Which Australian parrot migrates across Bass Strait and is critically endangered?

The orange-bellied parrot is the critically endangered Australian parrot that migrates across Bass Strait.

It breeds during the warmer months in coastal southwestern Tasmania, then travels across Bass Strait to spend winter on the southern Australian mainland. This makes it one of the few parrots that undertake regular sea crossings as part of their natural migration.

The species is small, mainly green and yellow, with a distinctive orange patch on the lower belly. Its breeding range is tightly concentrated in Tasmania’s Melaleuca region, while mainland birds have historically used coastal habitats in Victoria and South Australia.

Habitat loss, predation, disease and the risks of migration have contributed to its severe decline. Conservation programs include captive breeding, monitoring and habitat management. The orange-bellied parrot is often confused with the swift parrot, another endangered Tasmanian migrant, but the two species are distinct and have different migration patterns.