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Migratory Birds

Regent Honeyeater (Xanthomyza phrygia) and Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolor)

Many species of Australian birds travel over vast distances on a seasonal basis to regular feeding or breeding areas. These migrations often go un-noticed as the birds do not congregate and travel in large flocks, as is characteristic of many migrating birds of the northern hemisphere. Two endangered bird species, the Swift Parrot and Regent Honeyeater forage on the regular winter flowering of the eucalypt forests and woodlands of the Central Coast during the autumn/winter period. They then migrate back to their breeding grounds in Tasmania (Swift Parrot) and the Central West of NSW (Regent Honeyeater). 

Conservation Status

Both species are listed as endangered under Schedule 1 of the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995. 
Both species are also listed as endangered under the Commonwealth Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Description

Regent Honeyeater
  • Medium sized honeyeater, 20-23cm1 in length.
  • Back and breast light yellow with black scaling.1
  • Wings and tail edged bright yellow, black head and face.1
  • Yellowish to pinkish bare patch on face, black feet and beak.1

regent honey eater

Swift Parrot
  • Slim medium sized parrot, 25cm in length.2
  • Both sexes similar with mostly green upper parts and underneath.2
  • Narrow red frontal band, throat and under tail. Yellow eyes and splashes to side of face. 2
  • Dusty red tail, blue ear and central crown, with blue band on wing.2

 

swift parrot

Other Characteristic Features

Regent Honeyeater

Calls: Anvil like chink-chink, slow mellow quippa-plonk-quip, quip kik mewing and turkey like calls. Have mimicked other birds. 

Habit: Very gregarious when feeding and will actively defend foraging territory.

Flight: Strong flyers with broad wings showing flashes of yellow plumage when in flight. 

Swift Parrot

Calls: Usually a mellow piping tone breaking out into a high pitched tinkering chatter 'kik kik kik'.

Habit: Gregarious, usually in small parties, roosts communally returning to the same tree each night.

Flight: Very fast and direct, rapid shallow wing beats and flying in small flocks, constantly calling whilst flying.

Diet

  • Both species forage on nectar, lerps and occasionally fruits.
  • Regent Honeyeaters will also forage on larger arboreal invertebrates.
  • Both species have been known to travel great distances in order to locate suitable foraging resources.

Life History & Reproduction

Regent Honeyeater

  • Forms small flocks to forage and usually breed in loose colonies.
  • Breeds between September-November nesting in the crowns of tall trees mostly rough-barked
    eucalypts. Main nest sites are in the Capertee Valley between Lithgow and Mudgee, they are not known to nest on the Central Coast.
  • Usually two eggs are laid, incubated by female over 14 days, fully fledged and independence occurs within 30 days of hatching.

Swift Parrot

  • Swift Parrots migrate to the mainland each winter after breeding in Tasmania. They over-winter on the mainland, generally between March and August.
  • Breeding occurs from mid September to February in tree hollows close to their summer foraging areas
    containing the Tasmanian Blue Gum.
  • Usually 3-5 eggs are laid and incubated by the female who is fed by the male at the nest. Incubation period of 25 days where they become fully fledged and independent within 5 weeks of hatching.

Preferred Habitats

  • In NSW, both species inhabit dry eucalypt woodlands and forests of the Box Woodland country, and occasionally the coastal forests. During drought and when flowering of the Yellow and White Box trees of the Central West is suppressed, both species will search further afield for foraging resources. On the Central Coast they forage on winter flowering eucalypt species such as Swamp Mahogany and Forest Red Gum.
  • Swift Parrots only breed in Tasmania, flying north to the mainland during winter to forage on winter flowering plants.
  • The Regent honeyeater has localised breeding areas at Capertee Valley (near Lithgow) and the Barraba district of NSW.

Where these Species can be Found

Map of distribution (PDF file, 4.1Mb)

Regent Honeyeater

Gosford: Cockle Bay NR, Kariong, Sun Valley Rd Green Point, Duffys Rd Terrigal.

Wyong: South Tacoma, Chain Valley Bay.

Lake Macquarie: Kilaben Point, Cooranbong, Mandalong, Wyee Point; Swansea; Dudley; Wallsend; Morisset.

Swift Parrot

Gosford: Brisbane Water NP, Cockle Bay NR. Kariong, Wisemans Ferry.

Wyong: Sutton Res. Bateau Bay; Wadalba/ Wyongah, South Tacoma, Chain Valley Bay, Charmhaven.

Lake Macquarie: Warners Bay, Morisset, Swansea, Dora Creek, Belmont, Toronto.

Where are these Species Habitat Protected?

Gosford: Cockle Bay Nature Reserve; Kincumber Village Reserve; Ettamylong Reserve Umina.

Wyong: Wyrrabalong National Park; Sutton Reserve; Munmorah State Conservation Area.

Lake Macquarie:  Wallarah National Park.

Threats to Survival

  • Adversely affected by loss and fragmentation of habitat for forestry operations, roads and land development.
  • Human barriers and constructions cause death or injury through collision with windows, motor vehicles or wire netting etc.
  • Destruction of winter flowering eucalypt species for urban development and other land uses.

Management Issues

  • Protection and management of habitat, in particular foraging resources.
  • Protection of breeding habitat in Tasmania for the Swift Parrot.
  • Promote planting of winter flowering tree species, particularly, Swamp Mahogany or Forest Red Gum to provide a winter flowering foraging resource.
  • Undertake weed control activities in suitable habitat.

Useful Web Links

Further Reading

  • Longmore. W. (1991). Honeyeaters and their Allies. National Photographic Index of Australian Wildlife. Angus & Robertson, Sydney
  • Schodde. R & Tidemann. S. (Eds) (2000) Readers Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds. Readers Digest Services Pty Ltd, Sydney.
  • Swift Parrot Recovery Team (2000). Swift Parrot Recovery Plan 2001-2005. Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment Hobart.  

Bibliography

  1. Higgins P.J., J.M. Peter & W.K. Steele (Eds) 2001. Handbook of Australian New Zealand and Antarctic Birds Vol 5 Tyrant-flycatchers to Chats. Oxford University Press Melbourne.
  2. Higgins. P.J. (Ed) 1999. Handbook of Australian New Zealand and Antarctic Birds Vol 4: Parrots to Dollarbird.
    Oxford University Press Melbourne.