Victoria's bird emblem focus of critical breeding programme

Scientists and the community are working around the clock to improve the plight of the Helmeted Honeyeater, with only a fraction of the bird's original population left in bushland east of Melbourne.

Just 19 breeding pairs of the striking bird exist outside captivity, dependant on the remaining patches of Eucalyptus Swampland found along creeks in the Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve near Woori Yallock and in nearby Bunyip State Park east of Gembrook.

The critically endangered bird's decline is the result of clearing and draining of its preferred habitat and from being forced from its territory by other birds such as the Bell Minor or 'Bellbird.'

Funding

Its recovery is being supported by the Australian Government, which provided $297,000 over three years for a full-time field ornithologist to study and monitor each breeding pair. The Victorian Government has also provided cash and in-kind contributions.

The Department of Sustainability and Environment's Senior Policy Officer for Threatened Species and Communities Peter Menkhorst, who authored the Helmeted Honeyeater Recovery Plan, said the bird's increasing breeding success meant it had quite a good chance of long-term recovery.

Activities and achievements

The project has mapped each pair's breeding territory, monitored outcomes of breeding attempts and supported the release of birds back to the wild through a breeding program at Healesville Sanctuary.

"This bird's survival depends on increasing its population in Yellingbo and other places such as Bunyip State Park where we've set up our release sites," Peter said.

"The individuals we've released in Gembrook are now also breeding well. So while many nesting attempts fail when predators such as larger birds eat the eggs and young, we also know that young birds that successfully fledge have good prospects of survival."

At all times at least 15 breeding pairs are maintained in captivity at Healesville Sanctuary and at Sydney's Taronga Zoo, which recently joined the recovery programme.

The project subsidises the release and monitoring of captive-bred birds at strategic sites in Bunyip State Park where they are held for a week prior to release to adjust to their new surroundings.

Together with Healesville Sanctuary and Parks Victoria, local volunteers provide birds with supplementary food at release sites and help track their progress. Contributing organisations include the Threatened Bird Network, also funded by the Australian Government and organised by Birds Australia, the Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater and the Friends of the Bunyip State Park.

Recovery efforts also involve work with the Port Phillip and Westernport Catchment Management Authority (CMA) to enhance native habitat.

More information

• Peter Menkhorst, Senior Policy Officer for Threatened Species and Communities, Department of Sustainability & Environment: (03) 9637 9865 or peter.menkhorst@dse.vic.gov.au
• Department of Sustainability & Environment website: www.dse.vic.gov.au
• Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater website: www.helmetedhoneyeater.org.au

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