HEALTHY OUTLOOK: The Regent Honeyeater is thriving in the Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park.
THERE are positive signs that captive bred Regent Honeyeaters, one of the most endangered bird species, can survive and breed after being released back into the Victorian bush.
Twenty-seven birds bred by the Taronga Conservation Society in Sydney were released into the Chiltern - Mt Pilot National Park in May this year.
They have been closely monitored since then, with the help of radio transmitters and individual color bands they were fitted with before the release.
Regent Honeyeaters are just one of the significant bird populations highlighted by Parks Victoria during this year’s National Bird Week, last week.
Across Australia it’s thought that there could be as few as 1000 birds in the wild, with only about 50 of these in Victoria.
Recent surveys indicate that Regent Honeyeater populations have declined dramatically during the past 10 years.
The program to increase native populations by introducing aviary bred birds is part of a new, federally funded initiative supported by the Department of Sustainability and Environment, Parks Victoria, and Taronga Conservation Society.
The aim of the program is to improve the breeding success and survival of this declining species, by having them mingle with wild birds and hopefully breed.
There have been some disappointments for the dedicated supporters of the program with the recent confirmation that the only pair being monitored with nestlings had lost their chicks, possibly to a predator.
However biodiversity officer with DSE, Glen Johnson, remains positive about the way the released birds are behaving.
"From virtually day one, released birds foraged nectar from ironbark blossom and responded to aerial predators like seasoned wild birds," he said.
"Monitoring in recent months has been very encouraging, with observations of courtship, mating and nesting activity during the current breeding season.
"Bonding behaviours between captive to captive birds, wild to wild and even captive to wild have also been reported, and there’s been many nesting attempts by the released pairs - although to date no young have been successfully fledged."
The biggest threats to successful breeding of released birds appear to be competition for resources from birds such as currawongs and kookaburras and possibly native antechinus mammals.
Parks Victoria ranger from Beechworth, Dave Tyson, said the project has been exciting, and there has been tremendous support from all the agencies involved.
"Fragmentation of bushland has been the major cause of decline of this magnificent looking bird," he said.
"But hopefully this release will provide increased breeding success with wild birds and new hope for survival of the species."
Parks Victoria is involved in a wide range of activities and partnerships to protect native birds and improve their habitat in its reserves, sanctuaries, parks and bushland.
These include controlling predators such as cats and foxes, establishing specialist breeding programs and removing weeds to allow native food plants to thrive.
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