CONTRIBUTED BY PAUL HENRY
The Avicultural Society of New South Wales (ASNSW) Conservation Trust has commenced a project to provide suitable habitat for small parrots, initially Red-rump Parrots, to breed along the Parramatta River. Naming the project the Parramatta River Red-Rump Parrot Project (PRRRP). We are installing nest boxes in parks and reserves. These nest boxes are also suitable for other small parrots such as Eastern Rosella.
With the current housing expansion along the river, apartments and homes, the habitat with hollow trees for bird nesting has diminished. Parramatta River Parramatta River
The project aims to create 500 new homes for these beautiful grass parrots, to grow their numbers.
In conjunction with local councils and the Sydney Olympic Park Trust authority, we supply and install the PRRRP nest boxes in selected locations. We have put in place a specially designed bird monitoring program to watch every individually numbered PRRRP nest box. This information is stored and is accessible to persons sponsoring nest boxes.
The society has installed 70 boxes, with another 60 sponsored boxes awaiting installation.
In early September 2020, we commenced nest inspections using a camera with a bluetooth connection to a mobile phone attached to a long pole/stick. The camera was manoeuvred into the nest hole, and photos were taken of the nest interior.
The most successful area to date has been the Archery Centre at Sydney Olympic Park. We installed 12 nest boxes in the area, with ten being occupied by Red-rump Parrots. Overall, we estimate at least 40 chicks were raised from our boxes at this location.
The general public has been asked to sponsor a nest box to help offset the project’s cost. Sponsors will be given a unique number along with naming rights as a sponsor of the nest box. You will be issued with a special ASNSW Conservation Certificate noting you as the sponsor of a PRRRP Nest Box.
finished PRRRP Nest Boxes
Sponsorship, or purchasing a nest box for your property, will enable you to do your little bit to help preserve and build up the numbers of our unique flying gems of the sky for future generations to enjoy.
http://www.aviculturalsocietynsw.org/_conservation/PRRRP-ConservationTrust.html#.YPZB0egzY2w
email: [email protected]
