Helping Zoos Victoria Track Critically Endangered Orange-bellied Parrots

Image courtesy of Zoos Victoria

In 2023, ZCS Scalar partnered with Zoos Victoria to provide critical infrastructure for tracking the migratory movements of Orange-bellied Parrots, one of Australia’s most critically endangered species. We assisted with site predictions and the placement of key antennas and masts along the birds’ migratory pathways.

The Project

The Orange-bellied Parrot (OBP) is critically endangered and one of only two parrot species in the world that routinely migrate. These remarkable birds cross Bass Strait on their travels between breeding grounds in south-west Tasmania and overwintering sites on the south-eastern coast of mainland Australia.

A major obstacle to improving the survival of this very rare parrot has been the lack of information about their exact migratory pathways, stop-over locations, and where mortality occurs outside the breeding season.

ZCG Scalar Mast & Antennas used to track OBPs movements

The Challenge

Zoos Victoria and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania needed to establish a network of fixed-receiver stations to track OBPs fitted with tiny transmitters. The challenge was determining optimal antenna and mast placement to ensure reliable signal coverage across the west coast of Tasmania (breeding grounds), King Island, and coastal Victoria (overwintering sites).

 The terrain, weather conditions, and remote locations presented significant RF coverage challenges that required expert site prediction and antenna selection.

Our Solution

ZCG Scalar provided comprehensive site prediction analysis and supplied specialized antennas and masts for the fixed-receiver stations positioned along the Orange-bellied Parrot migratory pathway. Our work included:

RF site prediction modeling for optimal coverage
Antenna selection for wildlife tracking frequencies
Mast design for remote and coastal environments
Technical consultation on receiver station placement
Solutions designed to withstand harsh coastal conditions

The network of receiver stations was strategically positioned to detect OBPs fitted with tiny transmitters as they moved between their breeding and overwintering habitats.

Fixed-receiver station with ZCG antenna and mast system

Impact & Results

This innovative tracking study is building crucial knowledge about OBP migratory pathways, stop-over locations, and over-winter habitat use. The data collected through this infrastructure will enable better protection of important habitat, help identify and manage threats, and improve the prospects of recovery for this critically endangered species.

About the Orange-bellied Parrot

The Orange-bellied Parrot is one of the world’s rarest birds. In recent years, wild numbers fell as low as just 17 individuals. Thanks to coordinated conservation and monitoring programs, including advanced tracking initiatives, the population has since rebounded to around 90 birds. This critically endangered species is Australia’s only migratory parrot, undertaking an extraordinary journey across Bass Strait twice each year.

Conservation efforts like this tracking study are vital to understanding and protecting the species. By providing the technical infrastructure needed to monitor their movements, ZCG Scalar is proud to play a small part in the fight to save this remarkable Australian bird from extinction.

Project Partners

This project was led by Zoos Victoria in partnership with the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania, with technical infrastructure support from ZCG Scalar.