A RANGER has told of recent close encounter with a rare Orange-bellied Parrot on the Geltwood Beach, west of Millicent.
There have been no confirmed sightings of the endangered bird in South Australia for the past five years, but National Parks ranger Barry Schriever is convinced his sighting should be added to the list.
Some experts fear the number of Orange-bellied Parrots living in the wild may be as few as 50.
His sighting has been placed by Orange-bellied Parrot Recovery Team on the “probable” list of sightings as authorities consider it may have been an Elegant Parrot.
Mr Schriever told The South Eastern Times of his sighting experience in the remote section of Canunda National Park.
“While checking baits along Geltwood Beach my eye was taken by a very distinctive grass green parrot which flew from the low vegetation along the beach and roosted on the top of a dune about 30 metres away,” Mr Schriever said.
“I attempted to get a closer look and got to within three metres when it flew again.
“This time it gave a very distinctive metallic buzz call so I immediately knew what it was not a Blue Wing Parrot.
“I have seen a fair amount of Blue Winged parrots over the years with their ‘tinkling bell’ call – this one however was very different and I was hopeful that it was an Orange-bellied Parrot.
“I made some notes and as luck would have it I ran into the local ranger who had been out after work for a surf and I described my sighting to him.
“He confirmed my suspicions and I also later reported my sighting to other work colleagues who also gave a positive response.”
Mr Schriever said he had previously seen the parrot in the wild at Melaleuca in Tasmania, but never along the Limestone Coast.
The parrots migrate between the Australian mainland and Tasmania, spending summer breeding in Tasmania and winter in coastal Victoria and South Australia.
