Known as Swift “Waylitja” in the indigenous Tasmanian language, this native Australian parrot is recognized for its vibrant green feathers, long, thin tail, scarlet face and bright blue forehead. They have bright red patches under their wings, and are quite small for a parrot, at less than 10 inches long. Their call is a quick pip-pip-pip! The Swift Parrot is critically endangered primarily due to habitat loss from forest logging.
The Swift Parrot breeds in the Australian spring, from September to January, making their nests in old growth tree hollows on the island of Tasmania. The destruction of these habitats through land clearing and logging poses an immediate threat to these parrots’ populations.
Other threats to the Swift Parrot’s survival include drought, bushfires, climate change, agricultural expansion, urban development and collisions with fences, windows and cars. They are further threatened by the non-native “Sugar Gliders,” a gliding marsupial that preys on Swift Parrot eggs, nestlings and incubating momma birds.
Swift Parrots flock to areas where many eucalyptus trees are flowering. Eucalyptus trees are known for getting “lerp infestations,” which is an invasion of psyllid bugs. They form waxy, sugar-rich protective casings on the tree leaves and are a constant drain on the sap from the tree. This is harmful to the tree and can eventually kill it, and can be a further environmental risk because dead trees are a fire hazard.
Here come the Swift Parrots to the rescue! They eat those lerp bugs and their waxy protective covers. They also like to consume the nectar from flowering eucalyptus trees, other insects and fruit. The Swift Parrot’s existence helps prevent forest fires.
Swift Parrots are an important part of Tasmania’s ecosystem. Unfortunately, recent research suggests that there are fewer than 500 birds remaining in the wild. Swift Parrots could become extinct by 2031.
These beautiful and helpful little parrots deserve better than to go extinct as a result of human ignorance. Will you take action and help endangered birds?
