A new threatened species has moved into Healesville Sanctuary with a precious pair of yellow and black Regent Honeyeaters fluttering in the Fighting Extinction Aviary.
With fewer than 250 left in the wild, the critically endangered bird is on the brink of extinction, and it’s hoped this pair will support the species in the future.
Healesville Sanctuary bird keeper Olivia Debernardi said they are looking forward to the male and female pair breeding in the coming years.
Regent Honeyeaters are highly active birds.
Healesville Sanctuary visitors can see them flying around in swift movements while their call sounds like clapping.
“If you come over summer, you may be lucky enough to see nesting behaviours too,” Mrs Debernardi said.
“When they are making their nests, they make a little cup shape out of straw or pieces of bark and then they’ll bind it together with fresh spider web which acts as a glue.
“Regent Honeyeaters are great parents. The female will build most of the nest. She’ll do most of the incubating; however, both parents will feed the young chicks.
“When the adults feed the chicks, they then clean out any droppings to keep it nice and clean. They do this every time.”
The best time of day to see the Regent Honeyeaters is in the morning when they are most active.
Healesville Sanctuary last had Regent Honeyeaters in 2016.
Regent Honeyeaters can also be found at Melbourne Zoo.
Healesville Sanctuary is part of Zoos Victoria, a not-for-profit conservation organisation dedicated to fighting extinction.
Many of Zoos Victoria breeding program are based at the Sanctuary.
This conservation work includes innovative, scientifically-sound breeding and recovery programs for Giant Burrowing Frogs, Helmeted Honeyeaters, Leadbeater’s Possums, Mountain Pygmy-possums, Northern and Southern Corroboree Frogs, Orange-bellied Parrots, Spotted Tree Frogs and Tasmanian Devils.
More information about the 27 local priority threatened species that Zoos Victoria is working to protect into the future can be found at the following website, zoo.org.au/fighting-extinction/local-threatened-species/
The Regent Honeyeater is supported by multiple partnerships in collaboration with Birdlife Australia, Taronga Conservation Society, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, Office of Environment and Heritage, Australian National University and Monash University.
Generous philanthropic donors also support this species.
