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 funds the project: the on-ground works are 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. Steering Committee members donate their time, and there is significant in-kind support from other project partners and landholders.
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.
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…
At a recent BIEN meeting, the Threatened Woodland Birds of Bruny Island (TWBBI) project manager Dr Andrew Hingston gave a presentation of the science behind our Threatened Woodland Birds of Bruny Island project. It draws upon research and observations by…
Now only into its sixth month, our Threatened Woodland Birds of Bruny Island project (TWBBI) has achieved more than originally planned, with 760 trees planted across five properties and an experiment in nest box design underway. Erecting a fence to…
Despite only commencing in April, this season (2023) has seen two properties planting almost 400 trees across 4 ha. Monitoring seedling survival and growth and the use of planted areas by birds is planned to help refine planting techniques and…
Enhancing habitat, providing nesting options and helping to control nest parasites are all part of a new project by BIEN and partners started this autumn that should run over many years. Two threatened woodland birds are targeted for recovery on…