Swift Parrot Search Volunteer Guide

Images: Chris Tzaros INTRODUCTION

The ‘Swift Parrot Search’ program is integral to the on-going conservation of this critically endangered species. During their non-breeding period in the winter months, the migratory Swift Parrots spend their time seeking eucalypt nectar and sugar-rich lerps across a vast area of south-eastern mainland Australia. In order to learn more about the species’ movements on the mainland in relation to food availability, and to then implement targeted recovery actions, a network of permanent monitoring sites have been established on public land within known and potential habitat.

Just as importantly, this monitoring program will also greatly improve our understanding of all birds occurring in woodland and forest habitats, particularly those reliant on nectar and lerps - including the threatened Regent Honeyeater.

In its simplest terms, the survey method involves a 5 minute search for Swift Parrots and other birds covering a circular area with a radius of 50 metres, while also documenting the intensity of flowering and presence of accessible freshwater. The relatively short duration of each survey still provides a high likelihood of detecting any Swift Parrots that are present, while also allowing birdwatchers to visit a relatively large number of locations each day. Further details on the survey method are provided below in the lower half of this site description.

Although these Swift Parrot searches can be undertaken at any time of the year when Swift Parrots are likely to be on the mainland (approximately mid-March to mid-October), we are seeking to ensure that, as a minimum, a single survey is undertaken at each designated search area twice per year:

 Once during the autumn survey period (from the last week in April until the first week in June)

 Once during the late winter/early spring survey period (from mid-July until the last week in August)

The involvement of volunteer birdwatchers such as you to assist with these surveys will be critical to the success of this program. We greatly appreciate your support and participation!

DETAILED SURVEY METHODS

1. The birdwatcher stands at the centre-point of the search area which covers a circular area of 50 metres in all directions. The centre-points of all survey sites are on publicly accessible land, though in some cases the broader search area may also cover private land. In these instances, birdwatchers must not enter private land without permission, and instead must observe and identify birds while remaining standing within the public land.

Furthermore, all sites have been situated where a 4WD vehicle is not essential for access in dry weather conditions. However, many of the sites are in national parks, nature reserves and state forests, where most or all of the roads are unsealed. As such, it is possible that some access tracks may be impassable following periods of heavy and/or prolonged rainfall. It is recommended that participants consider recent rainfall patterns and upcoming weather forecasts before heading out to survey sites via unsealed roads – particularly if a 4WD vehicle is not being used.

2. Within Birdata, this survey will ideally be lodged using the “Swift Parrot Search” portal, which has been specifically designed for this monitoring approach. This is to be available through both the Birdata website and app, and is being launched in mid-late April 2021. A paper-based datasheet will be made available for those who prefer to collect their bird survey and habitat data using non-digital methods.

3. On the ‘Details’ page prior to the commencement of the survey, birdwatchers are encouraged to provide an assessment of the flowering intensity of eucalypts and mistletoe within the 50 metre radius search area. This is to be done on a species-by-species basis, and using a 5-tier ranking system. A simple guide on how to assess flowering intensity is presented in the table below.

The tree and mistletoe species known to occur at each specific site are pre-filled for each assessment within the Swift Parrot portal in Birdata. The species occurring at this particular site are also provided in the Shared Site description and Volunteer User Guides.

Identification keys to assist birdwatchers with differentiating between the various eucalypts and mistletoe at any given Swift Parrot Search site are available here: https://birdlife.org.au/swift-parrot

Table 1: Guide to measuring flowering intensity of trees and mistletoe within the search area.

None None of the individual plants within the search area have any flowers at all.

Most or all of the plants of this species have a small number of flowers

or Low Most or all of the plants of this species have no flowers at all, but a small proportion are covered in a few or many flowers.

Most or all plants of this species have a moderate amount of flowering (relative to their full potential) Moderate or Many of the plants of this species have little or no flowering, but there is higher level of flowering in a considerable proportion of plants.

Most plants of this species are covered in flowers at 50-80% of their full High flowering potential.

Most or all of the plants of this species are flowering at 80% or more of Very High their full flowering capacity.

It is acknowledged that mistletoe is rarely used as a food source by Swift Parrots. However, we have decided that it is important to record its flowering intensity given that the findings of this monitoring program are also to be used for a range of other nectar-feeding birds that do use mistletoe flowers (including the nationally threatened Regent Honeyeater and Painted Honeyeater).

We also recognise that lerps are an important food source for Swift Parrots. However, it is considered too difficult and time-consuming to monitor lerp availability during every survey. If a Swift Parrot is detected feeding on lerps at a site, please add in an appropriate description to the “Notes” section for this sighting.

4. On the ‘Details’ page prior to the commencement of the survey, birdwatchers are also encouraged to record the presence or absence of freshwater within the search area that could potentially be used for drinking by Swift Parrots and other birds. As example, the presence of freshwater could occur in flowing waterways and gullies, pools of water within drying waterways, dams, roadside puddles and birdbaths.

5. Once the ‘Details’ page is filled out, the bird survey can commence.

For a period of five minutes, the birdwatcher(s) stands at the centre-point of the search area listening and looking for Swift Parrots and Regent Honeyeaters across the whole search area. If either species is detected, the birdwatcher will be prompted to provide additional information (e.g., number of birds, observed behaviours, what they were feeding on, any interactions with other species, presence and combination of coloured leg bands).

As long as it does not detract from detecting Swift Parrots and Regent Honeyeaters, birdwatchers are also encouraged to record counts of all other bird species occurring within the search area during the 5 minute period.

It is still very important to lodge your survey results into Birdata even if no Swift Parrots or Regent Honeyeaters are detected.

Of course, any Swift Parrot sightings that occur beyond the 50 metre radius search area and/or outside the specified 5 minute period are also of high importance, and we strongly encourage birdwatchers to submit these extra sightings as an “incidental” search via the General Birdata Survey portal. We request that you not record them as part of the 5 minute count at a designated site if they were not truly observed using this method.

6. At the conclusion of the 5 minute survey period, check all of the sightings and other survey information on the ‘Review and Submit’ page. If it is accurate, then it can be submitted.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Swift Parrot Search is a volunteer-based monitoring program developed by BirdLife Australia’s woodland bird program in partnership with Australian National University’s Difficult Bird Research Group, the National Swift Parrot Recovery Team, and relevant government agencies and community groups. Swift Parrot Search is supported by Local Land Services through funding from the Australian Government, and environmental offsets provided under state and Federal approvals.

For additional information on the survey method, other survey locations, and how to get more involved, see the program website (https://birdlife.org.au/swift-parrot) or contact the team ([email protected]).