Summary
Summary
The Norfolk Island Green Parrot (Cyanoramphus cookii) is one of Australia’s rarest birds and is on the brink of functional extinction. Once widespread, it now survives in very low numbers, largely confined to Norfolk Island National Park. Listed as Endangered under the EPBC Act, it also ranks as Critically Endangered in the Action Plan for Australian Birds. Declines are driven by predation from rats and cats, competition with introduced Crimson Rosellas, shortage of nesting hollows, and in breeding depression.
In 2026 this project will establish a Recovery Team and draft a five-year emergency action plan. This team, ledad by the Threatened Species Conservancy, will guide the species recovery.
Some of the key actions that are currently being undertaken or are being considerederted by project partners include:
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Threat mitigation: Cat desexing and microchipping program, Felixer cat trap trials, Goodnature rodent traps at nest sites, and Crimson Rosella management.
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Nest site management: Repair of existing nest hollows, installation of new predator-proofed hollows, and testing of innovative “Hollow Hog” cavity creation.
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Research & monitoring: Population monitoring via surveys and genetic sampling to assess diversity, viability, and sex ratio.
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Translocation feasibility: Assess potentialail locations for establishment of an insurance population.
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Community engagement & citizen science: Recruit and train volunteers for nest searches, bird identification, and surveys; public engagement programs to build community support.
Key Achievements
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Deployment of citizen science bird monitoring program, with local residents trained in bird surveys.
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Island-wide survey for natural hollows undertaken to inform breeding site protection.
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The first island-wide population censes complete
- Recovery team established
Partners
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Threatened Species Conservancy (TSC) – project lead, community engagement, citizen science, species experts.
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Parks Australia – Norfolk Island National Park (NINP) – Land Manager, on-ground management, monitoring, predator control.
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Australian National University (ANU) Difficult Bird Research Group – genetics, population dynamics, ecological research.
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Norfolk Island Flora and Fauna Society – community engagement, cat desexing program.
- ProofSafe - field based data collection and data management. Ecological survey tools and Workplace Safety compliance. www.proofsafe.com.au
Conservation Status
