dealers suggest that the mortality rates in the trapped parrots is so high that it is not profitable for them to keep buying from the legalised trappers. They also suggest that the murky connotations held by the public concerning the trapping industry (sponsored by WA Parks and Wildlife) deters any would be buyers. The support from the bird breeders themselves towards the conservation of the Western Rosella has been fantastic and our Environmental Departments could take a leaf out of their book.
Pet duck in Perth found with bird flu
2:15pm March 12, 2013 (Nine News)
Nearly 100 birds in Perth have been euthanased as a precaution after a pet duck was found to have a type of bird flu. Read more...
Exotic bird trade going unchecked
Updated Sat Nov 17, 2012 7:17pm AEDT (ABC News)
The illegal trade of birds into and out of Australia is going virtually unchecked, with two sweeping government investigations failing to prosecute the smugglers they identified Read more...