The Threatened Woodland Birds of Bruny Island (TWBBI) project is a major new initiative and partnership developed by BIEN.
Bruny Island provides critical habitat for two threatened birds: swift parrot and forty-spotted pardalote. For swift parrots, Bruny Island is one of only two places where they can breed without facing the threat of predation by sugar gliders. For forty-spotted pardalotes, Bruny Island is the core of one of only two remaining viable populations.
Because of the importance of Bruny Island to these woodland species BIEN, Friends of North Bruny (FoNB), Tasmanian Land Conservancy (TLC) and the Forty-spotted Pardalote Recovery Team (40SPRT) commenced in April 2023 the Threatened Woodland Birds of Bruny Island project (TWBBI) – a project aimed at enhancing their habitat and breeding outcomes on Bruny Island. It is underpinned by a strategic plan that incorporates aspects of both species national recovery plans. We have recently been joined by the National Swift Parrot Recovery team.
Philanthropy initially funded the project: the on-ground works funded through the generous support of the Elsie Cameron Foundation through the TLC’s Land for Wildlife Program, while Dr Louise Crossley left a bequest to BIEN that covers the salary of a Project Manager. Many wonderful individuals have also chipped in as donors! Steering Committee members donate their time, and there is significant in-kind support from landholders and volunteers.
By giving practical expression of the love of our earth and her denizens, we are immensely grateful to all our donors.
However, success breeds success, and now TWBBI is supported by the Tasmanian Government, through their Dept of Natural Resources and Environment, by NRM South through funding from an Australian Government Saving Native Species Grant and Responsible Wood, a grant program of the Australian Forestry Standard. We are very pleased and thankful to all of these funders.
TWBBI – working with interested Land for Wildlife or Conservation Covenanted landowners – is planting plant forage trees for both species and providing immediate support to their reproductive success by installing nest boxes and managing competitors and parasites. In exchange for monitoring and maintenance contracts, these actions are being undertaken at little cost to landholders, and are tailored to suit their specific needs. For example, plantings may entail anything from broadscale revegetation to planting windbreaks or amenity trees.
Imagine being able to pop out a sound recorder in the bush and have a list of what birds are present! This is what we are working towards with our Bruny Bird Bioacoustics project under auspices of TWBBI. Our plucky…
In our attempts to find a nestbox design for the 40spots, we are trying out limited volume boxes. The original design, trialed successfully by Amanda Edgeworthy (ANU) some 20 years ago, worked very well for a while, until it was…
Our friends at Kuno developed this lovely video featuring local school kids learning about their special little birdy - the Forty-spotted pardalote and how they can help to look after them. Thanks to communicator Dan Broun! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iX4jHGh9uk
Well 2024 has been a big year for TWBBI with 2,800 trees planted over 20 properties across the island for the two threatened birds of Bruny Island – Swift parrot and Forty-spotted pardalote. Volunteers have really supported the project –…
Swift parrot are starting to be seen in Tasmania, and indications are that it is likely at least some will be breeding on Bruny Island this 2024 season. Both our TWBBI manager Andrew Hingston and the much wider effort from…
Last year, TWBBI trialed smaller (24mm) entrance holes for the 40spot nest boxes and demonstrated that these were just the right size to allow 40spots in, but exclude their more aggressive cousins, Striated pardalote. So now, we want to update…
TWBBI has been successful in attracting further funding to implement our recovery actions for the Forty-spotted pardalote and Swift parrot from both the Dept Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) and NRM South. These two bodies are seeking outcomes for swifties…
In collaboration with the Difficult Bird Research Group, we trialled reducing the entry hole into nest boxes last season in attempts to find a more successful option for the threatened Forty-spotted pardalote (FSPAR).The main competitors for the nest boxes are…
Nest boxes for forty-spotted pardalotes Manufacture and installation of forty-spotted pardalote (FSPAR) nest boxes was postponed due the increasing observations of FSPAR being excluded and even displaced after commencement of nesting in nest boxes by two competitors – Striated pardalotes…
