Priam Australia

30/04/2024

12/01/2024

Hand Rearing Part 5: Weaning

The final step of the process. The weaning process is a playful time. The environment promotes socialisation, independence and confidence in flocks. Also diversifying their diet to include nuts, seed, fruit, vegetables, legumes, pellets and native browse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7qnuREm1Lk&list=PLCA7471F112815D01&index=5

05/01/2024

Hand Rearing Part 4: Flight School

A look into the techniques used in "Flight School". When the chicks are becoming larger and eventually fledging. This is where socialisation and a broad diet begins.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lYYyqXH1uc&list=PLCA7471F112815D01&index=4

29/12/2023

Hand Rearing Part 3: Feeding Young Chicks

Feeding techniques for chicks ranging in age and a variety of species. Each individual has specific behaviours and personalities which begin to show at this age. The behaviours and personalities may require slight changes to feeding and handling techniques as they mature.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDneUOWqBNc&list=PLCA7471F112815D01&index=3

22/12/2023

Hand Rearing Part 2: First Feed

Hand rearing from the egg. The first feed and next few days are key in the chicks development for a full, healthy, happy life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXvvjkXSoCM&list=PLCA7471F112815D01&index=2

20/12/2023

15/12/2023

Hand Rearing Part 1: Neonate

A key to hand rearing success is starting with a quality formula, especially for the first few days of the chicks life. Ensuring they get all necessary nutrition. Harrison's Bird Diets Neonate and Recovery formula is our choice for the first days of hand rearing. It is available at Priam Sale or on the Priam Sale website

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meMaYfCe5t0&list=PLCA7471F112815D01&index=1

17/10/2023

It was an another beautiful Canberran day when Environment Minister Plibersek, BirdLife and the Parliamentary Friends of Conservation opened Bird Week. With Fifty/50 the Glossy Black Cockatoo from the National Threatened Species Institute, alongside the Canberra Ornithological Group participating in a guided bird walk through the Eucalypt bushland around Parliament House, led by the infamous Sean Dooley. https://birdlife.org.au/events/aussie-bird-count-celebrating-10-years/

17/10/2023

Aussie Bird Count.
Take part in Australia’s biggest citizen science event, it's simply.
https://birdlife.org.au/events/aussie-bird-count-celebrating-10-years/

Submit your count
https://aussiebirdcount.org.au

Now in its tenth year, the Aussie Bird Count is Australia’s largest annual citizen science event.

17/10/2023

The position for the Orange-bellied Parrot Recovery Program Coordinator has become available. Please find details in the link below.

Orange-bellied Parrot Recovery Team - Flexible (successful applicant to work from home) - Victoria, Tasmania or South Australia

12/09/2023

Priam Psittaculture Centre
Animal Keeper

This role involves assisting with the daily running of Priam Psittaculture Centre, including food preparation, feeding, washing dishes and cleaning of the enclosures. Additionally there will be aviary maintenance required such as perching, branching and pest control.
We are seeking an individual who has an interest in working with animals, has a positive mature attitude and is able to perform well in a fast-paced environment. The role requires a high level of fitness as the facility is spread out over natural bushland and will involve heavy lifting, pulling heavy loads, climbing ladders and frequent bending. The applicant must also be comfortable performing these duties during extreme weather.
Relevant qualifications are desired but not essential. These include animal/science/conservation based Tafe course or University Degree. We are aiming to find individuals who are hard-working, have a natural ability with animals and a good fit for our current team.
Casual hours: 5 - 20 per week (depending on applicant availability) and will include weekends and public holidays.
This is a performance based role and full-time hours may be offered with the potential of a permanent position.
Casual pay rate: $30 per hour + superannuation + annual bonus.
Further information on the facility can be found on our website: https://priam.com.au/blog/
For any enquiries regarding this position, please contact Lisa on 0423137673 or email [email protected].

To apply for this position, please email your resume including two current referee contact numbers to: [email protected].

07/09/2023

Fifty the Glossy-black Cockatoo from PPC enjoys a quiet moment with the Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek on Australian Threatened Species Day.

06/09/2023

The Pezoporus parrot genus comprises three species.
- 'Night Parrot' (occidentalis),
once thought extinct and
rediscovered in 2013.
- 'Western Ground Parrot'
(wallicus flaviventris),
also known as the Kyloring,
with around 150 individuals
remaining in the wild.
- 'Eastern Ground Parrot' or
'Mainland Ground Parrot'
(wallicus wallicus) classified as
Vulnerable.

2023-7-26
Western Ground Parrot was split from [Eastern] Ground Parrot based on deep mtDNA divergence (Murphy et al. 2010). But morphological differences between the two forms are minimal, and the split recognized by Murphy was based on a single mitochondrial gene. Both HBW/BirdLife and Clements treat them as conspecific.

https://www.worldbirdnames.org/new/updates/species-updates/

Pezoporus Analogue Species Research Program:
With support from New South Wales (NSW) Government approval and scientific licensing.
This vital program also receives backing from the Federal Government,
which extends its support to Western Ground Parrot (WGP) conservation efforts.

The National Threatened Species Institute
ACN 629 704 767
manages the National Threatened Species Trust
ABN 86535745486
a DGR (deductible gift recipient) an organisation that can receive donations which are tax deductible.

Donors can deduct their donation from taxable income
when lodging their tax return.

Thank you to Priam Psittaculture Centre for their infinite support and to the Australian Federal and State Governments which have been instrumental in the success of this project.

06/09/2023

Exciting news coming soon!

04/09/2023

Orange-bellied Parrot (OBP) Recovery Program News, September 2023

High juvenile mortality causes have remained largely unknown. Studies at ANU have found one possible cause: lower body condition. The study examined the effect of body condition on survival in wild and captive-released juvenile OBPs. The study found those who survived their first year in the wild were more likely to have higher body condition. The migration of the OBP is a highly taxing endeavour. Individuals with higher body condition – more fuel and more muscle – are better able to survive.

31/08/2023

Orange-bellied Parrot (OBP) Recovery Program News, August 2023

Australian National University continued to enhance the recovery program with their research in the past year. Modelling biological and ecological data, they compared the benefits of our current interventions to save the OBP from extinction. The research revealed that releases, particularly those of juvenile OBPs, will make the wild population grow to a sustainable size. However, if these releases were to stop, the wild population would quickly go extinct. This is because overall juvenile mortality is too large (60% in 2022).

29/08/2023

Conversion methods by Harrison's Bird Diets.

https://www.priamsale.com.au/catalog.asp?catid=62&n=Harrisons-Organic

26/08/2023

Orange-bellied Parrot (OBP) Recovery Program News, August 2023

The incorporation of breeding innovations like wire-mesh nest-box doors have been used to reduce the incidences of mother-offspring feather-plucking. This detrimental behaviour is associated with females spending excess time in the nest-box. The special door allows light and airflow into the nesting chamber, resulting in shorter female visits. This minimises feather-plucking, and allows regrowth of feathers on affected nestlings. This management technique benefits the program and is applicable to other psittacine species.

24/08/2023

10 quick tips to help convert your birds to Harrisons Bird Diets.

18/08/2023

Orange-bellied Parrot (OBP) Recovery Program News, August 2023

The captive breeding program faces the odd challenge. Fortunately, we completed a Wildlife Disease Risk Assessment for OBPs by the Recovery Teams Veterinary Technical Reference Group. This tool is being used to prevent diseases emerging and spreading within and between captive institutes, and into the wild population.

This past year, an infestation of mites, formerly unknown to affect OBPs, prevented a planned release near Western Port, Victoria. Vets and keepers successfully treated the affected OBPs, which have rejoined the captive population.

The year prior, the Recovery Team was shocked to read that Queensland researchers found psittacid herpesvirus in Australia for the first time! This serious disease is not currently an immediate threat to OBPs, it is being monitored closely by the OBP Veterinary Technical Reference Group.

14/08/2023

Orange-bellied Parrot (OBP) Recovery Program News, August 2023

The captive breeding program managed another good year of breeding. Across the five institutions involved, 134 young OBPs fledged; and 88% of fertile eggs produced fledglings, more than the six-year average. The breeding program continues to produce juveniles for release without reducing the insurance population.

17/06/2023

Scarlet Macaw - Ara macao - chick grooming and about to fledge the nest with their first flight at Australia's Priam Psittaculture Centre.

Scarlet Macaw - Ara macao - chick grooming and about to fledge the nest with their first flight at Australia's Priam Psittaculture Centre.

14/06/2023

White-tailed Black Cockatoo Chicks from Westeren Australia. Originally known in Nyungar language as; Ngolyenok or Ngoolyoo (from Northampton), and G'noo-le-a (from Geraldton).

Also known as;
Baudin’s White-tailed Black Cockatoo
Zanda baudinii
and
Carnaby’s White-tailed Black Cockatoo
Zanda latirostris.

White-tailed Black Cockatoo Chicks from Westeren Australia. Originally known in Nyungar language as; Ngolyenok or Ngoolyoo (from Northampton), and G'noo-le-a...

01/06/2023

Animal Keeper Casual Position Available

This role involves assisting with the daily running of the facility, including food preparation, feeding, washing dishes and cleaning of the enclosures. Additionally there will be aviary maintenance required such as perching, branching and pest control.

We are seeking an individual who has an interest in working with animals, has a positive mature attitude and is able to perform well in a fast-paced environment. The role requires a high level of fitness as the facility is spread out over natural bushland and will involve heavy lifting, pulling heavy loads, climbing ladders and frequent bending. The applicant must also be comfortable performing these duties during extreme weather.

Tha applicant must have their own reliable vehicle and be available to work weekends and public holidays.

Relevant qualifications are desired but not essential. These include animal/science/conservation based Tafe course or University Degree. We are aiming to find individuals who are hard-working, have a natural ability with animals and a good fit for our current team.

Casual rostered hours: 5-15 hours per week

Salary: $27.00 per hour (adult pay rate)

To apply for this position please email your resume including two current referee contact numbers to [email protected] and for further enquiries please contact Lisa on 0423137673.

22/04/2023

"manyt", "manatj"
"nganarra", "binadji"
Muir's Corellla
Western Long-billed Corella
Cacatua pastinator pastinator

In the 1940's C. p. pastinator population was as low as 100 birds.
Recovering to 20,000 birds 74 years later in 2014.

Western Long-billed CorellaCacatua pastinator pastinatorIndigenous & Common Name: "manyt", "manatj" "nganarra", "binadji" and Muir's CorelllaDistribution: So...

21/12/2022

OBP Update

The 2022 census count has been completed and it's good news from Melaleuca.

The Orange-bellied Parrot Tasmanian Program is delighted to announce that the final census count of birds confirmed to have returned to Melaleuca in 2022 is … 74!

The 2022 returnees comprise 43 males and 31 females. 44 were wild-born and 30 were bred in captivity and released at Melaleuca as juveniles in previous seasons. 43 are first-year birds that have just completed their first full migration, with the remaining 31 having now completed at least two full migrations. This season we’ve had particularly good return rates of captive-bred juvenile OBPs released last season and we’re hoping these birds will breed successfully this season.

This is the largest number of returns recorded at Melaleuca in over 15 years, just topping last year’s total of 70 returned birds. The OBP population has come a long way since 2016, when just 17 OBPs returned to Melaleuca. In the five years before 2016, the average number of returns was 23 birds.

The sustained increase we’re seeing in the wild OBP population is the result of wide-ranging and ongoing collaborative efforts from members of the National Orange-bellied Parrot Recovery Team, their staff and volunteers. We would also like to acknowledge non-partner groups and organisations, such as the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service, whose work supports on-ground Orange-bellied Parrot management.

There is still much work to do before we can declare the Orange-bellied Parrot out of danger, but we continue to be encouraged by positive outcomes. We’ll be back in the new year with updates on how the breeding season is progressing, and our annual juvenile release program.
You can read more on our website: https://bit.ly/3BMxDy9

📷 Image by Madi Riley

Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning
Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park
Adelaide Zoo
Zoos Victoria
Wildcare Tasmania
BirdLife Australia
Environment SA News
Zoo and Aquarium Association
Priam Australia
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

03/11/2022

In recognition of our successful collaboration with Australian Federal Government, NSW Government and the National Threatened Species Institute - NTSI. for the translocation of the threatened Koonoom - Smoky Mouse - Pseudomys fumeus.

30/07/2022

The Pale-headed Rosella (Platycercus adscitus) is one of the 6 Rosella species which are endemic to Australia. Rosellas are found up and down the East Coast from North Queensland to Tasmania, and as far West as Adelaide.

24/07/2022

A Double Yellow-headed Amazon (Amazona oratrix) and a Yellow-naped Amazon (Amazona ochrocephala parvipes) share an apple